Nov 24, 2014 10:07
9 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term
ciertas variables tienen determinados valores en común
Spanish to English
Social Sciences
Mathematics & Statistics
Data processing and statistics
This is a from an entry in a glossary on statistical terms related to administrative datasets. I'm not looking for a literal translation; I'm concerned that the phrase doesn't seem to follow the first part of the sentence. Can 'variable' be used as synonym for 'population unit'? How can I fix it to make it look as if it relates to the beginning of the sentence?
Unidad de la población: caso o unidad que forma parte de la población de interés del Registro Administrativo. Las unidades de la población cumplen con un conjunto de características particulares, es decir, **ciertas variables tienen determinados valores en común.**
Unidad de la población: caso o unidad que forma parte de la población de interés del Registro Administrativo. Las unidades de la población cumplen con un conjunto de características particulares, es decir, **ciertas variables tienen determinados valores en común.**
Proposed translations
(English)
4 | the population units share common values in certain variables |
Marina Ilari
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4 +2 | certain variables have certain values in common |
neilmac
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4 | some individual identifiers match |
DLyons
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Proposed translations
3 hrs
Selected
the population units share common values in certain variables
The population unit, which is the same as "case", is the unit for which you determine or collect information about variables, for example in a survey, each interviewed person is the case and the questions are the variables (and the answers are the values for that variable). Therefore, the sentence even in Spanish it's a bit confusing if you put it out of context. Population unit it's not variable, it's a case that ranges values in different variables which are under study. So the meaning of the sentence is that this population units or cases share common values in certain variables (for example, people grouped by being in the same age value in the variable "age").
Note from asker:
Thanks, Marina. That's very helpful. I thought the Spanish was a bit strange. You have cleared it up nicely. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Marina!"
+2
7 mins
certain variables have certain values in common
If you still feel you really need to spell it out, you could add a parenthesis and insert an example of what you think the variables might be:
"certain variables (e.g. "population units") have certain values in common"
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Note added at 8 mins (2014-11-24 10:15:42 GMT)
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"certain variables (e.g. "small businesses") have certain values in common"
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Note added at 9 mins (2014-11-24 10:16:10 GMT)
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"certain variables (e.g. "freelance translators") have certain values in common"
"certain variables (e.g. "population units") have certain values in common"
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Note added at 8 mins (2014-11-24 10:15:42 GMT)
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"certain variables (e.g. "small businesses") have certain values in common"
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Note added at 9 mins (2014-11-24 10:16:10 GMT)
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"certain variables (e.g. "freelance translators") have certain values in common"
Note from asker:
Hi Neil - That's the literal translation. I don't see the connection with the earlier part of the sentence. Could you help me by explaining it, please? |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Fabio M. Caldas
22 mins
|
neutral |
Marina Ilari
: No, it's not the variables that have certain values in common, a variable can reach any value in its range, the cases are those which haver common values in certain variables, that's what the entire sentence is saying.
3 hrs
|
agree |
philgoddard
: I would avoid repeating "certain" by saying "some" or "specific". But all you can do is translate what's there on the page.
6 hrs
|
2 hrs
some individual identifiers match
Initially I'd add a note which was a literal translation. Subsequently, I'd talk about "(cross)linked records", "matching variables" etc. This whole area is often known as "Record Linkage"
Reference:
Note from asker:
Thanks, Donal. Once again, your answer was very illuminating and helpful. Too bad I couldn't divide the points. I ended up choosing Marina's answer because it captures the vagueness of the original, but I also followed your suggestion and included your more meaningful answer as well: "in other words, ..." |
Discussion
Población de interés o estudio: son todos los casos o unidades que forman parte del Registro Administrativo que cumplen con un conjunto de características particulares, es decir, **ciertas variables tienen determinados valores en común**. La población de interés o estudio puede o no coincidir con la totalidad de unidades que componen el Registro Administrativo. Es posible, entonces, definir a la población de interés como un subconjunto del Registro Administrativo, esto va a depender del uso con fines estadísticos que se quiera hacer del mismo.