Re: [ox-en] Self-unfolding?
- From: "B. Fallenstein" <b.fallenstein gmx.de>
- Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2001 19:02:55 +0100
Hi Stefan,
Stefan Meretz wrote:
B. Fallenstein wrote:
> I would say the problem is that "unfolding" is simply not the same as
> "Entfaltung" in German.
Well, taking Selbstentfaltung literally, it is the same in german. I
think, this is the origin, where it comes from: something, which unfolds
itself (e.g. a book for children with self-unfolding pages buildung some
3D-stuff). Using this at the first time in other contexts, this sounded
as strange as now "self-unfolding" for english speaking people.
Yes, it's literally the same-- it's a literal translation. :) Well,
would you translate "education" as "Herausführen?" It's literally the
same IIRC :-)
But Selbstentfaltung has an important difference to self-unfolding,
which is that Entfaltung already means something in German unfolding
does not mean in English: we already have the psychological denotation,
"unfolding" does not (AFAIK, and the dictionaries seem to support this).
Two examples from the Duden: "Seine Persönlichkeit, sein Talent kann
sich hier nicht voll entfalten" ("his personality, his talent can't
fully unfold here," entry for entfalten); "dieser Beruf bietet viele
Entfaltungsmöglichkeiten" ("this occupation provides lots of
opportunities for unfolding," entry for Entfaltungsmöglichkeiten).
Indeed, "Persönlichkeitsentfaltung" is not an unknown word at all. On
the other hand, to me, "to unfold your personality" sounds like
explaining your personality to a psychatrist, analysing all aspects of it.
Interestingly, it seems to be a modern usage; Grimms Wörterbuch does not
mention anything towards that end.
> [M]aybe we can find a more intuitive one than self-unfolding?
Can we?
Your google test results in exactly that kind of mixture what I want to
avoid. Your google search showed, that it might be not possible to find
an intuitive term. All intuitive words are too close to old thinking.
By 'more intuitive' I do not mean not to compose a new word; I mean to
use components for the word which have the right connotations already.
Selbstentfaltung seems unusual at first, but it works *because* we know
Entfaltung in contexts like Persönlichkeitsentfaltung, or "hier kann ich
mich nicht richtig entfalten."
Does this self-unfolding make it complicate to understand Stefan in the
interview?
I can't answer this, because I was familiar with the oekonuxy beforehand ;-)
You see: I try to check, if it is possible to stay with self-unfolding.
Maybe I am wrong.
Actually, I think if we do not find a good English term, Benni's
suggestion to use selbstentfaltung as a foreign word might be best.
Better use a term with no connotations than a term with the wrong
connotations. :o)
(Of course, it would be helpful if one of you native speakers could tell
us what you think about this issue!)
- Benja
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