Alle Lese- und Hörtexte sind einem Oberthema zugeordnet.

English translation: All the reading and listening texts selected have one theme in common

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	Alle Lese- und Hörtexte sind einem Oberthema zugeordnet.
English translation:	All the reading and listening texts selected have one theme in common
Entered by:	British Diana

14:53 Mar 2, 2013

German to English translations [PRO]
Education / Pedagogy / Description of an English examination

German term or phrase: Alle Lese- und Hörtexte sind einem Oberthema zugeordnet.

There are already seven KudoZ entries for "zugeordnet" but none seems to fit my sentence, nor am I happy with the dictionary suggestions "assigned to, correspond to or associated with".

This is part of the introduction to a new English language exam at CEFR C2 level and the sentence is explaining that the exam has a monothematic approach: "Alle Lese- und Hörtexte sind einem Oberthema zugeordnet, wobei sowohl inhaltlich unterschiedliche Aspekte beleuchtet werden als auch die Textsorten entschieden variieren. "
For Oberthema I have "overall theme". What really happens is that the test developers decide on an overall theme, possibly because they already have a good first text about it and they think it has possibilities, and then they look for or write more texts on the same main topic, which are then used in the exam. As an example it is decided that the overall theme is to be "Cars". So then all the reading and listening comprehension texts have to be about cars. How can I put this more elegantly?
It's sunny here for the first time in months, so possibly some fellow Germany-livers are all out for a walk? Hope others are at their computers and can help me!

British Diana KudoZ activity Questions: 100 (1 open) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 740 Germany
Local time: 05:10

All the reading and listening texts selected have one theme in common

Explanation:
Another alternative which gets across the idea of "zuordnen"

Selected response from:

John Hein-Hartmann
Portugal
Local time: 04:10

Grading comment

This gets the point because "selected" brings across the "zuordnen" I wanted. Apologies to Trudy and supporters, I will definitely use "revelve around" in another context
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +7

... revolve around a common theme / subject

Trudy Peters

4 +2

All written and oral texts are on a single theme

Susan Welsh

All reading and listening texts are subsumed under a general topic.

Chris Foster

3 +2

All the reading and listening texts selected have one theme in common

John Hein-Hartmann

All reading and listening texts are on the same topic area

Penny Hewson (X)

all narratives (stories) and texts are covering a collective subject

KarnEvil (X)

All reading and listening texts are allocated to one principal theme

freekfluweel

All reading and listening texts have been assigned to an overall theme

Martina Fink

all readings and audio materials are aligned under an overarching topic

Horst Huber (X)

focus on an overarching theme

Michael Martin, MA

Summary of reference entries provided

Just came across PTE General

oa_xxx (X)

Discussion entries: 10

Lancashireman

United Kingdom

Hi Di

18:11 Mar 3, 2013

I doubt whether you will be swayed by anything as proletarian as voting. As usual, your eventual choice will send ripples of amazement around the community.

Helen Shiner

United Kingdom

Selected expertise

17:26 Mar 3, 2013

My votes go to 'selected' to get you round this problem, as an elegant solution; and to listening to what Andrew says on the subject, given his many years in the teaching profession.

British Diana

Germany

ASKER

Qual der Wahl?

07:41 Mar 3, 2013

Well, colleagues, you have done me proud. Thanks for all these suggestions and comments!
Please cast your votes and I will try and decide which of all the suggestions I find the most suitable.

British Diana

Germany

ASKER

@orla

07:29 Mar 3, 2013

Thanks for asking this because my answer might explain why I am so keen to get in the idea of the "zuordnen" being deliberate. The intro to the exam is part of a so-called Handbook which is meant for anyone interested but NOT students, so for people who want to find out what this exam tests, how it does it, what the requirements are, how it is reliable and authentic etc. So it might also be read by future materials authors, too.

oa_xxx (X)

Germany

05:36 Mar 3, 2013

Just to be clear - is this introduction to the exam meant for students or teachers? (or future test developers?)

oa_xxx (X)

Germany

05:33 Mar 3, 2013

we always called them aural exams - orals, aurals and written, maybe just my school - but definitely listening not audio. I also agree that the idea that someone has been responsible for the "zuordnen" is implicit - anything else is impossible! Would probably go for based on.

Lancashireman

United Kingdom

Re 'audio texts'

23:56 Mar 2, 2013

... currently receiving enthusiastic endorsements all over this web page. The standard term in an exam context is 'listening'.

franglish

Switzerland

@Diana

19:33 Mar 2, 2013

in your comment on Penny's answer you say "...if we could include the idea that sombody has done the 'zuordnen'. Evidently someone has, it's implicit!

British Diana

Germany

ASKER

@David

16:11 Mar 2, 2013

Hallo David!
As this is a text introducing a new exam I know that the author is deliberately pointing out the reasons why things have been done the way they have to demonstrate that the exam is fit for purpose.. I'd like to get the "zuordnen" part in for this reason.

David Moore (X)

Greetings Diana,

15:59 Mar 2, 2013

IIWY, I wouldn't make too much of the "zugeordnet" as it really is superfluous to translate the idea into English - as is so often the case.

That's why I support Susan in principle, but would use "listening" or "auditory" texts perhaps.

If you think it through, the writers would in any event have been instructed to write the various papers on a single subject, if they do, as you say, cover one subject, wouldn't they?

Answers

38 mins confidence:

All reading and listening texts are allocated to one principal theme

Explanation:
All reading and listening have been allocated to one principal theme

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/evaluat...

