5

Here's the sentance I just wrote in English:

  • Focus on the human as a way of demonstrating the stupidity of othering homeless people.

I am wondering how one would best translate the concept of othering people?

Definition via Merriam-Webster:

to treat or consider (a person or a group of people) as alien to oneself or one's group (as because of different racial, sexual, or cultural characteristics)

My best translation would be:

  • Konzentriert sich auf die menschliche Gemeinsamkeit, sodass die Dummheit, Obdachloser zu anderen, ist demonstriert.

Zu anderen is the closest I could come: "to other" isn't dealt with in German dictionaries.

Improve this question
12
  • Google translator tells me othering=ausgrenzen but I neither can't find that verb, nor the noun in other dictionaries. How common is it?
    – puck
    Oct 25, 2021 at 4:45
  • 1
    dict.leo.org/forum/…
    – Shegit Brahm
    Oct 25, 2021 at 6:42
  • 13
    With questions like these, it can often be helpful to first translate into, say 1980‘s English, and into German from there.
    – Carsten S
    Oct 25, 2021 at 8:07
  • 2
    The word "othering" isn't the only issue in your attempt to translate the sentence. The translation isn't intelligible to me, no matter which word you substitute for "othering". (But also the original doesn't seem to be a complete sentence, unless it's in the imperative mood.) Perhaps it would be best to first reconsider what exactly you want to convey before attempting the translation.
    – henning
    Oct 25, 2021 at 14:28
  • 13
    Note: the verb you are translating is not really an English word per se, it is a technical term from the field of sociology. Therefore, it also makes sense to not look for a German word, but for a technical term in sociology. And it would not actually surprise me to find out that German sociologists simply borrow the English term.
    – Jörg W Mittag
    Oct 25, 2021 at 14:39

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
23

The fitting word for this is ausgrenzen. It corresponds very precisely to your English expression.

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    I would say it works here, but does not match as precisely as you said. to other is more internally, in thought etc , while ausgrenzen somewhat implies action, or the inclination for action
    – Hobbamok
    Oct 26, 2021 at 12:26

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.