# As I am not an expert...........



## cougr

It would be greatly appreciated if someone could advise as to whether my attempt at translating the sentence directly below could be improved or needs to be modified in some way.

"As I am no expert on the subject, I am unsure as to whether I can contribute something of value to the discussion."

My translation:

<< Επειδή δεν είμαι ειδικός επί του θέματος, δεν είμαι σίγουρος  αν μπορώ να συμβάλλω κάτι που να έχει αξία στην συζήτηση.>>

Also, could/should I use << ....κάτι το αξιόλογο...>> ,instead of <<...κάτι που να έχει αξία....>>.


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## provataki

Hi, 
I could suggest you the following:

Δεν ξέρω εάν μπορώ να εκφέρω άποψη επί του θέματος καθότι δεν είμαι ειδικός.

It means that you  don't know if you can expresse an opinion on the issue since you are not expert. 

If you want to say so, I think it is the right expression.


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## winegrower

To me your translation looks impeccable! You could also say: δεν είμαι βέβαιος κατά πόσον η συμβολή μου στη συζήτηση θα μπορούσε να έχει κάποια αξία or αν μπορώ να συνεισφέρω κατι σημαντικό στη συζήτηση..


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## ireney

I agree with winegrower, it's an excellent translation. A bit long winded to be sure but it's not the translation's fault   
I for one am for "αξιόλογο" as you suggest, _not_ because you have to, but because it "simplifies" things. So it's not a matter of "should" really, just a matter of personal taste.


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## cougr

ireney said:


> A bit long winded to be sure but it's not the translation's fault



That's exactly the feeling that I had, that it was a bit cumbersome or long winded, hence my reason for asking for some advice.Thanks to all for your replies and suggestions, they were all helpful.


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## provataki

ireney said:


> I agree with winegrower, it's an excellent translation. A bit long winded to be sure but it's not the translation's fault
> I for one am for "αξιόλογο" as you suggest, _not_ because you have to, but because it "simplifies" things. So it's not a matter of "should" really, just a matter of personal taste.




I also found Winegrower's translation very good, the phrase I suggested was merely an alternative in case he wanted to express another meaning, slightly different (and I think I made myself clear through the last phrase of my message).


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## Librarian44

As everybody, I too find your original translation very good. Two points:

A.  να συμβάλλω is ενεστώς διαρκείας (present tense expressing duration, or an action that is repeated) - it should be να συμβάλω = αόριστος στιγμιαίος (past tense expressing an action that is not repeated, that has no duration). Sorry for the Greek terms, I am no good at translating Greek grammar into English.

B.  συμβάλλω is one of those verbs that cannot be combined with an object; in Greek these are the αμετάβατα ρήματα. You could however say να συμβάλω ΣΕ κάτι. On the contrary the verb συνεισφέρω is a μεταβατικό ρήμα, it is therefore absolutely correct to say συνεισφέρω κάτι.


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## cougr

Χρόνια σου πολλά Librarian44 και σε ευχαριστώ για τις χρήσιμες πληροφορίες και υποδείξεις.


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## orthophron

Μια μικρή παρατήρηση. Το «συνεισφέρω» δεν παύει να συντάσσεται και με «σε» και να έχει την ίδια σημασία με το «συμβάλλω». 
Ως εκ τούτου, κάλλιστα θα μπορούσαμε να πούμε : _… δεν είμαι σίγουρος αν μπορώ να συμβάλω/συνεισφέρω σημαντικά στην συζήτηση._


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## cougr

Ευχαριστώ orthophron, έχω βγάλει το συμπέρασμα ότι η κατά λέξη μετάφραση σε αυτή την περίπτωση είναι λιγάκι δύσκολο.


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