(page 8)

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Note added at 40 min (2013-03-02 15:34:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

should squeeze in "texts" between "listening" and "have"

freekfluweel
Netherlands
Local time: 05:10
Native speaker of:

Dutch
PRO pts in category: 8

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, freekfluweel!

43 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

... revolve around a common theme / subject

Explanation:
All reading and listening texts revolve around a common theme (or subject)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 45 mins (2013-03-02 15:38:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or: are based on a common theme

Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 23:10
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in category: 23

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Trudy!

52 mins confidence:

All reading and listening texts have been assigned to an overall theme

Explanation:
This one includes the idea that somebody has deliberately assigned the texts to the theme.

Another option: "All reading and listening texts belong to an overall theme".

Martina Fink
New Zealand
Local time: 15:10
Native speaker of: English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Martina!

1 hr confidence:

All reading and listening texts are subsumed under a general topic.

Explanation:
Another alternative

Chris Foster
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Tecton! This looks promising...

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

All the reading and listening texts selected have one theme in common

Explanation:
Another alternative which gets across the idea of "zuordnen"

John Hein-Hartmann
Portugal
Local time: 04:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 16

Grading comment

This gets the point because "selected" brings across the "zuordnen" I wanted. Apologies to Trudy and supporters, I will definitely use "revelve around" in another context

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, John! "selected" does indeed get it across.

17 mins confidence:

All reading and listening texts are on the same topic area

Explanation:
That's what we'd have said when I was teaching

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Note added at 2 hrs (2013-03-02 17:32:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...placed under an overarching theme?

Penny Hewson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 35

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Penny! It would be nice if we could include the idea that somebody has done the "zuordnen".

11 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

All written and oral texts are on a single theme

Explanation:
Perhaps it could be more elegant, but this works for me.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2013-03-02 20:07:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I thought the "zugeordnet" was implicit.

Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 23:10
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Susan. Possibly the aspect of them having been deliberately "zugeordnet" by the test developers is a bit lacking?

Asker: Of course you are right, Susan, it is implicit. Ideally I would like to make it a tiny bit explicit(!)

10 hrs confidence:

all readings and audio materials are aligned under an overarching topic

Explanation:
"Text" and "hearing" seems to mix metaphors. 'Subsuming" is quite different from coordination.

Horst Huber (X)
United States
Local time: 23:10
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 7

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Horst! I know what you mean, but apparently in linguistics one can talk of texts whether they are heard or read! Additionally in practice the listening texts are scripted or if they are really authentic, it will be a transcript of a genuine conversation so a written text of the LC does exist.

4 hrs confidence:

focus on an overarching theme

Explanation:
There are so many ways of expressing "zugeordnet" even in this context that it's not difficult come up with viable solutions and still
keep faithful to the original. The clincher is whatever sounds best to the end user. Here are a couple of more options:

- are devoted to an overarching theme
- are unified by an overarching theme

(I am not big on "overarching theme". Can easily be replaced by other options, too.)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day12 hrs (2013-03-04 03:44:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Myriads of possibilities really...

After some more digging, I decided that I like best "organized, categorized or linked under (an overarching/unifying theme) or even "grouped under overarching themes". BTW, while the German expression uses the singular, it also leaves wide open the possibility that there might be more than one theme. Given the context, that might actually be more likely..

Personally, I don't think the translated verb needs to express the same degree of technicality as the German does but it can certainly be done and the options above accomplish that goal. Here are some more but I would only include them under "ferner liefen"...

included/united/unified/connected under an overarching theme

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 23:10
Works in field
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in category: 178

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Martin! More interesting suggestions...

1 day 16 hrs confidence:

all narratives (stories) and texts are covering a collective subject

Explanation:
Why not?

KarnEvil (X)
South Africa
Local time: 05:10
Native speaker of:

English,

German

Reference comments

17 hrs

Reference: Just came across PTE General

Reference information:
which seems to take a similar approach

"This means that all exam tasks are related through a common theme which allows candidates to activate the different domains of knowledge they have acquired..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTE_Young_Learners

"PTE General tasks are related through a common theme which allows candidates to activate the different domains of knowledge they have acquired and thus further enhance second language acquisition. It also provides a coherent thread for candidates to guide them through the various tasks.
The tasks can be interrelated through a common topic or a scenario where the different tasks “build” a story and integrate different language skills"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTE_General

"The item types in each PTE General test are grouped together around topics referred to as themes. These
are used in item types across language skills, for example listening and reading or reading and writing... The written component
of the test contains three themes and the spoken part two. Sections 7 and 8 in the written part are thematically linked. Sections 12 and 13 in the spoken part are related by theme."
http://pearsonpte.com/PTEGeneral/Documents/PTEG_GuideL5.pdf

As always, not too sure about what wiki says, not the same as what is on their own website but maybe you can find more info. My vague attempts:

The texts selected for the... are based on a particular topic/subject area/are thematically linked (but vary in content/type etc)

OR emphasise first that there is an overall theme: The reading and listening comprehension tests are based on a specific theme/theme based. Texts are carefully selected to highlight different aspects...

Reference: http://pearsonpte.com/Pages/Home.aspx

oa_xxx (X)
Germany
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Note to reference poster

Asker: Thanks, orla! This is indeed a very useful reference - for inspiration , not for copying, of course.

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Alle Lese- und Hörtexte sind einem Oberthema zugeordnet.

English translation: All the reading and listening texts selected have one theme in common

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Alle Lese- und Hörtexte sind einem Oberthema zugeordnet.

English translation: All the reading and listening texts selected have one theme in common

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