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English is getting a new word as energiewende creeps in and cleans up. No, not energy for a Wendy house, but the turning point and transition to renewable energy without the cost of nuclear. The most concise word for this today comes from German, where the national energy policy of Energiewende is leading the way towards… read more…
Imports are making English rich, and HE Translations are assembling an online treasure-trove explaining words that English has imported from German. Technology, sustainability, psychology and even food are fueling our appetite for new terms, and Germany is serving them up freely. Lost for words? Try some new ones and go with the zeitgeist!
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/translation_quaschning_-energiewende_windturbine-1.jpg19202560HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2019-01-24 13:54:262019-04-30 11:48:07What is Energiewende
When you need a translation of a technical text or manual, what you really are looking for is a specialist expert in this field to do the job right. A serious translation ensures the accurate and usable rendering of descriptions and instructions into the target language, preventing time-consuming and expensive misunderstandings which could arise later. To achieve this an effective translator needs to understand not just the words on the page, but the technical processes and functioning of a technology or product.
Mastering this technical task calls for specialist understanding and experience, as well as an ability to be clear and unambiguous. And of course a well-written and clear original text is the best starting point, so here we offer a few tips from our long experience to get you going in the right direction. Just as you would not print blurred instructions just to save on ink, you wouldn’t want your meaning to be lost in translation.
How social media partner Mike Gayler cycled into an Open University French degree
By Mike Gayler
I shared this story with an email contact recently and thought it might be interesting for readers of the HE Translations blog to know a little about my journey in language. It’s an unconventional tale, but I hope that you find it interesting, and, perhaps a little motivating if you’ve ‘failed’ in a skill at a younger age. At school I had a persistent French teacher. I was an enthusiastic but clueless language student, and I failed French ‘O’ levels in both 1971 and twice in 1972!
I started work for the National Health Service in the autumn of 1972 and the following summer I took my bicycle on the ferry and cycled through France for a fortnight. Being on my own, and staying in Youth Hostels it was very much a case of “speak French or starve”! I did survive, and the following year cycled round the coast of Brittany. From that point on I was aware that I could ‘get by in French’. And ‘get by’ I did – we took family holidays to France, and I took part in many cycle-tourist events in France and Belgium where my rudimentary language skills came in very handy.
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/translation_language_cycle_tour_france.jpg392397HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-12-12 13:18:272018-12-12 13:18:27A journey in language – cycling, TV, and then a degree
German technical texts tend to be liberally littered with the abbreviation “ca.” to indicate that what follows should be read as an approximation. Usually our preference has been to render this Latin term for “about” or “around” as “approx.” when translating into English. This can, however, be awkward, as that may appear too long in tables and other contexts. Is there an alternative? If we seek an expert opinion, The New Oxford Style Manual has this to say on the matter:
“The Latin circa, meaning ‘about’, is used in English mainly with dates and quantities. Set the italicized abbreviation c. close up to any figures following (c.1020, c.£10,400), but spaced from words and letters (c. AD 44). In discursive prose it is usually preferable to use about or some when describing quantities”.
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/translation_circa_2.png999992HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-11-22 15:59:362021-01-18 11:07:45Circa – circling around the abbreviation of an approximation in translation
Following yet another long and interesting discussion on the term ‘immission‘ in a translator network, we decided to give up (at least for the time being) campaigning for its reintroduction into the English language, although we still think it would be entirely justified, not least based on the fact that the term is listed in the Oxford English Dictionary. Anyway, we intend to use ‘environmental impact’ henceforth, although we reserve the right to use other solutions (e.g. ‘exposure’ or indeed the apparently frowned-upon term itself), depending on the context or situation.
Why is this word so worth using? The term concisely describes the process that necessarily occurs in a technical context when we translate the eventual destination, absorption, or impact of an emission. When a source emits an emission, and after its transmission, a recipient receives an immission, for example sound, light or heat. As an emission is something sent out, so an immission is something sent in.Continue reading full article…
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/translation_immission_word_solar_energy_1920.jpg12801920HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-08-16 13:56:222022-08-22 19:25:23Alien immission impacts English
With coffee being so wildly popular these days, is a coffee substitute a winner or a loser? Anyone who has watched enough World Cup matches has seen a substitute come on the field and decide the match with fresh energy, or else disappoint when they can’t do what the missing star player did. A coffee bean isn’t a football so why even talk of substitutes, why not some other better word? And why do people drink coffee anyway?
Why coffee?
The Stimulant Effect
People enjoy the rich roasted taste of coffee and many cherish the stimulating effect of the caffeine it contains, a drug which zaps away fatigue and sleepiness and speeds things up. Regular coffee drinking can lead to caffeine addiction, meaning without this stimulant at regular intervals the coffee lover feels tired, with poor concentration, irritability, and even headaches – which are quickly cured by a fresh cup. Coffee breaks become not just a pleasurable social ritual but a required recharge, part of the grind of daily life. So why would anyone want or need to drink something else instead? To replace a drink or a drug, or both? Or just to respond to the endless cycle of headlines about coffee being good or bad for you?Continue reading full article…
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/translation_ersatzkaffee_grinder.jpg7201280HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-07-13 13:03:442021-07-15 09:16:00Ersatzkaffee – can drinking substitutes win the game?
