Ausnahmeforscher

English translation: exceptional scientist

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Ausnahmeforscher
English translation:exceptional scientist
Entered by: Jan Liebelt

07:52 May 29, 2008
German to English translations [PRO]
Science - Science (general) / Research
German term or phrase: Ausnahmeforscher
Can anyone tell me what exactly this expression means and what the equivalent would be in English? On the Net, I've seen it applied to everyone from Asimov and Einstein to Humboldt and Max Planck. Is it, as I expect, a scientist who is also an entrepreneur?
Jan Liebelt
France
Local time: 17:00
exceptional scientist
Explanation:
Unter Ausnahmeforscher verstehe ich einen Forscher von herausragender Bedeutung/Wichtigkeit, der beeindruckende Leistungen vollbracht hat.

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Note added at 5 Min. (2008-05-29 07:58:04 GMT)
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http://www.google.de/search?q="exceptional scientist&ie=utf-...
Selected response from:

Doreen Schoon-Hammermann
Germany
Local time: 17:00
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +9exceptional scientist
Doreen Schoon-Hammermann
3epochal scientist(s)/researcher(s)
Steffen Walter


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +9
exceptional scientist


Explanation:
Unter Ausnahmeforscher verstehe ich einen Forscher von herausragender Bedeutung/Wichtigkeit, der beeindruckende Leistungen vollbracht hat.

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Note added at 5 Min. (2008-05-29 07:58:04 GMT)
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http://www.google.de/search?q="exceptional scientist&ie=utf-...


    Reference: http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/collections/hdac/Exceptional...
Doreen Schoon-Hammermann
Germany
Local time: 17:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Barbara Wiebking
0 min

agree  Steffen Walter: Nothing to do with entrepreneurs. / auch "scientists of exceptional/outstanding repute"
6 mins

agree  Robert Feuerlein
12 mins

agree  Lirka
13 mins

agree  BrigitteHilgner: Das habe ich ganz spontan auch gedacht.
26 mins

agree  Anja Schmidt (X)
1 hr

agree  Brita Fiess (X)
2 hrs

agree  Rebecca Garber
7 hrs

agree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
1 day 7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
epochal scientist(s)/researcher(s)


Explanation:
I fully agree with Doreen's interpretation of the meaning - this is in no way related to entrepreneurship.

Regarding my alternative suggestion, see usage at

http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page1715.asp
"We are fortunate to have a long science tradition, perhaps best represented by the history of this very institution. Newton, a former president of the Royal Society, and Darwin are acknowledged as two of the ***epochal scientists*** of human civilisation, and are probably - with Shakespeare - Britain's greatest contributors to human civilisation. I would also cite Faraday, Thomson, Dirac, Crick, Perutz, Nurse and many others. As Bob May has said, "creative imagination at and beyond the frontiers simply is something we are good at"."

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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-05-29 11:18:34 GMT)
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OK - in the light of added detail, my suggestion seems to be no longer valid.

Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 17:00
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 39
Notes to answerer
Asker: In response to your comments and Ken's: As far as I know, the person in question hasn't hung up his lab coat just yet, though appears to be quite a celebrity in his field.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Ken Cox: 'epochal' sounds like a term that is only applied to persons who are dead or have long since made their significant contribution ;-)\\ True, but if the persons in his actual context are living or in the middle of their career, this is a useful caution.
1 hr
  -> I do see your point but Jan seems to be referring precisely to such scientists (cf. "On the Net, I've seen it applied to everyone from Asimov and Einstein to Humboldt and Max Planck"). / I agree - "exceptional" would be better in this case.
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