Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
bewegt sich frei
English translation:
runs freely (unencumbered by ...)
Added to glossary by
Horst Huber (X)
Sep 26, 2011 09:29
12 yrs ago
German term
Germany
Scientific & technical expertise
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English
bewegt sich frei
German to English
Other
Geography
Context:
"So bewegt er sich in den ersten 250 km (von insgesamt 650 km Länge) frei, das heißt ohne Eindämmung."
Talking about the navigability of a river. I imagine this means that it follows a natural course and/or is tidal for the first/final 250 km (from its source or from the coast?), but I'm not sure.
* Sentence or paragraph where the term occurs: See above
* Document type: Description of inland navigation in various countries
* Target audience: Inland navigation-related readership
* Country and dialect (source): German
* Country and dialect (target): British English
"So bewegt er sich in den ersten 250 km (von insgesamt 650 km Länge) frei, das heißt ohne Eindämmung."
Talking about the navigability of a river. I imagine this means that it follows a natural course and/or is tidal for the first/final 250 km (from its source or from the coast?), but I'm not sure.
* Sentence or paragraph where the term occurs: See above
* Document type: Description of inland navigation in various countries
* Target audience: Inland navigation-related readership
* Country and dialect (source): German
* Country and dialect (target): British English
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 | runs freely (unencumbered by ...) |
Horst Huber (X)
|
| 4 | Freely flowing |
Jeanette Brickner
|
| 3 | flows undammed |
casper (X)
|
Change log
Jan 17, 2012 04:00: Horst Huber (X) Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
7 hrs
Selected
runs freely (unencumbered by ...)
Another angle.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
2 hrs
flows undammed
If you put it this way, then you need not translate the "...das heißt ohne Eindämmung" part of your sentence.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2011-09-26 14:18:15 GMT)
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As per your discussion post, you're "thinking along the lines of 'follows its natural course...' but can't really find any quotes that use that phraseology." Try 'flows' instead of 'follows' and voilà:
He then makes a statement which completely contradicts Blake’s by saying the “The river glideth at his own sweet will”, this meaning that the river still flows its natural course, unlike what Blake said which is that it is mapped out as with the city.
http://tinyurl.com/3qd5wtr
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2011-09-26 14:18:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As per your discussion post, you're "thinking along the lines of 'follows its natural course...' but can't really find any quotes that use that phraseology." Try 'flows' instead of 'follows' and voilà:
He then makes a statement which completely contradicts Blake’s by saying the “The river glideth at his own sweet will”, this meaning that the river still flows its natural course, unlike what Blake said which is that it is mapped out as with the city.
http://tinyurl.com/3qd5wtr
Example sentence:
The Flint is one of 40 rivers nationwide that still flow undammed for more than 200 miles.
Note from asker:
| It is more to do with the course of the river being artificially contained by dikes etc. than dams. Eindämmung is a false friend in tis respect. |
| No. I can't find any quotes that say "follows its natural course for long stretches". It is "in weiten Abschnitten" I am pondering now. |
| “The river glideth at his own sweet will” is beautifully peotic, but I'll be damned if I use such language in a technical document about shipping. |
| Sorry, poetic, not peotic ;-) |
5 days
Jeanette Brickner
Native in English
DE>EN translator, automotive + marketing
Native in: English
Works in: German to English
Freely flowing
Makes sense in the context of a river.
Example sentence:
A series of locks and dams exist on the upper mississippi river to control navigation, but south of St. Louis, the river flows freely.
Discussion
an irish song says:"....and only our rivers run free."
I agree with " mainly follows its natural course."
is free-flowing over long stretches.
I'm thinking along the lines of
"follows its natural course for long stretches"
but can't really find any quotes that use that phraseology.
1. glide, sail, drift, move gently, bob, coast, slide, be carried, slip along barges floating quietly by the grassy river banks
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/float
The other word that comes to mind is "flow."
Than you P.D., I would never have guessed that! ;-)
"to move freely."
I think "follows its natural course" sounds good, but of course at the end of the day it doesn't matter if the way you say it is slightly imprecise, because it is explained right afterwards (the German is not exactly using technical terminology!).
Draft translation:
For instance, the first 250 km (out of its total length of 650 km) is free/free-flowing/follows its natural course, i.e. not artificially contained in any way. The subsequent 400 km have been subjected to hydraulic engineering measures in order to make the river navigable.