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Aufbaubatterie

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Ideenschmiede

English translation:

powerhouse for new ideas/ creative powerhouse/idea incubator

Added to glossary by Jonathan MacKerron
Jul 6, 2007 08:33
16 yrs ago
5 viewers *
German term

Ideenschmiede

German to English Social Sciences Education / Pedagogy
Auch die Universität selbst wurde bereits mehrmals als »Ideenschmiede« im regionalen Businessplan-Wettbewerb ausgezeichnet.
Found one reference to "think-tank", but don't think that this fits well here - thanks in advance.
Proposed translations (English)
5 +5 powerhouse for new ideas/ creative powerhouse
4 +2 ideaS factory
3 +1 idea factory
4 forger of (new) ideas
3 source of ideas
3 "Master of Ideas"
3 ideas hatchery
3 mother of ideas
3 idea forge
3 idea atelier / workshop
3 idea farriery

Discussion

Jonathan MacKerron (asker) Jul 6, 2007:
because a think-tank usually concentrates on one specific issue, whereas here the university is vaunting itself for generating new ideas in many different areas, which is not the same IMO. Also found "incubator of ideas/idea incubator"
Tobi Jul 6, 2007:
Why not "Think tank"? That's it
Patricia Will Jul 6, 2007:
Think tank sounds good to me.

Proposed translations

+5
13 hrs
Selected

powerhouse for new ideas/ creative powerhouse

Powerhouse is a colloquial very widely used term in US English
Peer comment(s):
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X)
30 mins
Thank you!
agree Patricia Will
7 hrs
Thankj you!
agree Diana Loos : I think this is the best suggestion of all!
16 hrs
Thank you!
agree mckinnc : creative powerhouse
23 hrs
Thanks!
agree Bernhard Sulzer : maybe also: powerhouse of new ideas - in a sense that ideas are actually generated there: http://www.finfacts.com/irelandbusinessnews/publish/article_...
1 day 18 hrs
yes very close to my idea..."of" and "for" are interchangeable here I think
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks"
4 mins

source of ideas

...possibly?
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12 mins

"Master of Ideas"

Not sure how this would work, but is a possibility... could also perhaps use "Crafter of Ideas" to go with the trade reference of the Schmied...
Peer comment(s):
neutral Richard Benham : You seem to have got the smith mixed up with the smithy.
11 hrs
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+1
14 mins

idea factory

May not be that common, but I think it gets the idea across.

See also http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_41/b3903462....
Peer comment(s):
agree BrigitteHilgner : I like this.
8 mins
Thanks. :-)
neutral Armorel Young : for me "factory" has far too many negative overtones, implying something mechanistic and unoriginal ("sausage factory"); to describe a university as a "degree factory" would be highly derogatory, and for me idea factory gets too close to that.
3 hrs
neutral Richard Benham : My problem with this is that "ideas factory" sounds more idiomatic. Unlike Armorel, I think the connotations of "factory", e.g. getting down and dirty, commercialism, might serve as a useful counter to the "ivory tower" image of universities.
11 hrs
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2 hrs

ideas hatchery

New York Dot Com Hatchery

What is a HATCHERY?
It is the next level to an incubator.
We are looking to HATCH ideas and businesses. We are looking to make them grow and succeed. And we have the Dream Team to guide the process along.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Richard Benham : This suggests small and delicate things, whereas a smithy is a hot, noisy, dirty place where real work gets done.
10 hrs
Yet it seems that more ideas are being hatched than forged - which just goes to show that noise doesn't equal productivity ;)
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2 hrs

forger of (new) ideas

why not go with a more literal translation?
Note from asker:
Courtney, thanks - this is one of the possibilities I was also entertaining
Peer comment(s):
neutral Craig Meulen : A forger may well be someone who operates a forge, but the first thing I think of when I see the word is counterfeiting !
3 hrs
I was referring to forging as in a blacksmith. They forge metal.
neutral Richard Benham : It's not the smith but the smithy.
9 hrs
thank you!
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4 hrs

mother of ideas

...another idea ;-)
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+2
5 hrs

ideaS factory

I would say that rather than idea factory, which to me is not very idiomatic:

Responsible Nanotechnology: Ideas Factory: Manipulating MoleculesThe second to-be-funded proposal that last week's Ideas Factory generated is a system for manipulating and joining molecules and nanoparticles under direct ...
crnano.typepad.com/crnblog/2007/01/ideas_factory_m.html - 52k - 5 Jul 2007 -

Not think-tank. That's usually used to refer to political think-tanks feeding ideas to political parties or interest groups
Peer comment(s):
agree Richard Benham : Yes I like it.
6 hrs
agree erika rubinstein
23 hrs
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5 hrs

idea forge

A google search proves it's been said before, but often by people translating German -> English :-)
Peer comment(s):
neutral Richard Benham : Soulds lame.
6 hrs
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6 hrs

idea atelier / workshop

Just another choice I presume. The word workshop is used often with this type of context.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Richard Benham : Sounds weak.
5 hrs
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1 day 3 hrs

idea farriery

if there is a Good idea Farrier there should (or might) be an 'idea farriery' :)
Just to complete the list.
Furcadia Community Forums > Modifiable user settings in forum- [ ] Good idea Farrier. This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here. ...
forums.furcadia.com/lofiversion/index.php/t1471.html

Hoof Care- [ Перевести эту страницу ]Experience working with equine veterinarians to diagnose and treat lameness makes her an idea farrier. Read what Carin's clients say:. From Burgaw, NC: ...
www.southcoastfarrier.com/Main Pages/AboutUs.html

TALATINIAN HagopChafe scale surplus christmas gift idea farriery soloist grubby outside to-be-carried collusion. Birth control acne descry essential of corporate fin false ...
hagop.talatinian.net/unquotable.html




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Note added at 2 days52 mins (2007-07-08 09:25:59 GMT)
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or perhaps "ideaS farriery" which could convey the idea more literally and (who knows?) better.

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2007-07-08 09:38:42 GMT)
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'idea(s) incubator' and "incubator of ideas" mighn do the work here as well (especially the latter term), for "business incubator" is quite a widespread & common term in the area of economics. The only doubt I have about them - they do not convey the impression of idea(s) forgery & coinage which might be important (or crucial - I simply dunno) in the overall context and are more associated (IMHO) with something like brainstorm (or brain-ring).

Incubator of IdeasTaguspark when promoting the creation of an Incubator of Ideas is willing to encourage all the entrepreneurs who have a technology-based innovative idea, ...
www.taguspark.com/incubadora_ideias/index.htm
Incubator of IdeasTaguspark when promoting the creation of an Incubator of Ideas is willing to encourage all the entrepreneurs who have a technology-based innovative idea, ...
www.taguspark.com/incubadora_ideias/index.htm

http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&lr=&newwindow=1&as_qdr=all...

http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&lr=&newwindow=1&as_qdr=all...
http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&lr=&newwindow=1&as_qdr=all...

http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&lr=&newwindow=1&as_qdr=all...
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