Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
durch Fremdeinwirkung
English translation:
through (unnatural) external causes
Added to glossary by
Joseph Tein
Oct 28, 2013 03:43
10 yrs ago
11 viewers *
German term
United States
Multilingual. Very careful & precise.
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Italian to English
durch Fremdeinwirkung
German to English
Law/Patents
Law (general)
causes of death
This little phrase appears in a character reference letter sent in an adoption matter. I've been asked to proofread the translation.
"Frau X is die Schwester der Verstorbenen (durch Fremdeiwirkung) Frau XX."
The translator rendered "durch Fremdeinwirkung" as "through external causes" but I'm wondering if this is enough here or if it has a more specific meaning, maybe something to do with violence or criminal activity, since later in the letter it states that "der Vater der Kinder ist wegen Mordverdacht and der Kindsmutter inhaftiert".
How would you translate this little phrase?
Many thanks for your help!
"Frau X is die Schwester der Verstorbenen (durch Fremdeiwirkung) Frau XX."
The translator rendered "durch Fremdeinwirkung" as "through external causes" but I'm wondering if this is enough here or if it has a more specific meaning, maybe something to do with violence or criminal activity, since later in the letter it states that "der Vater der Kinder ist wegen Mordverdacht and der Kindsmutter inhaftiert".
How would you translate this little phrase?
Many thanks for your help!
Proposed translations
(English)
References
| I would leave it as is |
gangels (X)
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Change log
Nov 1, 2013 18:55: Joseph Tein changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/578038">Joseph Tein's</a> old entry - "durch Fremdeinwirkung"" to ""by (unnatural) external causes""
Proposed translations
+4
3 hrs
Selected
by unnatural external causes
Also a category in the US - cf. PD James's novel, but - for some medical reason - does not rule out suicide.
Example sentence:
Unnatural death is a category used by coroners and vital statistics specialists for ... all human deaths not properly describable as death by natural causes.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Michael Martin, MA
: Unnatural causes and unnatural death are both used in the US.
13 mins
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Thanks and good thinking. Now I will sit back and wait for others to piggyback and/or lift my idea.
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| agree |
AllegroTrans
: I would be half (maybe 3/4) inclined to omit "unnatural"
11 hrs
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Thanks and point taken.
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| agree |
oa_xxx (X)
: I would be much more inclined to omit external.// Actually I think I've changed my mind - it might be important to keep "external" after all, I guess its not quite the same as "unnatürlicher Tod" in German either.
12 hrs
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Thanks and OK, albeit opposed to Allegro's stance.
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| neutral |
Charles Stanford
: Isn't this piggybacking on Brigitte though Tom? And aren't external causes always unnatural? In which case we should surely be encouraging her to post an answer rather than reposting her idea.... Not sure if background radiation really works as natural!
13 hrs
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Brigitte's idea was a discussion entry and not a posted answer. If she had, I would not have done. And the external causes point is questionable as there are permutations & combinations of external causes that are 'natural', namely background radiation.
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| agree |
David Moore (X)
1 day 4 hrs
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Thank you for your (ex-)BR blessing.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for your help, Tom."
+2
31 mins
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
Works in field
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
1244
by homicide
Looks like murder.
foul play [act of a criminal nature]
http://www.dict.cc/german-english/Fremdeinwirkung.html
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Note added at 35 mins (2013-10-28 04:18:51 GMT)
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An einem Freitagmorgen entdeckte eine US-Soldatin in einem dichten Farngestrüpp eine teilweise verweste, zunächst unbekannte, männliche Leiche. Auffallend war die Fesselung der Unterschenkel und ein ca. 10 m langer Strick ausgehend vom Kopf-Halsbereich. Beim Umwenden der Leichen fanden sich ähnliche Strickteile. Obwohl der erste Eindruck auf eine Fremdeinwirkung hindeutete, ergaben die Ermittlungen auch Hinweise auf einen Suizid.
A putrified and partly skeletonized unidentified male body was discovered in an undergrowth of ferns. Notably, the legs were bound and an approximately 30-foot-long rope extended from the head-neck region. Under the body similar ropes were found. The first impression pointed to homicide, which, however, could not be confirmed after intensive police investigations.
