It seems that the "sprinkler system" is meant to "recognize" various situations in a comprehensive manner with regard to fire prevention, unless this sentence actually means that the system captures a fire in a house or sort of buildings.

Here is a quote from the reference listed below:

"Selection of plastic pipe for residential fire sprinkler systems must recognize the full range of conditions that may be reasonably encountered in use."



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Note added at 2002-06-30 00:41:52 (GMT) Post-grading
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Thank you for your comment, Katalin san. I really respect your choice for the word...I just wanted to make the REAL meanings of the word ¥"捉える¥" clearer here.

By doing so, I would have to disagree with Akemi san¥'s translation for the reason below...

This is a list of the meanings of ¥"とらへる(捕える・捉える)¥" from「大辞林第二版」.

（1）人や動物を取りおさえて逃げないようにする。つかまえる。「犯人を―¥・える」「獲物を―¥・える」「密漁船を―¥・える」
（2）手でしっかりつかむ。握る。「手を―¥・える」「レンブラントの絵に心を―¥・えられる」「逃げて入る袖を―¥・へ給へば/竹取」
（3）たまたま到来した好機などを自分のものとする。つかまえる。「チャンスを―¥・える」
（4）認識・把握する。
（ア）ある部分を論議の対象として正面に据える。「言葉じりを―¥・える」「この点だけを―¥・えて評価を下すのはいかがか」
（イ）本質・意義・特徴などを理解し把握する。つかむ。「特徴をよく―¥・えている似顔絵」「文章の要点を―¥・える」「真相を―¥・える」
（ウ）映像・音などをはっきり確認する。「レーダーが―¥・えた台風の目」「電波を―¥・える」
（5）「…が（人）をとらえる」の形で、（人が）…の状態になる、…の状態に陥るの意を表¥す。翻訳文の影響を受けた表¥現。「恐怖心が彼女を―¥・えた」「疑惑の念が彼を―¥・えた」

As you may see, ¥"捉える¥" in your question is supposed to mean the number (4) in this list. That¥'s why I came up with the word ¥"recognize.¥" Although I agree with Akemi san in that ¥"捉える¥" has ¥"many meanings¥" as you can see in this list, ¥"捉える¥" does NOT mean the word ¥"provide¥" in English. I¥'m pretty sure that Akemi san¥'s translation makes sense to anyone as there is nothing wrong with the wording and grammar of the sentence itself. However, it seems to me that the translated text doesn¥'t have convey the original meaning of ¥"捉える¥" anymore.

Do you really think that the word ¥"provide¥" can be translated into ¥"捉える¥" ?

In addition, I believe that ¥"総合的に¥" actualy modifies ¥"捉える,¥" not ¥"防火¥" as you interpreted it.

BTW, nothing personal here... Akemi san...I¥'m just curious by nature...

Sincerely,

Satoshi

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Note added at 2002-06-30 00:44:59 (GMT) Post-grading
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Correction:

¥"doesn¥'t have convey¥" should be ¥"doesn¥'t convey.¥"

Hi, I was engaged in risk management consulting for four years.
Any questions for risk control ?
Do not hesitate to ask !

Not much different from Akemi's. Just a slightly more literal take on とらえる, which is almost as polymorphic as とる.

BTW, watch out for the 防火. Sprinkler systems do not PREVENT fires. They FIGHT them.