Translation help/German
 

I'm trying to help a friend translate German to English, and I'm stuck on a few words. Is there a free translation web site you can recommend? For example, "Selbstverstandlich" ?

Selbstverstandlich?...self explanatory, literally self understandable<BR><BR>Look at:<BR><BR>http://babelfish.altavista.com/

Selbstverst&auml;ndlich means: "as a matter of course", "self understood", "self evident", or "as a matter of course". The a in the word is the German a with two dots, called an umlaut. A vowel with an umlaut has a different pronounciation than the normal a.<BR> <BR>Depending how long the translation job is, I could do it for you, unless it is mostly slang or highly technical German.<BR>In those two cases, I am probably into something I cannot handle. <BR>As for a dictionary on-line, try www.leo.org.<BR>But there is really no substitute for a good published dictionary such as the Oxford Duden.

C'mon guys, will you let a non native-English speaker have a try? In the context in which Selbstverstandlich is normally used, I would translate it to "it goes without saying". Do I or don't I get a cigar?

Hi,<BR><BR>I am German. Bob`s translation suggestions were correct and good.<BR>If you need further help, just write..<BR><BR>Miriam

Bob, Miriam: quite right, nothing to add there. <BR><BR>And Bob: I also use the on-line dictionary "Leo", but usually from German to English or when I do not understand one of these slang expressions here! LOL<BR>It's a very helpful tool!<BR><BR>HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU!

Thanks, you all.

I'm trying to use both Leo and Babelfish. I've had really good luck, previously, combining Babelfish with my dictionary. Perhaps you can give me some advice about how to best use Leo? Is it possible to translate phrases? Does Leo have a translation page with the options (the chart at the far right) in English? There might be something I could click on that I'm not recognizing. Babelfish has been a help in the past, but it's translating too literally for me. I realize that by now, I could have just typed in the entire copy and you all would have translated it for me, but I'm kind of stubborn and would like to think I can reason it out myself if I keep trying. So, for the time being, any process info regarding Leo will be appreciated. Miriam, a special thanks to you for your offer; I may take you up on it yet.

Leo is mainly a dictionary. Translating phrases is tricky business for a computer. I find Babelfish just that, babble. In fact, I think it can be dangerous. I have tried some of those things with humorous results.<BR>Like the time we ran "Out of sight; out of mind" in English through one of those computer babblers and asked it to translate it into German. It came out "unsichtbar und verruckt." Run it back through and you get invisible and crazy. <BR>I might add that Miriam's command of English is top notch, if you wish to take her up on her most generous offer. <BR>

Can anyone translate Italian into English?

OK, Miriam, perhaps you'll tell me how I'm doing? I've translated the following to read: "Never fear about the prices! For a stay of three nights or more, we will gladly accommodate you with these special prices! Consider our all-inclusive weekly rates." The actual copy is: (w/o umlauts) "Keine Angst vor den Preisen! Bei langerem Aufenthalt ab drei Nachten Kommen wir IIhnen mit unseren Tarifpreisen gerne entegen! Beachten Sie, unsere Pauschal-Wochenpriese." <BR><BR>What is my grade? Bob, feel free to jump in here, too. That "gerne entgegen" really stumped me. Thanks. Oh, and what does the abbreviation McSt. stand for? All constructive criticism will be appreciated.

pardon. MwSt.

MWSt = Mehrwertsteuer <BR><BR>"gerne entgegen" is fine. Is used very frequently is commercial business.<BR><BR>Tarife oder Preise: either of them but not "Tarifpreise"<BR><BR>"Bitte beachten Sie unsere Wochenpauschalen" would be a little smoother!

Sorry, forgot :<BR><BR>Mehrwertsteuer = value added tax (VAT)

Thank you, Ursula. But I am going from the German to English. So can you tell me if my English is a correct translation of the German as you see it?

Hi,<BR><BR>I was too late. I think it sounds just fine how you did it. If I would read that in a hotel brochure I wouldn`t think that it sounds strange or that it was written by a non-native speaker.<BR>Sehr gut!<BR><BR>Miriam

German is my first language! <BR><BR>Let's wait for Bob, maybe. I will be off within minutes. It's time for the weekend.<BR><BR>"Never fear about the prices" sounds a little aggressive, at least to me.

Hallo Miriam!<BR><BR>Kannst Du Ÿbernehmen. Muss gleich weg! <BR>Thanks a bunch und schšnes Weekend!<BR>

Oh dear:<BR><BR>= uebernehmen<BR><BR>Umlaute, br

Hallo Ursula,<BR><BR>ich muss auch gleich weg...<BR>Schoenes Wochenende!<BR><BR>Miriam

