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Akzent

English translation: note/tone (in this context)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Akzent
English translation:note/tone (in this context)
Entered by: Sheila Hardie

09:35 Sep 6, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
/ Moroccan gardens
German term or phrase: Akzent
Damit wagte der Maler einen*** verstörenden Akzent***, der sich gegen alles andere durchsetzt. Und doch, gerade diese grelle Farbe tut dem dicht bepflanzten Garten gut – XXX Meisterwerk war vollendet.

The painter had painted everything (well, apart from the plants!) in the garden bright blue. I am trying to find the best way to express Akzent in this context. I was thinking about trend (an unsettling, or disturbing trend?), but I'm not happy with that. Any ideas gratefully received.

MTIA

Sheila
Sheila Hardie
Spain
Local time: 15:36
note or tone
Explanation:
The painter took the bold step of setting/introducing an unsettling/disturbing/disruptive note/tone...

Can't quite work out how deliberate this was on his part??
Selected response from:

Richard George Elliott
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:36
Grading comment
Great answers and very useful comments - thank you all very much. I like the use of 'note' or 'tone' here. Thanks, Richard.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4note or tone
Richard George Elliott
4 +1a (somewhat) disrupting/disturbing contrast
Steffen Walter
4accent, accentuation
Hans-Henning Judek
4an exciting, disturbing touch
kostan
4vibrant dominance
jerrie
3touch
vhz
3disruptive/disturbing element
Nancy Arrowsmith


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
accent, accentuation


Explanation:
The painter is using bright colors, so maybe accentuation is even better.

"highlights" would be another idea

HTH


    Reference: http://dict.leo.org/?search=accentuation&searchLoc=0&relink=...
Hans-Henning Judek
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 893
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
a (somewhat) disrupting/disturbing contrast


Explanation:
The painter/artist was courageous enough to add a (somewhat) disrupting/disturbing contrast to the painting.

HTH
Steffen

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-09-06 09:43:50 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

of course only if it\'s a painting and not a mural or some other work of art...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-09-06 09:44:40 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...to add a disturbingly contrasting tone/shade...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-09-06 10:00:32 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alright then, Sheila (not much of a change though):

The painter/artist was courageous enough to add a (somewhat) disrupting/disturbing contrast to the (appearance of the) *garden*, overtoning everything else.

or: \"...to add a disturbingly contrasting shade, overtoning everything else...\" (since the \"garden\" bit comes up in the next sentence).




Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 15:36
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 12418

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Susan Geiblinger
7 hrs
  -> Thanks and greetings to Kiwiland :-)
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
touch


Explanation:
just another idea

vhz
Local time: 15:36
PRO pts in pair: 131
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35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
note or tone


Explanation:
The painter took the bold step of setting/introducing an unsettling/disturbing/disruptive note/tone...

Can't quite work out how deliberate this was on his part??

Richard George Elliott
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:36
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 86
Grading comment
Great answers and very useful comments - thank you all very much. I like the use of 'note' or 'tone' here. Thanks, Richard.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Beth Kantus: he hazarded a discordant note in contrast to everything else
1 hr
agree  Trudy Peters: I like Beth's version
2 hrs
  -> So do I!
agree  Melissa Field
3 hrs
agree  Mary Worby: Or 'struck a discordant note' ...
4 hrs
  -> Like this too.
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
an exciting, disturbing touch


Explanation:
or
a pleasantly disturbing contrast

kostan
Austria
Local time: 15:36
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 493

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Steffen Walter: not sure about "...pleasantly..." although the source text later says that this added contrast had an advantageous effect on the garden's appearance
11 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
vibrant dominance


Explanation:
something like...

The painter risked overshadowing everything else (in the garden) with such vibrant dominance (such a display of vibrant dominance).

I think dominance/dominant is good for Akzent, because it gives the idea of 'taking over' (the garden).

hth

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1469

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Trudy Peters: An Akzent does not dominate
1 hr
neutral  Steffen Walter: Trudy, but that's exactly what is said in the sentence further on: "der sich gegen alles andere durchsetzt"
2 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
disruptive/disturbing element


Explanation:
dared to make use of a disruptive/disturbing element

Nancy Arrowsmith
Local time: 07:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 474
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