William C. Wake's Blog

Schwerpunkt = focal point

"But there's one word, a German word, that we haven't yet stolen that should be high on our list of targets: schwerpunkt. It means 'focal point' or 'concentration of effort point' or 'central point of attack.' It's a beautiful word because it expresses an idea that we just don't have in English: the notion that, in any effort, you may have many necessary tasks, but there is one central task that must take first place in your considerations."

Crawford gives an example of the army: the cook is important, but the soldier (and fighting) is the shwerpunkt. In games, he says, interactivity is the schwerpunkt. It leads me to ask, what is the schwerpunkt for what I'm doing?

Comments

• I might be a bit pedantic here, but as a German I'm supposed to be, ain't I? The only correct translation in your list seems to be "focal point", and that only in the metaphorical sense. The literal translation I'd give is "centre of gravity", although it seems there are a few other words I didn't know. After all I'm not an engineer...
  You see that "focal point" is in that list, and although I'd add a "[fig]" behind it, it is definitely a common use. I wouldn't it use it as you cite in the soldier example, but only relating to activities or strategies as in "the focus of our game design is to create games that are fun to play".
  But then, we Germans use English words in funny ways, and it would not be the first time a German word in the English language does not match its German counterpart.
  End of this spiel.

  Posted by: peterbecker on September 03, 2005 at 01:25 AM

• Interesting - thanks!

  
  Crawford was trying to get the term into English, as expressing this idea. Sounds like it may not quite match up:)

  Posted by: wwake on September 03, 2005 at 08:13 AM

• 
  Leo (a quite comprehensive dictinary) gives also "main focus" for Schwerpunkt.
  As a native german speaker I prefer "primary concern" or "main concern" when talking about a "Schwerpunkt" in the sense of above.

  We Germans are also experts in importing words from other languages where we disconnect it quickly from the original meaning just to express a concept that is missing in out language. So the English should be allowed to do so, shouldn't they?

  I even think that it is justified to enter this word to the english dictionary. Your post made me aware that I have never been satisfied with my writing when using this concept (and as for a German it is a central part of my thinking:-)

  "The schwerpunkt of language is to enable communication. This does not rule out its use for poetry"

  Posted by: csar on September 04, 2005 at 04:21 AM

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