Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Jul 5, 2006 09:34
17 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
your Arabic language partner
Native in: Arabic 
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, Arabic, and 1 more.
besetting
English
Other
Government / Politics
Does it mean "hindering"? "causing troubles"? "harassing"?
The writter is comparing authoritarian governments to democratic ones:
"Because of the superior organizational abilities inherent in their hierarchal structures, only authoritarian governments can match resources to the urgent tasks besetting them of increasing savings and investing them in public works like highways and dams, building up a disciplined military, enforcing the rule of law, and creating a functional educational system."
The writter is comparing authoritarian governments to democratic ones:
"Because of the superior organizational abilities inherent in their hierarchal structures, only authoritarian governments can match resources to the urgent tasks besetting them of increasing savings and investing them in public works like highways and dams, building up a disciplined military, enforcing the rule of law, and creating a functional educational system."
Responses
| 4 +1 | surrounding, facing |
David Moore (X)
|
| 4 +3 | hindering; troubling (figurative) |
Michael Powers (PhD)
|
| 5 | urgent ever present tasks |
Vitaly Kisin
|
| 4 | occupying |
Dave Calderhead
|
Responses
+1
1 hr
Selected
surrounding, facing
Two more options; the problems facing or surrounding them
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-07-05 11:03:09 GMT)
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...only authoritarian governments can match resources to the urgent tasks besetting them of increasing savings and investing them in public works like highways and dams, building up...
Authoritarian governments have urgent tasks facing them (tasks which they absolutely must tackle), such as increasing (their) savings and investing them in urgent works, like... Only these governemts are in a position to match resources to these tasks.
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-07-05 11:03:09 GMT)
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...only authoritarian governments can match resources to the urgent tasks besetting them of increasing savings and investing them in public works like highways and dams, building up...
Authoritarian governments have urgent tasks facing them (tasks which they absolutely must tackle), such as increasing (their) savings and investing them in urgent works, like... Only these governemts are in a position to match resources to these tasks.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Romanian Translator (X)
22 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you very much. That's what I needed, and I apologize to you all for the way I posted the question. I should have posted it as a structure question not a lexical item question.
Regards"
5 mins
Dave Calderhead
Netherlands
Netherlands
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Netherlands
Reliable translations, reasonable rates
Native in: English
Works in: Dutch to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
occupying
...
+3
5 mins
Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
US Court Cert. 1980 Ph.D. 1981
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
hindering; troubling (figurative)
Oxford
beset
• verb (besetting; past and past part. beset) trouble or harass persistently.
— ORIGIN Old English.
Mike :)
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Note added at 8 mins (2006-07-05 09:42:31 GMT)
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Although "harassing" is also a synonym, usually harass is used with a subject that is animate, i.e., capable of harassing. However, someone or something can certainly be troubling.
beset
• verb (besetting; past and past part. beset) trouble or harass persistently.
— ORIGIN Old English.
Mike :)
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Note added at 8 mins (2006-07-05 09:42:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Although "harassing" is also a synonym, usually harass is used with a subject that is animate, i.e., capable of harassing. However, someone or something can certainly be troubling.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
David Knowles
: maybe "facing" or "surrounding" would be helpful synonyms.
8 mins
|
| agree |
Dave Calderhead
: and with David
13 mins
|
| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
5 hrs
|
55 mins
Vitaly Kisin
Works in field
Physicist, huge translation experience
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, English, and 1 more.
urgent ever present tasks
move `besetting' further back from the specificities of tasks and it should get clearer. `Besetting' tells you that these tasks are nagging, ever there, never off your back, you chase them through the door and they are back through a window or chimney
Discussion
I've got it right or what?
As for the task itself, can you clarify what is unclear about piling up more liquid or other resources to be plowed into road works etc? That's what it looks like to me
No one is paying attention to the context.
"urgent tasks besetting them of increasing savings and investing them in public works "
Anybody listening to what I'm saying?
"urgent tasks besetting them of increasing savings "