die Pole alles Lebendigen

English translation: [the] dichotomies that are present in all living creatures / in all life

15:22 Sep 12, 2017
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Philosophy
German term or phrase: die Pole alles Lebendigen
Treue und Wandel, das Bewahrende und das Fortschreitende, sind die Pole alles Lebendigen. This is a quotation from Wieland Wagner (grandson of Richard), the late Bayreuth stage director. Fidelity and change, preserving and progressing, are the poles of all living things. Or the poles of our existence, or whatever. But the word "poles" doesn't really mean anything to an English speaker, although the term used in this way is not uncommon in German. But I'm stumped as to what to substitute. The two lodestars of our existence? The pillars of our philosophy? Any ideas would be welcome! Nina
NinaCH
Switzerland
English translation:[the] dichotomies that are present in all living creatures / in all life
Explanation:
Dichotomy: "A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different."
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/dichotomy

[the] dichotomies that are characteristic of all living creatures / in all life

alles Lebendigen (neuter singular, genitive) = all that is living
aller Lebendigen (plural, genitive) = all living creatures

Here is the context: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UpFrAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT228&lp...
Selected response from:

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:25
Grading comment
Special thanks for the excellent idea of "dichotomy"! And thank you in general for your time and interest.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1[rephrase]
Johanna Timm, PhD
3[the] dichotomies that are present in all living creatures / in all life
Lancashireman
3opposite poles of life
Michael Martin, MA
3the poles between which all life forms cycle
Herbmione Granger


  

Answers


9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
[the] dichotomies that are present in all living creatures / in all life


Explanation:
Dichotomy: "A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different."
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/dichotomy

[the] dichotomies that are characteristic of all living creatures / in all life

alles Lebendigen (neuter singular, genitive) = all that is living
aller Lebendigen (plural, genitive) = all living creatures

Here is the context: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UpFrAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT228&lp...

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:25
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 14
Grading comment
Special thanks for the excellent idea of "dichotomy"! And thank you in general for your time and interest.
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
opposite poles of life


Explanation:
The expression is more crisp, if we qualify poles with 'opposite' and life with nothing.

Compare with this:
"It is designed to accommodate the personal and the planetary, political awareness and head-in-the-sand retreat. These opposite poles of life are dressed in identical trappings, and we’re invited to react to them with a single, limited set of coded responses." https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-big-and-small-of...

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 03:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you very much for your helpful suggestions!

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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
[rephrase]


Explanation:
Stability and change, stasis and progress – (our) life fluctuates between these (two) poles.
...we all live in the tension between these poles

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 00:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 28
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you very much for your help! I much prefer constancy and preservation to stability and stasis, as both of the latter words sound a bit negative to me. Your comments were very helpful.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  franglish: Constancy and change, preservation and transformation - all life fluctuates between these two poles.
2 hrs
  -> Lieben Dank! "Preservation and transformation" is a great alternative.
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the poles between which all life forms cycle


Explanation:
Constancy and Change. Conserving and Progressing. These are the poles between which all life forms cycle.


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Note added at 10 hrs (2017-09-13 02:12:33 GMT)
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"Living things" is better if talking about music: These are the poles between which all things must cycle to live.

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Note added at 17 hrs (2017-09-13 09:14:27 GMT)
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I tried out the "pole," but I agree that this is not natural in this context.

Using "phases" might cover what is in the speech/bulletin: http://frankenland.franconica.uni-wuerzburg.de/login/data/19...

Compare to a phase diagram: http://chemguide.co.uk/physical/phaseeqia/phasediags.html

"Constancy, conserving, progressing, change. These are the phases that enable things to live."

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Note added at 18 hrs (2017-09-13 09:51:39 GMT)
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Actually, it is possible to drop the "Pole" altogether to avoid clashing with other references to these later on.
"Constancy,... are what enable things to live."

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2017-09-13 18:36:57 GMT) Post-grading
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Thank you for the feedback, Nina. Glad I helped. Indeed a tough one. Best of luck!

Herbmione Granger
Germany
Local time: 08:25
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Many thanks for your thoughtful (and thought-provoking) response. I particularly like the suggestion of "constancy" rather than "fidelity". This was a hard nut to crack!

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