to escalate
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to escalate
To increase or intensify gradually and uncontrollably, especially with conflicts, violence, or negative situations.
Die Demonstration drohte zu eskalieren, als die ersten Steine flogen.
The demonstration threatened to escalate when the first stones were thrown.
When 'eskalieren' (to escalate) describes an uncontrolled intensification, it forms the perfect tense with 'sein' because it expresses a change of state. In a business context, when it is an active forwarding of something, 'haben' is used.
Der Streit zwischen den Nachbarn ist gestern Abend eskaliert.
The argument between the neighbors escalated yesterday evening.
The two meanings can be distinguished grammatically. When a situation gets worse, the verb is intransitive ('Die Lage eskaliert' — the situation escalates). In a business context, it is transitive and needs an accusative object ('Der Manager eskaliert den Fall' — the manager escalates the case).
Die Proteste eskalierten schnell.
The protests escalated quickly.
In the meaning 'sich verschärfen' (to intensify), the subjects are typically negative situations. Common subjects are: 'ein Streit' (an argument), 'ein Konflikt' (a conflict), 'die Gewalt' (the violence), or 'die Lage' (the situation).
Die politische Lage im Land droht zu eskalieren.
The political situation in the country threatens to escalate.
The meaning 'an eine höhere Stelle weiterleiten' (to pass on to a higher authority) is technical language from project management and office settings. The structure is often: 'etwas (Akk.) an jemanden (Akk.) eskalieren' (to escalate something to someone).
Wenn Sie keine Antwort erhalten, müssen Sie die Anfrage an die Abteilungsleitung eskalieren.
If you do not receive an answer, you have to escalate the request to the department management.
to report / get in touch
'melden' and 'eskalieren' can both have to do with passing a problem on to the responsible place or person. 'melden' is more neutral and general: you inform someone about a problem or incident. 'eskalieren' is used especially at work or in projects when a problem is passed on to a higher level because you cannot solve it yourself. The words can be confused because in both cases someone is informed. But 'eskalieren' sounds stronger: it shows that the problem is more serious or needs more responsibility.
Bei der Arbeit eskaliert das Team das Problem an die Projektleitung.
At work, the team escalates the problem to the project management.
Wenn der Drucker wieder nicht funktioniert, melde ich das der IT-Abteilung.
If the printer stops working again, I will report it to the IT department.