Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
an etwas herumdoktern
English translation:
tinker with/fiddle around
Added to glossary by
Kim Metzger
Aug 22, 2007 01:37
16 yrs ago
German term
Accurate -- Reliable -- Fast
Native in: Chinese 
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English, German to Chinese, and 3 more.
an etwas herumdoktern
German to English
Tech/Engineering
Slang
Nach dem "Columbia"-Absturz am 1. Februar 2003 hatte die US-Weltraumbehörde zweieinhalb Jahre an der Problematik beim Start herabfallender Schaumstoffteile herumdgedoktert und 1,4 Milliarden Dollar in die Verbesserung der Sicherheit investiert. Doch schon der erste Shuttle-Start nach dem "Columbia"-Unglück zeigte im Juli 2005, dass die Nasa-Ingenieure das Problem nicht in den Griff bekommen hatten - und das gilt bis heute.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +7 | fiddled around |
Kim Metzger
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| 4 -2 | to tamper/ an etwas herumdoktern: to meddle with sth. (UK standard) |
Frauke Schroeder
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Change log
Aug 22, 2007 01:50: Johanna Timm, PhD changed "Term asked" from "herumdgedoktert" to "herumgedoktert/herumdoktern" , "Field (specific)" from "Aerospace / Aviation / Space" to "Slang"
Aug 22, 2007 09:08: Steffen Walter changed "Term asked" from "herumgedoktert/herumdoktern" to "an etwas herumdoktern"
Aug 23, 2007 01:09: Kim Metzger Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+7
5 mins
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
20
German term (edited):
herumdgedoktert
Selected
fiddled around
This might be strictly American English usage. Herumdoktern is to tinker with something - try to fix it.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
-2
1 hr
Frauke Schroeder
Native in German
&
English
high standard academic English
Native in: German , English
Works in: English, German to English, English to German, and 5 more.
German term (edited):
herumgedoktert/herumdoktern
to tamper/ an etwas herumdoktern: to meddle with sth. (UK standard)
to tamper is probably the better version keeping is slightly more formal than to meddle with something (although herumdoktern is not exactly formal) - these are the UK versions
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Andrew Morgan
: Tamper has a very negative feel to it that isnt covered by "herumdoktern". The implication is that you dont really know what you are doing but might get it right, whereas "tamper" implicates a defintely erroneous act to me.
5 hrs
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he|rum|dok|tern |
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| disagree |
Ken Cox
: from the Oxford dico: tamper (verb). Interfere with (something) in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations
7 hrs
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hm, yes, I agree, but accroding to the source text, the problem had not been improved
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