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  1. KudoZ™ Top
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  3. Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.

motinstans

16:56 May 17, 2010
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Swedish term or phrase: motinstans
In a text on Israeli intelligence failings in the following context, "Ett av Agranat-kommissionens förslag, som senare genomförts av många underrättelsetjänster, var att inrätta en kritisk motinstans, en senior expert fristående från den analytiska ”bubblan” med uppgift att pröva dess slutsatser mot alternativa hypoteser, en funktion som så småningom fått det passande namnet djävulens advokat"
ScanTran
Local time: 20:33


Summary of answers provided
3opposition
Hilde Fernandez (X)
2counterbalance (agency); watchdog
Ingemar Kinnmark
Summary of reference entries provided
"Watchdog" definition
Cynthia Coan

  

Answers


47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
opposition


Explanation:
it is quiet well described in the text what it means, a bit like the devils advocat, a fresh pair of eyes

Hilde Fernandez (X)
Local time: 20:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
counterbalance (agency); watchdog


Explanation:
See reference below.


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Note added at 1 hr (2010-05-17 18:30:16 GMT)
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Reference:

There was no counterbalance agency (a ‘watchdog’), who can make such a debate more open and hence the planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating processes can become more overt and balanced.

To find the reference, search for:

"counterbalance agency" "watchdog"

on Google. 2 of the 3 hits contain the reference.


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Note added at 1 hr (2010-05-17 18:33:07 GMT)
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From Webster's Third:

an agency, force, or power that balances, offsets, checks or neutralizes an opposing force


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Note added at 1 hr (2010-05-17 18:34:03 GMT)
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The definition I above I gave from Webster's Third was for "counterbalance".

Ingemar Kinnmark
Local time: 15:33
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  urbom: Better to combine two elements from your suggestions: the phrase "watchdog agency" gets 97,900 hits.
12 hrs
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Reference comments


37 days
Reference: "Watchdog" definition

Reference information:
Guardian or defender against theft, illegal practices or waste

Example sentence(s):
  • "she is the global watchdog for human rights abuses."

    Reference: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Cynthia Coan
United States
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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