what does "initiative" refer to?

[Kenny同志]

Well, sorry for the posting.

Edited February 4, 2010 at 04:15 PM by kenny2006woo

[gato]

Here it means 主动. I would translate it as something like "....在多种不同的情况下，都能主动、灵活地解决问题“ , though you don't necessarily have to translate it as "solving problems". Maybe "taking advantage of opportunities" is even better if you can find the right words.

[skylee]

Very long sentences in the original. Difficult to undestand. Is it a translation?

[gato]

Looks like a US military manual. Kenny's got a new job?

[Kenny同志]

deleted

Edited February 4, 2010 at 04:19 PM by kenny2006woo

[roddy]

leaders at all levels

If this isn't a translation from Chinese, I'll eat my 军帽.

[skylee]

Does "reassure and protect populations" sounds ok to you?

[Kenny同志]

Quote:

leaders at all levels

If this isn't a translation from Chinese, I'll eat my 军帽.

Haha, well, it is exactly what's in the original. Somehow 各级领导 automatically came to my mind. It saved some mental effort. Thanks go to the forward composer.

Edited February 5, 2010 at 05:04 AM by kenny2006woo

[chrix]

Does "reassure and protect populations" sounds ok to you?

Sounds like totally normal bureaucrat speak to me. How else would you say it

[Kenny同志]

Does "reassure and protect populations" sounds ok to you?

I think it is OK in English. And I've translated it as 安抚、保护民众。

[Daan]

This piece of text reminds me of the admonition against jargon in The Economist's style guide:

Avoid it. [...] Avoid, above all, the kind of jargon that tries to dignify nonsense with seriousness. The appointee...should have a proven track record of operating at a senior level within a multi-site international business, preferably within a service- or brand-oriented environment, declared an advertisement for a financial controller for The Economist Group.

[...]

Or simply to obfuscate: A multi-agency project catering for holistic diversionary provision to young people for positive action linked to the community safety strategy and the pupil referral unit. was how Luton Education Authority described go-karting lessons.

[gato]

You expect the US military to follow The Economist's style guideline? Hehe.

The military is for jocks, but these jocks don't want to sound like jocks when they are putting words on paper, so they do what they have to do to sound important.

[animal world]

Hmm, how does Kenny's employer got hold of this army manual??? Oh no, the employer didn't do a "google" by any chance? That would be so unheard of!

But, actually, i side with Roddy's observation. This sounds very much like a translation from the Chinese.

Being far from an army lover, i sincerely doubt that any army manual in the US sounds quite as constipated as this. I can't imagine US high brass saying things like, "the Army will need to assist friends, reassure and protect populations..."

[roddy]

Worryingly enough, it's real. Or at least it's on the Internet. Poor Kenny, looks like he's only on the foreword

Good job I don't have a 军帽。

[Kenny同志]

Being far from an army lover, i sincerely doubt that any army manual in the US sounds quite as constipated as this. I can't imagine US high brass saying things like, "the Army will need to assist friends, reassure and protect populations..."

Hehe, I bet the quoted passage is precisely the Commanding General's words. You can google it.

[chrix]

animal world, army officers who went to West Point and then to some prestigious private university for an advanced degree are capable of using highly convoluted academic jargon.

Have a look at the COIN manual whose publication was overseen by General Petraeus. I find the language used in that document quite ok.

[animal world]

Hehe, I bet the quoted passage is precisely the Commanding General's words. You can google it

So, is this really your translating job or is it just homework? If the former, this sounds like an odd assignment.

I doubt the Commanding General wrote this pamphlet unless he was quoted verbatim in it. I did a google and read the beginning of this pamphlet for a while. What i saw was in understandable and quite acceptable English. Stopped reading and didn't see the quoted passage.

[gato]

His new employer is probably called the PLA. Haha.

[animal world]

His new employer is probably called the PLA. Haha.

Maybe the US Army or the US Govt deliberately posted crapola on the internet knowing full well that a certain country in Asia likes to "borrow" things.

[Kenny同志]

deleted.

Edited February 4, 2010 at 04:16 PM by kenny2006woo