This site uses cookies.
Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site,
while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Conventions for writing SOPs/manuals with abbreviated form (in German)
Thread poster: Brent Sørensen
Brent Sørensen Germany Local time: 03:30 Member (2016) German to English + ...
Sep 24, 2019
Lately, I've been translating a lot of technical documents from German. Many segments simply contain abbreviated strings of two or three nouns without any prepositions. It can be difficult to figure out how these words relate to each other. I am often not sure if I am translating the segments correctly.
I've asked myself: 1) Are these documents written by non-native speakers and/or have they been translated from another language? 2) Are the joining words omitted to... See more
Lately, I've been translating a lot of technical documents from German. Many segments simply contain abbreviated strings of two or three nouns without any prepositions. It can be difficult to figure out how these words relate to each other. I am often not sure if I am translating the segments correctly.
I've asked myself: 1) Are these documents written by non-native speakers and/or have they been translated from another language? 2) Are the joining words omitted to save space? Was the writer lazy? Are the notes only meant to be understood internally? 3) Is there some sort of generally accepted style for writing technical documents. For example, the order of the words indicates how they are related.
If 3) is the case, does anybody know of any resources that I can use to decipher this abbreviated form? ▲ Collapse
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Erik Freitag Germany Local time: 03:30 Member (2006) Dutch to German + ...
Examples?
Sep 24, 2019
Could you give us some examples?
Alison Jenner
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Endre Both Germany Local time: 03:30 English to German
Ask a few KudoZ questions
Sep 24, 2019
Technical German can be quite terse, but if you know how to read it, it is clear enough if well-written (which admittedly is often not the case). A few questions should be sufficient to get the hang of it.
With strings of nouns, it's often the genitive article (and the genitive case) that gets left out: Verkleidung Unterseite Armaturenbrett = Verkleidung der U... See more
Technical German can be quite terse, but if you know how to read it, it is clear enough if well-written (which admittedly is often not the case). A few questions should be sufficient to get the hang of it.
With strings of nouns, it's often the genitive article (and the genitive case) that gets left out: Verkleidung Unterseite Armaturenbrett = Verkleidung der Unterseite des Armaturenbretts
In English, you'd turn the order around: dashboard lower panel trim
Unfortunately, many translators and non-natives are oblivious to this difference in word order, which can make parsing of low-quality texts less reliable without context information. ▲ Collapse
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Brent Sørensen
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Brent Sørensen Germany Local time: 03:30 Member (2016) German to English + ...
TOPIC STARTER
Just what I needed
Sep 24, 2019
Thanks, Endre, This was exactly what I was looking for. Brent
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.