closer to the norm

English translation: is more frequently seen

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	closer to the norm
Selected answer:	is more frequently seen
Entered by:	Yvonne Gallagher

19:49 Mar 25, 2024

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Disclaimer di un libro

English term or phrase: closer to the norm

Dear colleagues,
I'm not completely sure about the meaning of "closer to the norm" in the passage below about alexithymia, the inability to name emotions. Does it mean "very common"? But if this were the meaning, I don't understand why the author says "however", since the previous sentence also says this is a trait in many people... Maybe "closer to the norm" is stronger than "common" and means "nearly all my patients"?
Thank you so much for your attention!

*************************
Not having words for feelings, the concept of alexithymia (Taylor, 2000), represents a body of research exploring what has been found to be a trait in many people. In my clinical practice, however, a relative alexithymia is *** closer to the norm *** in some people: They often start treatment unable to express both thoughts and feelings. But after an emotion-focused approach to their psychotherapy, their use of emotion words and their experience of being alive in their body has often increased dramatically. In my practice, alexithymia is related to state rather than trait.

haribert KudoZ activity Questions: 289 (none open) (1 without valid answers) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 524
Local time: 14:22

is more frequently seen

Explanation:
an explanation of the "however"

"...the concept of alexithymia[...] has been found to be a trait in many people.
HOWEVER a relative alexithymia is more frequently seen/observed (in my clinical practice
BECAUSE (patients) often start treatment unable to express both thoughts and feelings. [...] After treatment and therapy, "their use of emotion words and their experience of being alive in their body has often increased dramatically.
In my practice, alexithymia is related to state rather than trait.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-prof...

"Absolute stability is reached if people with alexithymia score the same on an alexithymia scale over time. Relative stability refers to temporal stability or people's relative position on levels of alexithymia, even though their absolute score may change."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2024-04-01 00:15:41 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped. Hope you had a good Easter

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2024-04-01 17:09:40 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

I'm also working! I visited my sister in hospital yesterday as she fell, broke her femur and cracked 2 ribs last Thursday with an opersation on Friday to insert a plate:-(

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 days (2024-04-01 23:13:36 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thank you Haribert!

Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 13:22

Grading comment

Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your help! Many thanks also to all other colleagues for their contribution!
Happy Easter holidays!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +5

[see below]

Michael Beijer

4 +2

is more frequently seen

Yvonne Gallagher

É mais comum

Diogo Garcia

4 -1

a relative alexithymia is close to be the most usual ... however we can improve on that

Daryo

alexithymia is relative and less far form the standards for some people

Susana E. Cano Méndez

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

5 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

[see below]

Explanation:
some synonyms:

closer to the norm =
• More commonplace
• More typical
• Rather standard
• Frequently observed
• Not uncommon
• Relatively usual
• More often the rule than the exception
• Somewhat expected
• Tending towards the standard
• A common occurrence
• closer to what is generally seen in people
• etc.

Michael Beijer
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:22
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you so much, Michael, for your help! Really useful synonyms!

39 mins confidence:

É mais comum

Explanation:
In my opinion, the author means that most people have a "relative alexithymia" (as in a temporary state), rather than "alexithymia" as an actual a trait (as suggested by research).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 45 minutos (2024-03-25 20:35:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Please ignore the title. I've mistakenly translated that term to Portuguese.

Diogo Garcia
Portugal
Local time: 13:22
Native speaker of:

Portuguese

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you very much! May I ask what "è mais comum" means?

Asker: maybe you can post your answer again, with the title in English...because I think your remark is very useful!

10 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

relative alexithymia is closer to the norm ... however a relative alexithymia is close to be the most usual ... however we can improve on that

Explanation:

**At the beginning**:
a relative (mild?) alexithymia is quite usual, almost "the norm"

which is implied to be an undesirable trait, thus the "however"

as **after some therapy**, this can be changed (/improved):
their use of emotion words and their experience of being alive in their body has often increased dramatically.

Simpler version:

It starts not so good, however we can fix it.

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:22
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Serbian,

French
PRO pts in category: 8

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Daryo, for your attempt... I also had difficulty in understanding "closer to the norm" in this context initially...

17 hrs confidence:

relative alexithymia is closer to the norm in some people alexithymia is relative and less far form the standards for some people

Explanation:
That's what I interpret from reading the whole text:

In some people, alexithymia is relative and thus, closer to what society admits in terms of lack of emotions.

Hope it helps.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2024-03-26 13:41:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

*From (sry)

Susana E. Cano Méndez
Spain
Local time: 14:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you very much, Susana, for your contribution!

19 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

is more frequently seen

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 13:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 659

Grading comment

Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your help! Many thanks also to all other colleagues for their contribution!
Happy Easter holidays!

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your clear explanation!

Asker: Hi, dear Yvonne, I had to work a little bit, but the weather was bad so it was ok... Hope you had good Easter, too!

Asker: Oh, I'm really sorry for your sister... I wish her to get well soon! A big hug to you!

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

closer to the norm

English translation: is more frequently seen

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

Your current localization setting

Select a language

closer to the norm

English translation: is more frequently seen

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

You have native languages that can be verified

Your current localization setting

Select a language