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The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2017-03-02 15:54:07 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
German to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Advertising / Public Relations / EDI procedures
German term or phrase:Dabei ist nichts gesetzt
A phrase in a business/marketing text, the full sentence reads:
Dabei ist nichts gesetzt, aber eines klar: Wer nicht komplett digitalisiert, der verliert.
Everything is clear to me, except for the initial phrase. I have some guesses about it, but I don't want to give any clues. Thanks in advance.
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Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Peace is easy
09:08 Mar 1, 2017
when being RIGHT is less important than having FUN. You, too, Elizabeth.
It is so great to wake up and see the peace prevails:) Have a great translation day, everyone!
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
@Michael
07:57 Mar 1, 2017
..."I don’t recommend using the native speaker stick to slap down bad ideas." I don't either, but this time it got to me. Won't happen again, at least not for while :-). Happy translating!
I took another look at this and will concede now that it doesn’t seem to matter whether this expression looks back or to the future. I also thought initially that a phrase like ‘Nothing has been carved in stone yet’ suggests there’s a degree of control in play - somebody thinks they have control over something that they may decide to do or not to do (as opposed to industry trends that nobody can control). But I am happy to drop that idea, too. It’s probably a matter of taste really. So here are the solutions I would favor:
Nothing is carved in stone yet, but one thing is clear. Those who won’t jump on the digitization train, will fall behind.
The field is wide open but one thing is clear. Those who won’t jump on the digitization train, will fall behind.
One more thing. I don’t recommend using the native speaker stick to slap down bad ideas. In this case, I am getting it but the temptation can be great for people to wield that stick whenever they run out of better arguments (Totschlagargument)
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
I love it
15:29 Feb 28, 2017
when non-native speakers interpret an ENGLISH idiom. "It's not carved in stone, but one thing is clear"...refers to the ONE THING that is clear - NOT to anything that may have preceded the statement. Jeeeeeeez
Well put and thanks, you saved me from having to write another d-box post (with essentially the same explanation).
It'd also be in line with Phil's (phillee) and Tony's comments (nichts gesetzt = no one has made a bet yet or nothing has been settled one way or another).
suggests that some pattern or direction has already been established but may not be enduring. ‘Dabei ist nichts gesetzt’ sounds similar but only makes sense if used BEFORE anything significant has happened. In other words, things are still up in the air. While it would always to be helpful to have more context, it won’t be needed to rule out ‘carved in stone’ because the structure I just described is inherent to the German phrase and won’t change no matter how much context is provided.
Thanks for this additional info. Well, actually, I wrote the post about making a choice first and then as I tried to select the answer before 24h, the only option was to leave it to the community. I think it is fair since it triggered such an avalanche of answers:)
"I am definitely not translating this website" / "have copied it partly from this website"
I didn't say you were. The sentence is part of a quote, which is why you'll find it on more than one page. It's something the German transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said.
I preferred the correct version "carved in stone". It fits my context. The source was different than the one you mentioned. I suspect the author of "my text" might have copied it partly from this website, but I am definitely not translating this website:)
...in essence, means no one has a clear advantage over the others / everybody has a (fair) chance or more precisely: everyone has to start from scratch (that's why it says "gesetzt"!). It's the only interpretation in line with the preceding sentence and - especially - considering what follows: "Deutschland hat die Kraft, diesen Wettbewerb für sich zu entscheiden. Dafür haben wir eine umfassende Digitaloffensive gestartet" http://www.cdu-bw.de/go/dkongress.html
IMHO, "written/set in stone" is the right idiom at the wrong time. I'd object to its use here on the grounds that it doesn't convey the right idea - this time. No offense, but it also makes the good minister sound a bit desperate: Nothing's written in stone yet! We can still make it if we believe in ourselves! Where is Mariah Carey when you need her!
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Which is a contradiction
15:42 Feb 27, 2017
in itself. We're not taking any bets, but we bet that... No one can predict, but we predict....
Wow, I feel really blessed and overwhelmed with the flood of answers:) And I would like to give points to everyone, but I have to make a difficult choice. Thank you everyone! I like all answers and I am finishing the question now, because I am afraid the decision will get more and more difficult.
"Die Digitalisierung begründet einen neuen Wettbewerb der Staaten. Dabei ist nichts gesetzt - aber eines klar: Wer nicht komplett digitalisiert, der verliert"
Looking at this text, the meaning would appear to me to be along the lines of: "it's early days, no one is winning yet, there is still everything to play for"