selective
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selective
Choosing in a targeted way; taking only certain things from a larger set into account.
Sie hat einen sehr selektiven Musikgeschmack und hört nur wenige Künstler.
She has very selective taste in music and listens to only a few artists.
If you want to describe more precisely in which area someone is picky or selective, German often uses the preposition 'bei' with the dative. The structure is then: 'selektiv bei etwas sein' (to be selective about something).
Er ist sehr selektiv bei der Auswahl seiner Bücher.
He is very selective when choosing his books.
In the meaning 'choosing/selective,' 'selektiv' (selective) is often used in connection with perception and memory. A common collocation is 'selektive Wahrnehmung' (selective perception), which means that one only notices what one wants to notice.
Manchmal wirft man ihm eine sehr selektive Erinnerung an die Ereignisse vor.
Sometimes he is accused of having a very selective memory of the events.
The meaning 'having a specific effect' is found almost only in scientific or technical texts. Signal words here are 'wirken' (to act/have an effect), 'Wirkung' (effect), 'Wirkstoff' (active ingredient), or 'Filter' (filter). It describes that something reacts only to a specific target.
Dieser Wirkstoff zerstört selektiv nur die kranken Zellen.
This active ingredient selectively destroys only the diseased cells.
general
'allgemein' and 'selektiv' both describe how broadly something applies or has an effect, but they are opposites. 'allgemein' means that it concerns all or most people or things and is not limited to individual cases. 'selektiv' means that something is chosen in a targeted way, or that only a certain part is affected. Learners may confuse the words because both appear in texts about rules, measures, or effects. The important point is the direction: 'allgemein' is broad, while 'selektiv' is targeted and limited.
Das Medikament wirkt selektiv und greift nur bestimmte Zellen an.
The medication acts selectively and attacks only certain cells.
Für den Termin gelten allgemeine Hinweise für alle Besucher.
General instructions for all visitors apply to the appointment.