https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/environment-ecology/6702466-einflussnehmende-randbedingung.html
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Aug 29, 2019 08:36
4 yrs ago
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German term

einflussnehmende Randbedingung

German to English Science Environment & Ecology systems analysis
This term "einflussnehmende Randbedingung" appears several times in a project report about evaluation of the potential environmental impact of the extraction of minerals (i.e. mining). The "einflussnehmende Randbedingungen" play a significant part in the calculation of the environmental hazard potentials of particular minerals (primary raw materials) such as gold and aluminium.
Here's one sentence as an example: "Deswegen wird die 'Lage im arktischen Raum' als einflussnehmende Randbedingung einbezogen." 'Lage im arktischen Raum' refers to situations where mines are located in polar regions, where the environmental impact is potentially very high. It is one of a small number of "einflussnehmende Randbedingungen".
It has occurred to me what the English term might be, but I'm not 100% certain, so would be grateful for any help.
Proposed translations (English)
3 influential / pertinent boundary condition / constraint / limiting condition
4 +1 general influencing factor; general influencing parameter
4 peripheral condition impacting the environment
4 impact-relevant boundary conditions
4 influential peripheral factor
3 background factor, confounding factor
2 collateral impacting factor

Discussion

Barbara Schmidt, M.A. (X) Sep 2, 2019:
Personally I proposed something along those lines because I know that mining in the Artic regions (at least in the North) is subject to considerable restrictions.
This is because of the environmental impact and because there are contracts with the indigenous population that limit the options / the volumes.
Björn Vrooman Sep 2, 2019:
@Gordon I guess it depends on the rest of your paragraph, but I don't see why a Randbedingung must necessarily be limiting something. It's just there. Period.

What's important, though, and this is where I agree with Peter, I suppose, is that you get away from boundary and peripheral (and confounding factor is a Störfaktor).

A Randbedingung is sometimes called a Rahmenbedingung. There's no prioritization. It could be a key factor but one you have little or no control over.

Best
Gordon Matthews (asker) Sep 2, 2019:
How about "limiting factor"? Many thanks to all those of you who have posted answers and/or contributed to the discussion. All your thoughts and ideas are helpful. I am, however, a little surprised that no-one has suggested "limiting factor". Is there a good reason for this?
Björn Vrooman Aug 29, 2019:
Source: https://www.projektmagazin.de/glossarterm/randbedingungen

Some examples from the same web page:
"technische Randbedingungen (Materialeigenschaften, Klima, IT-Umgebung usw.)
rechtliche Randbedingungen (Normen, Vorschriften, Gesetze, Richtlinien)
soziale Randbedingungen (Interessensgruppen)
ökonomische Randbedingungen (Budgetvorgaben, Amortisationszeiten usw.)
politische Randbedingungen (Wahl der Kooperationspartner, Auftragnehmer usw.)"

I think this is what some people mean by German hypercorrectness; I don't believe you need a special word for this in English. What's the issue with one as simple as factor or constraint?

"Other factors":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zt666sg/revision/3

"Other influential factors":
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing....

Take a look at "Hydrocarbons and resource extraction: opportunities and constraints" on https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldselect/ldar...

It says factor or complicating factor, nothing more.

Best
Björn Vrooman Aug 29, 2019:
@Gordon I'll have to make it brief, but anyway:

1) "Arktisch" only refers to the region around the North Pole. I have no idea why you want to turn "arctic" into "polar," which is not what your text says.

2) Boundary conditions are used for differential equations. Here's an explanation:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8cb3/56da070d83110b5626a5ea...

Though it's not true that ENS don't use the term in the "real world." Example from a UK government website:
https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/idoxWAM/doc/Other-777329.pdf?extensi...

(I guess the above is close to Peter's OED definition.)

3) I've rarely seen a group of native speakers so willing to make educated guesses based on context. ENS seem to love it. At most, there's a 50/50 chance you'll be getting it right.

In German:
"vorgegebene, vorzufindende Bedingung, die bei etwas zu beachten ist"
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Randbedingung

Another:
"Die Randbedingungen eines Projektes sind die vom Projektumfeld vorgegebenen Bedingungen, die bei der Projektplanung nicht beeinflussbar sind und daher als gegebene Größen verwendet werden müssen."

[...]
Peter Barker Aug 29, 2019:
According to OED a parameter can be
A numerical or other measurable factor forming one of a set that defines a system or sets the conditions of its operation
Or
A limit or boundary which defines the scope of a particular process or activity
Adrian MM. Aug 29, 2019:
@ Peter B. I take your point and may well myself be 'barking' up the wrong Rand- vs. Rahmenbedingungen tree, but - as I know from a long series of law & lingo exams - a pass answer is literally one 'within acceptable parameters'. I still find it hard to see that the location in the Arctic region can be labelled a 'parameter'.
Peter Barker Aug 29, 2019:
Michael and Adrian, as far as I see it, our three suggestions reflect more or less the same reading of the German term as it is being used in the context described. I don't see that "general parameters" implies some sort of rigid constraint. We also need to remember that whatever the precise dictionary definition of Randbedingung may be, a translator has to consider what the writer actually means to say as well as the particular words he/she may choose to express the idea.