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-75757-0_2...
foul play [act of a criminal nature]
http://www.dict.cc/german-english/Fremdeinwirkung.html
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Note added at 35 mins (2013-10-28 04:18:51 GMT)
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An einem Freitagmorgen entdeckte eine US-Soldatin in einem dichten Farngestrüpp eine teilweise verweste, zunächst unbekannte, männliche Leiche. Auffallend war die Fesselung der Unterschenkel und ein ca. 10 m langer Strick ausgehend vom Kopf-Halsbereich. Beim Umwenden der Leichen fanden sich ähnliche Strickteile. Obwohl der erste Eindruck auf eine Fremdeinwirkung hindeutete, ergaben die Ermittlungen auch Hinweise auf einen Suizid.
A putrified and partly skeletonized unidentified male body was discovered in an undergrowth of ferns. Notably, the legs were bound and an approximately 30-foot-long rope extended from the head-neck region. Under the body similar ropes were found. The first impression pointed to homicide, which, however, could not be confirmed after intensive police investigations.
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-75757-0_2...
Note from asker:
| Thank you Kim ... sehr schoenen Dank (y gracias también). |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
H. C. Centner
: I think that until "homicide" has been proven (untermordverdacht) one should probably use "through an act of criminal nature". I have no proof but it feels more neutral than homicide.
1 hr
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| agree |
philgoddard
: Or maybe "in suspicious circumstances".
2 hrs
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| neutral |
Yorkshireman
: suspected homicide - always suspected until the culprit has been found, tried and found guilty
4 hrs
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| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: too much of an assumption
15 hrs
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4 hrs
deceased due to the actions of persons unknown
The police/coroner have not yet found out "whodunnit"
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: and what if the death was caused by falling masonry or being struck by lighning?
10 hrs
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I believe they call that accidental death - unless someone pushed the chimney over and that broke the lightning conductor :-)
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4 hrs
Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
45 years experience
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
114
unnatural death
is the standard phrase
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: I see this as piggybacking on TT's answer....
11 hrs
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Oops - hadn't registered that TT had also mentioned that.
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13 hrs
Ellen Kraus
Austria
Austria
Native in German
Specializes in field
Austria
more than thirty years of experience
Native in: German
Works in: Greek to German, English to German, Greek to English, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
308
through foul play (act of criminal nature)
might be another variant
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Note added at 13 Stunden (2013-10-28 16:51:37 GMT)
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What does the term "foul play" mean in terms of crime? - Yahoo ...
answers.yahoo.com › ... › Words & Wordplay05.06.2009 - Best Answer - Chosen by Voters. "Foul play" means some sort of criminal activity--not an accident, or, in the case of a death, not suicide.
Foul play ruled out in SF hospital patient's death - Yahoo News
news.yahoo.com/foul-play-ruled-sf-hospital-patients...
10.10.2013 - From Yahoo News: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Investigators have ruled out foul play in the disappearance and death of a San Francisco woman
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Note added at 13 Stunden (2013-10-28 16:52:39 GMT)
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see also "Fremdeinwirkung" in online dict. cc
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Note added at 13 Stunden (2013-10-28 16:51:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
What does the term "foul play" mean in terms of crime? - Yahoo ...
answers.yahoo.com › ... › Words & Wordplay05.06.2009 - Best Answer - Chosen by Voters. "Foul play" means some sort of criminal activity--not an accident, or, in the case of a death, not suicide.
Foul play ruled out in SF hospital patient's death - Yahoo News
news.yahoo.com/foul-play-ruled-sf-hospital-patients...
10.10.2013 - From Yahoo News: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Investigators have ruled out foul play in the disappearance and death of a San Francisco woman
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Note added at 13 Stunden (2013-10-28 16:52:39 GMT)
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see also "Fremdeinwirkung" in online dict. cc
2 days 6 hrs
due to third-party cause
'through outside influence/cause' I think is a good solution
Reference comments
15 hrs
Reference:
I would leave it as is
No point in playing Sherlock Holmes or Judge and Jury
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: so would I, but this is not a reference entry
3 hrs
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Discussion
so I will retire now before I add any more confusion to the matter!
https://ibis.health.state.nm.us/html/ICD9CM_Ecodes.htm