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linguistische „Laien“

English translation: non-linguists

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:linguistische „Laien“
English translation:non-linguists
Entered by: yne

17:21 May 22, 2006
German to English translations [PRO]
Linguistics
German term or phrase: linguistische „Laien“
linguistische „Laien“

These are non-linguists right? Or are they laymen who are linguists (and therefore laymen in terms of another field of expertise?) Any ideas? Am I right in thinking this is ambiguous?
yne
Local time: 21:06
non-linguists
Explanation:
What's wrong with "non-linguists"? Seems to sum it up perfectly - to me, at least.
Selected response from:

IanW (X)
Local time: 22:06
Grading comment
Thanks, I think I will go with this as lay people really know nothing rather than being amateurs. They are actually not involved at all. Yes, lay is not used as often in English.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1linguistic laypersons
Sven Petersson
4 +1nonprofessional linguists
Henry Schroeder
3 +1lsy people as far as linguistics is concerned
Maureen Millington-Brodie
4non-linguists
IanW (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
lsy people as far as linguistics is concerned


Explanation:
they don't know anything about linguistics? you must have more context

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 mins (2006-05-22 17:24:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

typo for "lay" of course

Maureen Millington-Brodie
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:06
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Meturgan: Yes, lay people as far as linguistics is concerned. This is the best way to put it. To asker: They are NOT linguists.
28 mins
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
linguistic laypersons


Explanation:
Without formal training in linguistics.
:o)


    Reference: http://www.wordsmith.org/chat/forensic-linguistics.html
    Reference: http://groups.google.fr/group/sci.lang/tree/browse_frm/month...
Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 22:06
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wenjer Leuschel (X)
3 mins
  -> Thank you very much!
agree  Derek Gill Franßen
29 mins
  -> Thank you very much!
disagree  IanW (X): Sorry, I don't think this sounds right at all - the word "Laie" is used far more frequently than its English equivalent and this doesn't sound like anything anyone would ever say
49 mins
  -> ... and I think the message is lost in your translation.
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56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
nonprofessional linguists


Explanation:
or "amateur linguists".

Excuse me for not being very PC, but I do not like "laypersons". Maybe in thirty years, I will have grown accustomed to some of these artificial "person" words that have replaced "man", but when there are other options, and PC ones at that, why not use them?

Henry Schroeder
United States
Local time: 16:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: yes to both of those (although preferably with a hyphen in non-professional :-)
26 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
non-linguists


Explanation:
What's wrong with "non-linguists"? Seems to sum it up perfectly - to me, at least.

IanW (X)
Local time: 22:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Thanks, I think I will go with this as lay people really know nothing rather than being amateurs. They are actually not involved at all. Yes, lay is not used as often in English.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Sven Petersson: Message lost!
5 mins
  -> What exactly is the "message", other than that the "Laie" is not a (professional) linguist? And what makes you think that it is necessary to make up terms in order to convey this "message"?
agree  Lancashireman: Agree. 'Lay' is perfect for ecclesiastical contexts. 'Laypersons' is a new one on me...
4 hrs
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