Begriff vs. Konzept

English translation: perception and concept

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Begriff vs. Konzept
English translation:perception and concept
Entered by: Katja Rameil

07:56 Oct 24, 2013
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Science (general) / Archäologie
German term or phrase: Begriff vs. Konzept
I have translated them both as concept or conception in a scientific article on architecture in the 1st century BC. The author got back to me, asking to differentiate between them. I'm a bit lost now, can a native speaker help out? I feel that the English doesn't make that clear difference, but that's just my non-native feeling.

Some text examples:
Die Sozialwissenschaften unterscheiden zwischen einem absoluten sowie einem relationalen *Raumbegriff*.
Die gegenwärtigen sozialwissenschaftlichen Theorien favorisieren eher das relationale *Raumkonzept*.
*Konzeptualisierung* des Raumes [resulting in a "Konzept"]
Im Folgenden unterscheide ich drei *Raumkonzepte*: [followed by three terms with definitions]
[...] greife ich auf Simmels *Begriff* der Raumqualitäten zurück.
Drei von Simmels insgesamt fünf *Qualitätsbegriffen* [...]
Simmels *Konzept* hat den Vorteil, dass es abstrakt genug ist, [...]

The native speaker I work with suggested "concept" for all of them. Is there a way though to differentiate in a way the German author does?

Thank you for your help.
Katja Rameil
Germany
Local time: 02:47
perception and concept
Explanation:
perception - recognition of qualities/ acuity
concept - draft/abstract, a thing conceived
Selected response from:

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 02:47
Grading comment
Thank you for your thoughts and help.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4perception and concept
Ramey Rieger (X)
4notion
Ralf A. Schumacher
3notion vs concept
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
notion


Explanation:
I'd say that notion is the closest equivalent synonym of concept in the given context, although you might as well try to convince your client once more that Begriff is a Germanization (or v.v.?!?) of Latin concept, rooting in con- (zusammen-, herbei-, be-) and capere (fangen, greifen), and stick to your original version. B)

Example sentence(s):
  • notion of space

    Reference: http://thesaurus.com/browse/concept
Ralf A. Schumacher
Japan
Local time: 10:47
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
perception and concept


Explanation:
perception - recognition of qualities/ acuity
concept - draft/abstract, a thing conceived


    Reference: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&searc...
    Reference: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&searc...
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 02:47
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
Thank you for your thoughts and help.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  palilula (X): By the way, with a freelance experience of more than 25 years, I think we can always find the right word ourselves. I avoid asking questions; there is so much information available, just take your time to search.
1 min
  -> Thanks Palilula, splitting hairs successfully are we?// For the greater part, yes, I agree. but I have had some brilliant kudoz assistance with idiomatic, literary terms. I wouldn't want to miss it.

agree  Heather McCrae: sounds good to me
4 mins
  -> Hi Heather, glad you're buying and a hallelujah for online dicts.

agree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
3 hrs
  -> Thanks Harald! Is your garden ready for the winter? Don't know if we're going to have one, actually by the looks of it!

agree  Eleanore Strauss: agree in this context, but a Begriff is very often a term...even in a broader conceptual sense...if that makes any sense!
15 hrs
  -> Sense make everything, how depending read you! Thanks ElliCom!
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
notion vs concept


Explanation:
"In the social sciences, distinctions between absolute and relational notions of space can be found. "

Especially with social sciences terminolgy, it's insufficient to rely on dictionaries alone even if they occasionally turn out to be correct (as in Begriff = notion). It's usually safer to look for the right terminology within the respective disciplines. That said, there are still more options available here. Even though I would consider the above favorites for this particular juxtaposition there's no reason not to deviate from them for variety's sake as long as common sense is applied.

See examples below:
"For him, notions of time and space are related to contrasting
methods of understanding social systems." http://knowledgepublic.pbworks.com/f/MasseySpace.pdf

"This shift in perspective is referred to as the topological turn. The space concept directs attention to organisational forms of juxtaposition." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology_of_space


Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 21:47
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
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