vnitřní vyprázdnění marxistické ideologie

English translation: internal exhaustion of Marxist ideology

09:13 Dec 15, 2009
Czech to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Religion / sociology of religion under Communism
Czech term or phrase: vnitřní vyprázdnění marxistické ideologie
Dear colleagues,

here is yet another expression (in this case a phrase) which has posed a considerble challenge to me as a translator. The source text is a Czech academic article which is to be translated into English. The topic is sociology of religion under the Communist rule.
The phrase that I struggle to understand (and I am a native speaker of Czech) is the following: "vnitřní vyprázdnění marxistické ideologie". What does the author mean exactly? How would you translate it?

"Z domácích autorů je třeba uvést především Eriku Kadlecovou, která upozorňovala na kontraproduktivitu rigidně pojímaného protináboženského boje a zřejmě jako první si povšimla určitého náboženského oživení, k němuž začalo docházet v souvislosti s vnitřním vyprázdněním marxistické ideologie, se stále většími funkčními obtížemi reálně socialistického režimu a v neposlední řadě kvůli protikomunistické politice nového papeže Jana Pavla II."

I will look forward to your suggestions.
With my best wishes,

Myska
myska
Local time: 22:44
English translation:internal exhaustion of Marxist ideology
Explanation:
I would try this.... or "depletion" or something similar... to imply a gradual process
Selected response from:

Jana Bedanova
Czech Republic
Local time: 23:44
Grading comment
Thank you, Jana, for your contribution. Very good translation indeed.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1internal exhaustion of Marxist ideology
Jana Bedanova
4marxist ideology
Marek Obdrzalek
4internal decline of marxist ideology
Hannah Geiger (X)
4 -1internal vacuity of marxist ideology
Gerry Vickers


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
marxist ideology


Explanation:
Jde zde o to, že marxistická ideologie ztratila na významu, stala se jakoby bublinou, která se sice šířila dále, ale ztratila na významu, nic neřešila, nic nepřinášela, a komunistické země začínaly pozvolna zaostávat.

Marek Obdrzalek
Czech Republic
Local time: 23:44
Native speaker of: Native in CzechCzech
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Dear Marek, thank you so much for your contribution to the matter. Your explanation is exact and very helpful. Thank you. Do you think that "ideological vacuousness of Marxism" or "vacuousness of the Marxist ideology" would capture this meaning in English?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Maria Chmelarova: it is not about m. i. but " vyprázdnění m. i "
8 hrs
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
internal vacuity of marxist ideology


Explanation:
i.e. total absence of ideas, pointless, emptiness of mind

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Note added at 37 mins (2009-12-15 09:50:33 GMT)
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I prefer 'vacuity' to 'vacuousness' - it means the same and is less of a mouthful :) I suppose the 'internal' could be omitted, but it adds something extra - there is no harm in leaving it in IMO.

Gerry Vickers
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:44
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Dear Gerry, thank you once again for a very prompt answer. I have been myself thinking to translate it in similar terms. My translation was "linked to the vacuousness of the Marxist ideology". I am not sure that we would need to indicate that it was "internal" since I believe that this notion is already pressent in the term "vacuousness" (meaning that something is empty = within). Lets see what others think about the phrase.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Jana Bedanova: the word "vacuity" doesn't imply the progressive mode of the process "vyprázdnění". It implies that Marxism is inherently vacuous per se - which is not what the author is saying and which tons of scholars would disagree with
1 hr
  -> I see what you mean, but what would you suggest?
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
internal exhaustion of Marxist ideology


Explanation:
I would try this.... or "depletion" or something similar... to imply a gradual process

Jana Bedanova
Czech Republic
Local time: 23:44
Works in field
Native speaker of: Czech
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thank you, Jana, for your contribution. Very good translation indeed.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Jana, I have to say that this is a good shot and "exhaustion" is really used in relation of "political ideology". In fact, a more detailed search on Google does confirm that even "internal exhaustion" is used in a similar sense that the author implied, although I have not seen it linked to the Marxist ideology as such. But then, new collocations are created day by day as we use our language and who is to say that this isn't a word-pairing unique to the author. Indeed, search on Centrum results in no matches to this unusual combination (the Czech version). I believe, Jana, that you have got the closest to what we are looking for. Thank you!!!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Maria Chmelarova: depletion would work for me, exhaustion is more physical e.
7 hrs
  -> thank you Maria, but I have to disagree - try to search for "exhaustion of" ideology, marxism, modernism, liberalism, etc.

agree  Sarka Rubkova
2 days 20 hrs
  -> diky
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1 day 15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
internal decline of marxist ideology


Explanation:
I love the hot discussion. Feel free to do me in......

Hannah Geiger (X)
United States
Local time: 18:44
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in CzechCzech, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 19
Notes to answerer
Asker: Dear Hannah, yes, it is a hot discussion, isn't it:o) Definitely, not an easy expression to translate ... Thank you for your suggestion!!

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