English Vocabulary

generic

User since 2008
Posts: 588

26 Jan. 2009

My todays lesson translate "generic" with "gewöhnlich" ordinary.

In my opinion generic medicine is rather to translate with no-name, not name-brand, because only after several years, at that time when the costs of research are compensated by the expensive sales, a medicine is free for other drug manufactories to copy it and sale it as generic, often under its pharmalogical name, no brand name.
CW

1 comments

AhQ ['a: kiu]
User since 2006
Posts: 2715
26 Jan. 2009

[CS: your today's lesson
expensive sales: is it really expensive that you mean, isn't it extensive sales which are covering the researchs cost. I for one would reserve "expenses" to the purchaser and not to the seller. But I might be wrong.]

Like you, Gwendo, I got puzzled by that translation of "generic" as being "gewöhnlich". As usual it could depend on the context that you don't report. In English the generic drugs are exactly what you are describing but why not calling 'ordinary' - common, simple, mundane, routine - generic drugs as long as you compare them with the original brand name?
[CS: your today's lesson expensive sales: is it really expensive that you mean, isn't it extensive sales which are covering the researchs cost. I for one would reserve "expenses" to the purchaser and not to the seller. But I might be wrong.] Like you, Gwendo, I got puzzled by that translation of "generic" as being "gewöhnlich". As usual it could depend on the context that you don't report. In English the generic drugs are exactly what you are describing but why not calling 'ordinary' - common, simple, mundane, routine - generic drugs as long as you compare them with the original brand name?

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