Following US President Donald Trump’s visit to the UK in the midst of a heatwave and the ball-kicking fest of the World Cup, the laughter and tears are flowing with the timely release of the revised 2018 edition of The Madhouse Effect. This work, a lively synthesis of science and cartoons, rips the mask off the climate change deniers, having been updated with new content for the era of the Trump regime.
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/translation_madhouse_effect_lg.jpg499333HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-07-11 12:39:102018-09-14 03:35:18The Madhouse Effect out now – the book Trump doesn’t want you to read
In einem 2016 von der Deutschen Welle veröffentlichten Artikel unter der Überschrift Donald Trump’s German roots hieß es: The ancestors of the “anti-immigrant” crusader Donald Trump come from a small village in western Germany. The documentary film “Kings of Kallstadt” explores the modest roots of the family’s real estate empire.
Quelle: Welt, Foto: Projekt Gold / Barnsteiner Film
In einem Welt-Artikel vom August 2015 stand zu lesen, dass man dem “schrillen Milliardär” in Kallstadt, dem Heimatdorf von Trumps Großeltern, auch nach seinen umstrittenen Auftritten die Stange hält. Als eine Art ‘Entschuldigung’ für Trumps Auftreten galt: “Er macht halt Brulljes “, und es war durchaus auch von einer Art Bewunderung die Rede: “Der hot was druff “.Continue reading full article…
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/translation_kings-of-kallstadt-2.jpg1103780HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-06-26 12:08:472018-08-05 23:21:43Klimaknallkopf of Kallstadt
Report from HE Translations marketing representative Mike Gayler
First let me say that I am no expert in this field – I have a modest collection of analogue cameras, most of which are European, manufactured during the period 1955 – 1975. They are generally the sort of camera that a family man (and it usually was the man) would have taken on holiday and to weddings, or a camera that would have been proudly sported by the enthusiastic, albeit cash-poor, amateur photographer.
There’s a list of technical resources at the end of this piece; if I’ve used something from your site and not listed it, then please let me know and I’ll edit and credit you. Otherwise all errors are mine.Continue reading full article…
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/translation_german_vintage_camera.jpg973730HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-06-25 11:14:322022-06-17 20:12:15German film cameras
The German motto “Nicht ärgern, nur wundern” is extremely useful and calming. In many situations it can avoid the need for Baldwin’s Nervous Pills. As long as we don’t start to worry about how to translate it into English! 😂
Personal note: The drawing was produced in 1944 by Herbert’s uncle, Bruno Gutfleisch, who sadly passed away in 1971. It hangs in Herbert’s office and helps him keep calm (and indeed carry on) in stressful translation situations 😇
https://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/translation_nur_wundern_fachuebersetzung.jpg484776HE Translationshttps://hetranslations.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HEgreenT-300x187.pngHE Translations2018-05-21 10:58:432019-10-03 16:34:17Nicht ärgern, nur wundern
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What is Energiewende
/in Language, News /by HE TranslationsWhat is Energiewende and where does it come from?
English is getting a new word as energiewende creeps in and cleans up. No, not energy for a Wendy house, but the turning point and transition to renewable energy without the cost of nuclear. The most concise word for this today comes from German, where the national energy policy of Energiewende is leading the way towards… read more…
Imports are making English rich, and HE Translations are assembling an online treasure-trove explaining words that English has imported from German. Technology, sustainability, psychology and even food are fueling our appetite for new terms, and Germany is serving them up freely. Lost for words? Try some
new ones and go with the zeitgeist!
Top tips for a successful technical translation
/in Language, Technical, Translation /by HE TranslationsMastering this technical task calls for specialist understanding and experience, as well as an ability to be clear and unambiguous. And of course a well-written and clear original text is the best starting point, so here we offer a few tips from our long experience to get you going in the right direction. Just as you would not print blurred instructions just to save on ink, you wouldn’t want your meaning to be lost in translation.
The five Es for excellence in translation:
Continue reading full article…
A journey in language – cycling, TV, and then a degree
/in Language, Translation /by HE TranslationsHow social media partner Mike Gayler cycled into an Open University French degree
By Mike Gayler
I shared this story with an email contact recently and thought it might be interesting for readers of the HE Translations blog to know a little about my journey in language. It’s an unconventional tale, but I hope that you find it interesting, and, perhaps a little motivating if you’ve ‘failed’ in a skill at a younger age. At school I had a persistent French teacher. I was an enthusiastic but clueless language student, and I failed French ‘O’ levels in both 1971 and twice in 1972!
I started work for the National Health Service in the autumn of 1972 and the following summer I took my bicycle on the ferry and cycled through France for a fortnight. Being on my own, and staying in Youth Hostels it was very much a case of “speak French or starve”! I did survive, and the following year cycled round the coast of Brittany. From that point on I was aware that I could ‘get by in French’. And ‘get by’ I did – we took family holidays to France, and I took part in many cycle-tourist events in France and Belgium where my rudimentary language skills came in very handy.