Proposed translations

4 mins
Selected

influential / pertinent boundary condition / constraint / limiting condition

my suggestion

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Note added at 42 Min. (2019-08-29 09:19:07 GMT)
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Personally I prefer 'pertinent constraints in the Arctic regions'. I've visited these regions and I think the term 'polar' is somewhat different from 'arctic'.


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Note added at 3 Stunden (2019-08-29 11:54:48 GMT)
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Ah okay. If so, may I then suggest "Arctic and Antarctic regions". These regions are much larger than the respective polar region itself, and it is where all this mining is taking place (at least in the North). After all, the North Pole sits on a floating ice sheet which is called the Arctic ice sheet. There is no land underneath it.
Now I am sounding a bit like a smart aleck here, please forgive me, this is just a suggestion.
Note from asker:
Thanks, Barbara, for your suggestion(s). My problem with "arctic" or, even more so, with "Arctic" is that it doesn't include the Antarctic, whereas "polar" includes both the Arctic and the Antarctic.
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3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I'm finding it difficult to make a decision, but will probably opt for "limiting factor". You come closest to this with your suggestions. Thank you!"
+1
2 hrs

general influencing factor; general influencing parameter

In my experience the term Randbedingung almost always refers simply to the general or overall external conditions affecting a situation. It very rarely means "boundary condition", which is a very specific scientific/technical term in English which does not at all reflect the very common and general use of Randbedingung in German.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2019-08-29 12:22:10 GMT)
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Hi Gordon
According to the OED it is a term used in mathematics meaning
"a condition that is required to be satisfied at all or part of the boundary of a region in which a set of differential conditions is to be solved".
I don't pretend that I understand what that actually means in maths, but what I do know is that the majority of writers in German in almost any context DO NOT mean that when they use the term Randbedingung. Frustratingly, however, it continues to be offered as a translation in many instances.
Hope that helps.
Note from asker:
Thanks, Peter, for your answer. I'm not familiar with the term "boundary condition" in English. What exactly does it mean?
Many thanks for your answer, Peter, and especially for the information about "boundary conditions". "influencing factor" or "influencing parameter" would probably do, but I'm going for "limiting factor".
Peer comment(s):
agree Ventnai
2 hrs
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5 hrs

peripheral condition impacting the environment

"As a result, the state of the arctic region is included as a peripheral condition impacting the environment."

It's about this being a secondary condition, as opposed to a core condition. Compare with this:

"Peripheral conditions
In addition, these peripheral conditions have an impact on what is possible in your garden design:" https://www.renson-outdoor.com/en/blog/your-checklist-great-...

Not sure I understand the other solutions that have been posted here. Admittedly, there could be an overlap between 'general factors' and 'Randfaktoren' but they're clearly not the same. And ideas that center around limits/constraints/restrictions sound like a very narrow reading of 'Randbedingungen'.


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6 hrs

collateral impacting factor

We need to be careful lest we conflate a Randbedingung as a constraint with a Rahmenbedingung as a parameter.

Impacting factor, as opposed to the 'impact factor' (readership) of a publication.

Example sentence:

Extreme space weather events are low-frequency/high-consequence (LF/HC) events and as such present—in terms of their potential broader, collateral impacts—a unique set of problems for public (and private) institutions and governance...

Reference:

http://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/parameter.html

http://p-tep.polarview.org/?page_id=69

Note from asker:
Thanks, Adrian, for your answer. "impacting factor" would be a possibility, but I prefer "limiting factor".
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20 hrs

impact-relevant boundary conditions

literal translation ?
Note from asker:
Thanks, Wolfgang, for your answer. I'm in two minds about "boundary conditions", given that it seems to have a very specific meaning in relation to differential equations, which would not be appropriate in this context.
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3 days 4 hrs

background factor, confounding factor

As the "study design" is not quite clear to me from your example, I'll offer two options:
- If regional/temporal variations of the impact of mining are to be characterized, "background factor" may be an option (where the word "factor" implies the influence/relevance, IMO).
- If whatever groups are to be compared in terms of the effects of mining, "confounding factor" seems to be the statistical term of choice.


"A background factor is something that we are not directly interested in. For example, when comparing IgG levels in various ethnic groups we are not interested in age, sex, social class, eating habits etc. etc.
Sometimes background factors can get in the way and make addressing the research question more complicated.

Background factors for which...
- The groups differ on the background factor AND
- The background factor itself influences outcome
…are known as confounding factors

Confounding factors 'get in the way' of the comparison between groups that we want to make. Confounding is defined as "a situation in which the effects of two processes are not separated". The word comes from the Latin 'confundere' which means 'to mix together'.
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/child-health/short-courses-events/abou...
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3 days 15 hrs

influential peripheral factor

Seems to fit quite nicely...
Note from asker:
Thanks, Chris, for your answer, which would be a good alternative to "influential boundary condition", which seems to have a very specific meaning which is not appropriate in the context. I'm not comfortable with "peripheral" which has connotations of being of lesser importance, so I prefer "limiting factor".
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