treffen (here)

English translation: ...had to build on the wording or meaning of the....

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:treffen (here)
English translation:...had to build on the wording or meaning of the....
Entered by: Stephen Old

17:42 Aug 30, 2017
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Japanese haiku
German term or phrase: treffen (here)
This is my final question on the development of the haiku. I do not understand the precise meaning of "treffen musste" here. Indem sich eine solche Dichtergemeinschaft im Laufe der Zeit auf einen größeren Teilnehmerkreis erweiterte, wurden mehrere derartige Strophenpaare zu einer tanka-Kette, dem renga, aneinandergereiht, bei der der Verfasser jeder neuen Strophe Wort oder Sinn der seines Vorgängers treffen mußte.
Stephen Old
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:32
...had to build on the wording or meaning of the....
Explanation:
preceding participant
Selected response from:

gangels (X)
Local time: 18:32
Grading comment
Thanks, gangels, As so often in English, there are many ways of expressing this idea but I think your suggestion was the best here.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3link
Mair A-W (PhD)
4 +2match / match up to
Helen Shiner
3 +1correlate or tie in to/interact with
Ramey Rieger (X)
3 +1touch upon
Herbmione Granger
3be consistent in word or meaning with
Martin Ris
2...had to build on the wording or meaning of the....
gangels (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
correlate or tie in to/interact with


Explanation:
There must be some reference that keeps the verse alive throughout the chain.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 01:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 77

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: Or continue.
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Phil!
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
link


Explanation:
linked with, connected with, related to ...

doesn't it just mean that the next stanza (written by poet B) must have a link/connection to the previous stanza (written by poet A)?

on tanka chains: https://books.google.de/books?id=nDuMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA32&lpg=PA...

Mair A-W (PhD)
Germany
Local time: 01:32
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
3 hrs

agree  franglish
14 hrs

agree  Karolin Schmidt
21 hrs
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
match / match up to


Explanation:
That would be my take. The poet is trying to live up to his poet forebears.

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Note added at 32 mins (2017-08-30 18:15:27 GMT)
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'Match' on its own would probably be my preference in this particular sentence.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 139

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michael Martin, MA: I think so far this is the only one that would work here. Would have posted that myself.
5 mins
  -> Thanks, Michael

agree  Ramey Rieger (X): parallel, perhaps, as a verb. Hope you're well, Helen!
35 mins
  -> Thanks, Ramey. You, too.
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
...had to build on the wording or meaning of the....


Explanation:
preceding participant

gangels (X)
Local time: 18:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 32
Grading comment
Thanks, gangels, As so often in English, there are many ways of expressing this idea but I think your suggestion was the best here.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
be consistent in word or meaning with


Explanation:
I think the idea is that the poem as a whole, or at least alternating stanzas, need/s textual or thematic consistency, to come across as a whole instead of an aggregation of stanzas A and stanzas B.

Martin Ris
United States
Local time: 20:32
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
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22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
touch upon


Explanation:
... the composer had to touch upon each new thing set out by his predecessor

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day25 mins (2017-08-31 18:08:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Less idiomatic: briefly greet and then follow or depart from
The composer needed to acknowledge the contributions of the last person while creating their own.

Herbmione Granger
Germany
Local time: 01:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Karolin Schmidt: I also like briefly greet and then follow or depart from
1 day 12 mins
  -> Thank you!
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