Geradenspiegelung

English translation: reflection

14:58 Feb 8, 2018
German to English translations [PRO]
Science - Mathematics & Statistics
German term or phrase: Geradenspiegelung
This is used in a book on mathematics. It is included in a glossary of terms, in this case under "Achse". It is used twice:

Bei einer Geradenspiegelung in der Ebene oder bei der Symmetrieachse einer Figur spricht man kurz von "Achse".
and
Statt Achsenspiegelung sagt man auch Geradenspiegelung.

My question is whether there is a differentiation in English between "Achsenspiegelungen" and "Geradenspiegelungen", since I have only found a translation for the former (axial reflection). If there is, can anyone help me with a term, please?
Sarah Lewis-Morgan
Germany
Local time: 15:30
English translation:reflection
Explanation:
Geradespiegelung is another word for Achsenspiegelung. A distinguishing description could be "reflection about a straight line," but this is unnatural and doesn't seem appropriate for a textbook glossary.

https://www.studimup.de/abitur/geometrie/spiegelung/
Bei der Achsenspiegelung wird eine Figur an einer Achse bzw. Geraden, gespiegelt. Diese Gerade wird dann Spiegelachse genannt...
Die Punktspiegelung ist der Achsenspiegelung ähnlich, nur dass anstatt an einer Geraden, an einem Punkt gespiegelt wird.

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Note added at 18 hrs (2018-02-09 09:18:54 GMT)
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I think I explained this badly. As we saw, if you casually encounter the words Achsenspiegelung and Geradenspiegelung and they are new to you, it may not be clear that they refer to the same thing. With any reasonable English translation of the two words, the sameness would be obvious and not worth mentioning.

I would call them both "reflection," if necessary "reflection across a line (in a plane)," and Punktspiegelung as "point reflection" or one of its synonyms.
https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/reflection.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_(mathematics)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_reflection
Selected response from:

Herbmione Granger
Germany
Local time: 15:30
Grading comment
Thank you for your help.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1reflection
Herbmione Granger


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
reflection


Explanation:
Geradespiegelung is another word for Achsenspiegelung. A distinguishing description could be "reflection about a straight line," but this is unnatural and doesn't seem appropriate for a textbook glossary.

https://www.studimup.de/abitur/geometrie/spiegelung/
Bei der Achsenspiegelung wird eine Figur an einer Achse bzw. Geraden, gespiegelt. Diese Gerade wird dann Spiegelachse genannt...
Die Punktspiegelung ist der Achsenspiegelung ähnlich, nur dass anstatt an einer Geraden, an einem Punkt gespiegelt wird.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2018-02-09 09:18:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think I explained this badly. As we saw, if you casually encounter the words Achsenspiegelung and Geradenspiegelung and they are new to you, it may not be clear that they refer to the same thing. With any reasonable English translation of the two words, the sameness would be obvious and not worth mentioning.

I would call them both "reflection," if necessary "reflection across a line (in a plane)," and Punktspiegelung as "point reflection" or one of its synonyms.
https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/reflection.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_(mathematics)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_reflection

Herbmione Granger
Germany
Local time: 15:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you for your help.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  D. I. Verrelli: The OT seems to be 'clarifying' that reflection is done across a (straight-line) axis-of-symmetry. There is no other way to achieve a reflection, so this makes sense in a description/explanation/discussion, but not in the name of the operation.
21 days
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