Continue reading full article…
Circa – circling around the abbreviation of an approximation in translation
/in Language, Translation /by HE TranslationsGerman technical texts tend to be liberally littered with the abbreviation “ca.” to indicate that what follows should be read as an approximation. Usually our preference has been to render this Latin term for “about” or “around” as “approx.” when translating into English. This can, however, be awkward, as that may appear too long in tables and other contexts. Is there an alternative? If we seek an expert opinion, The New Oxford Style Manual has this to say on the matter:
Continue reading full article…
Alien immission impacts English
/in Language, Technical, Translation /by HE TranslationsOr: Restoring the efficiency of a lost Latin term
A report by TastyWebDesign.com
Following yet another long and interesting discussion on the term ‘immission‘ in a translator network, we decided to give up (at least for the time being) campaigning for its reintroduction into the English language, although we still think it would be entirely justified, not least based on the fact that the term is listed in the Oxford English Dictionary. Anyway, we intend to use ‘environmental impact’ henceforth, although we reserve the right to use other solutions (e.g. ‘exposure’ or indeed the apparently frowned-upon term itself), depending on the context or situation.
Why is this word so worth using? The term concisely describes the process that necessarily occurs in a technical context when we translate the eventual destination, absorption, or impact of an emission. When a source emits an emission, and after its transmission, a recipient receives an immission, for example sound, light or heat. As an emission is something sent out, so an immission is something sent in.Continue reading full article…
Ersatzkaffee – can drinking substitutes win the game?
/in Humour, Language, Technical, Translation /by HE TranslationsA report by TastyWebDesign.com
With coffee being so wildly popular these days, is a coffee substitute a winner or a loser? Anyone who has watched enough World Cup matches has seen a substitute come on the field and decide the match with fresh energy, or else disappoint when they can’t do what the missing star player did. A coffee bean isn’t a football so why even talk of substitutes, why not some other better word? And why do people drink coffee anyway?
Why coffee?
The Stimulant Effect
People enjoy the rich roasted taste of coffee and many cherish the stimulating effect of the caffeine it contains, a drug which zaps away fatigue and sleepiness and speeds things up. Regular coffee drinking can lead to caffeine addiction, meaning without this stimulant at regular intervals the coffee lover feels tired, with poor concentration, irritability, and even headaches – which are quickly cured by a fresh cup. Coffee breaks become not just a pleasurable social ritual but a required recharge, part of the grind of daily life. So why would anyone want or need to drink something else instead? To replace a drink or a drug, or both? Or just to respond to the endless cycle of headlines about coffee being good or bad for you?Continue reading full article…
The Madhouse Effect out now – the book Trump doesn’t want you to read
/in Humour, News, Translation /by HE TranslationsThe Madhouse Effect: How climate change denial is threatening our planet, destroying our politics, and driving us crazy features an outstandingly authoritative text by award-winning climate scientist Michael E. Mann and contains cartoons by prize-winning USA political cartoonist Tom Toles. It is ideally suited for both the layman and general reader struggling to see through the haze of misinformation on these vital issues. In an article titled Burning Down The House, the Washington Monthly named this “The book Donald Trump does not want you to read.”
Continue reading full article…
Klimaknallkopf of Kallstadt
/in Translation /by HE TranslationsIn einem 2016 von der Deutschen Welle veröffentlichten Artikel unter der Überschrift Donald Trump’s German roots hieß es: The ancestors of the “anti-immigrant” crusader Donald Trump come from a small village in western Germany. The documentary film “Kings of Kallstadt” explores the modest roots of the family’s real estate empire.
In einem Welt-Artikel vom August 2015 stand zu lesen, dass man dem “schrillen Milliardär” in Kallstadt, dem Heimatdorf von Trumps Großeltern, auch nach seinen umstrittenen Auftritten die Stange hält. Als eine Art ‘Entschuldigung’ für Trumps Auftreten galt: “Er macht halt Brulljes “, und es war durchaus auch von einer Art Bewunderung die Rede: “Der hot was druff “.Continue reading full article…
German film cameras
/in News, Technical /by HE TranslationsReport from HE Translations marketing representative Mike Gayler
First let me say that I am no expert in this field – I have a modest collection of analogue cameras, most of which are European, manufactured during the period 1955 – 1975. They are generally the sort of camera that a family man (and it usually was the man) would have taken on holiday and to weddings, or a camera that would have been proudly sported by the enthusiastic, albeit cash-poor, amateur photographer.
There’s a list of technical resources at the end of this piece; if I’ve used something from your site and not listed it, then please let me know and I’ll edit and credit you. Otherwise all errors are mine.Continue reading full article…
Nicht ärgern, nur wundern
/in Images, Language /by HE TranslationsPersonal note: The drawing was produced in 1944 by Herbert’s uncle, Bruno Gutfleisch, who sadly passed away in 1971. It hangs in Herbert’s office and helps him keep calm (and indeed carry on) in stressful translation situations 😇