メスを入れはじめており

English translation: starting to change

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Japanese term or phrase:メスを入れはじめており
English translation:starting to change
Entered by: richwarm

05:40 Jan 31, 2014
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Computers: Software / Bitcoin
Japanese term or phrase: メスを入れはじめており
またビットコインは数世紀触れられる事の無かった通貨発行権限にまでメスを入れはじめており、この影響は経済の土台を揺るがしかねないものであるため、中国のように政府が公に規制する例も出てきています。
This is from a blog post about globalization and the future development of the Internet.
http://katsuaki.co/?p=135

I realize that メスを入れられる can mean
- to perform a surgical operation
- to inquire into
- to take drastic measures

but I'm having trouble putting all the elements together to grasp what this sentence is saying as a whole.
richwarm
Local time: 10:18
starting to change
Explanation:
Bitcoin is starting to change how currency is issued. Traditionally currency is issued by government, but Bitcoin is privately issued. There are some concerns as to how this is going to affect the foundation of world economy.

Selected response from:

Naoki Watanabe
United States
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Ms Watanabe.

This answer gave me the most help in understanding and translating the sentence. I'm sure that the interpretation in your "Explanation" section is globally correct for the sentence I was working on.

It's interesting that メスを入れる is said to mean "to change (something)." That sense doesn't seem to be in dictionaries. I'd like to see other examples of that usage.

I do appreciate the other answers, too, and the suggestion that メスを入れる means "challenge" in this context seems very reasonable. In fact, I have used it in the current version of my translation:

"Another example is Bitcoin, which is beginning to present a challenge to monetary authorities such as they have not faced in centuries; and as its influence may threaten economic foundations, there are examples of governments restricting it, as in China."
I'd welcome any further comments, though.

By the way, in my original question, I meant to give definitions of メスを入れる, of course, not メスを入れられる.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1starting to change
Naoki Watanabe
4the trend has began
Xuchun
3to take drastic measures
Ravi Kumar
3start to challenge
Port City


  

Answers


51 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the trend has began


Explanation:
It simply means the trend has began to tackle 数世紀触れられる事の無かった通貨発行権限. According to Kojien, メスを入れる means 外科医がメスを用いて患部を切開する。転じて、隠れた実体を明るみに出す。.

Xuchun
China
Local time: 07:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Chinese
PRO pts in category: 4
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to take drastic measures


Explanation:
to take measures for solving issues or problems

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2014-01-31 07:46:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

take drastic measures to the extent of issuing currency

Ravi Kumar
India
Local time: 04:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
starting to change


Explanation:
Bitcoin is starting to change how currency is issued. Traditionally currency is issued by government, but Bitcoin is privately issued. There are some concerns as to how this is going to affect the foundation of world economy.



Naoki Watanabe
United States
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Ms Watanabe.

This answer gave me the most help in understanding and translating the sentence. I'm sure that the interpretation in your "Explanation" section is globally correct for the sentence I was working on.

It's interesting that メスを入れる is said to mean "to change (something)." That sense doesn't seem to be in dictionaries. I'd like to see other examples of that usage.

I do appreciate the other answers, too, and the suggestion that メスを入れる means "challenge" in this context seems very reasonable. In fact, I have used it in the current version of my translation:

"Another example is Bitcoin, which is beginning to present a challenge to monetary authorities such as they have not faced in centuries; and as its influence may threaten economic foundations, there are examples of governments restricting it, as in China."
I'd welcome any further comments, though.

By the way, in my original question, I meant to give definitions of メスを入れる, of course, not メスを入れられる.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for your help!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daniel Penso
1 day 5 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
start to challenge


Explanation:
I think it means "to challenge" in this context.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days3 hrs (2014-02-03 09:18:33 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

The term sometimes connotates an element of discomfort to the object, just like nobody wants to be cut with a knife. Central banks, that enjoyed unquestioned authority for centuries, now have to deal with Bitcoin, over which they have no authority. Having no power to regulate the amount of money supplied or an exchange rate with their own currencies is a challenge to them.

Port City
New Zealand
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: I think you are right, and indeed, you can see that I used the word "challenge" in my translation (quoted in my Grading Comment). I might have chosen yours as the most helpful answer if your note had been added earlier. One thing that made it difficult for me to understand the sentence at first was that it isn't true that central banks "enjoyed unquestioned authority for centuries." According to the following article, it was only about ONE hundred years ago that governments managed to eradicate private mints and non-government issuers of currencies. http://www.vnews.com/opinion/10056279-95/column-one-thing-you-can-bank-on-the-bitcoin-currency-is-doomed Here's a quote from that source: "For centuries, rulers found it impossible to keep competing currencies out of circulation. [...] According to monetary historian Eric Helleiner, merchants in England issued low-denomination coins made of copper, lead and tin from the 13th century onward. By the 17th century, approximately 3,000 different businesses in London alone issued “unauthorized” tokens." As a translator, I suppose I have to render in English what the sentence says, even if it's factually incorrect to speak of 数世紀触れられる事の無かった通貨発行権限.

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