I will jump in, despite the fact that native German speakers have already added their value to the translation.<BR>But they have said they were going away for a while. (Ursula told Miriam to take over; but Miriam said she is also departing.) So in the absence of our well-educated bilingual native speakers of German, I will add my amateur conversions. (I consider myself a pro in English, having been paid for my writing. But in German, my status is that of a pre schooler.)<BR>The keine Angst bit I would state as "Don't worry" So the idea is don't worry about the prices. Although most of the Babelfishes give "Angst" the English equivalent of "Anxiety" or "Fear", I think both terms are a little strong in this context. The basic idea is that the prices are attractive. Don't concern yourself about them and come on down!! Perhaps this rendition conveys the lightless of the tone a little more: "Hey, our prices are no big deal. Stay with us more than 3 nights and we can make a deal. And get a load of our weekly, all-inclusive prices."<BR><BR>The tax bit I think is best translated as the "more money tax" You pay more money after the cashier socks the added tax to your bill. In the US, I would call it a sales tax. They can try to make is sound nice, but it adds to your total charges, but they don;t sock it to you like good old Boston!!!! or Atlanta. Perhaps my translation is not faithful to the letter, but I think it conveys the correct impact.<BR><BR>Here is the joke I wanted to offer up as a challenge to Babelfish to see if it could convey enough of the meaning to cause you to at least see the point of the joke, regardless of your sense of humor. <BR>Ein Mann war bei einer Abendgesellschaft, und er hatte sich schon ein spezielles Getr&auml;nk gemischt. Bevor er sein Getr&auml;nk geniessen konnte, hat er einen sehr wichtigen Telefonanruf bekommen. Er hat kein Handy mitgebracht, deswegen mu&szlig;te er das Telefongespr&auml;ch in einem anderen Zimmer machen. Leider f&uuml;rchtete er, dass jemand sein Getr&auml;nk stehlen w&uuml;rde, w&auml;hrend er weg war. Als eine Warnung hat er einen Zettel geschrieben. "Ich habe hineingespuckt." Dann legte er den Zettel neben sein Glas und ging fort. Sobald er zurueckkam, sah er, dass jemand noch etwas auf den Zettel geschrieben hatte. "Ich auch."

Hello again, Bob. Thanks for contributing your take on the translation. And I did get a chuckle from your joke via Babelfish. If there are not too many interesting travel questions on hand, maybe you wouldn't mind proofing another attempt of mine? This time I'll type the German first as a reminder that I'm going from German to English (after a fashion). I'm guessing that "Konnen Sie auch in Halbpension buchen! Das steht Ihnen aber vollig frei!" means "You can book half-board; it's complimentary -- or it's available!" What do you think? Since (thanks to your input) I understand that neither Ursula nor Miriam are available, feel free to tell me you're too busy for this stuff, and I'll go back to my little Bantam dictionary and sweat it out. Actually I'm having fun; I just do not like to admit defeat.

I would say its means free.<BR>I am assuming the word is v&ouml;llig.<BR>It means fully or entirely or absolutely.<BR>Frei means free. <BR>For example Eintritt frei means that admission is free.<BR>If the half board (breakfast and dinner) was merely available at additional cost, I think some other word would have been used. <BR>Probably the word erh&auml;ltlich would have appeared with some form of the verb "to be".<BR>Usually the use of the word "v&ouml;llig" gives a little added emphasis to the statement. The phrase "v&ouml;llig durchfroren" would mean more than just frozen cold, it would mean really cold like frozen to the bone.<BR>If the half board was normally included, I would have expected a word like<BR>"inbegriffen", which means included.<BR>Using the phrase you cite must mean that some kind of special attraction is being presented to lure customers.<BR>Ihnen in this case is capitalized, so it means you in the formal form of address in the plural, dative case.<BR>The use of the dative case here implies that you receive something.<BR>You could probably put "for" in front of it and read it "for you".<BR>At least that is the way I read it.<BR>Lets see what one of our native speakers has to say about it before sinking the meaning in concrete.<BR>But I would bet $5.00 it means that two meals a day are offered at no extra cost. <BR>

Hello Bob. Thanks for putting so much effort into this little project of mine. It's more fun than crossword puzzles, don't you think? But, Bob, saying the half-board is free doesn't make any sense, does it? How can half-board and breakfast alone be the same cost? Especially since the 'Das steht Ihnen aber vollig frei' sentence is followed by 'Das 3 gangige Abendessen Restaurant wird mit frs. 25 pro person auf den zimmerpreis gerechnet.' and doesn't that mean 'A three-course dinner in the restaurant at 25 frs. per person will be added to the room rate'? You're thinking 'enough already'. Goodnight all and God bless.

Dear gaining/losingconfidence:<BR><BR>I'm a native German speaker. The sentence you quote three posts above translates into something along on the line of "You can also book half-board. It is entirely your own decision." <BR><BR>As you noticed it goes on to state the the cost of a three-course dinner (25 frs) would be added to your room bill, if you decide to book the half-board option.<BR><BR>By the way: as the prices are quoted in Francs, it might be a Swiss German text. "Frei" is not used to mean "free, at no cost" in Switzerland.<BR><BR>Happy travels<BR><BR>Phil

Hi, Phil! That's amazing! Thank you! Would you or Bob care to check my accuracy on one more?<BR><BR>"Seit vielen Jahren bieten wir unseren Gasten gunstige Wochenpauschalen an. Das Angebot hat sich zu folgenden Offerten entwickelt, die immer wieder grossen Anklang finden."<BR><BR>I've come up with: "For many years we have offered our guests favorable inclusive weekly rates. The following offers have always met with the approval of our guests." No? Yes? Yes and no? Additions or subtractions will be appreciated.

Hello Thrilled:<BR><BR>Very close! The second sentence translates into: "These have developed into the following offers, which have met with great approval again and again."<BR><BR>Phil

It makes so much sense after I read your translation! Danke!

Now that you put all the cards on the table, the meaning does become clearer. To wit, that the decision to take half board or not take half board is at your discretion. Meaning depends on context and when only part of the context is revealed is like suddenly revealing the hole card in a poker hand. Two pair suddenly turns into a full house, which is several notches up the betting ladder. <BR>I had no price information to work with. The v&ouml;llig frei phrase means that the decision is yours. <BR>I think Phil has the right American to match the German meaning. I think if I had seen the whole context from the outset, including the price information, it would have moderated my interpretation. I did not know that in Swiss usage "fully free" could have nothing to do with money. It was a free decision on your part. I should have picked up on that, but when working with limited context, and still being in the learning mode, I was a little handicapped. Another clue that I neglected to recall is that in some German hotels, failure to eat breakfast in the hotel results in a higher room cost! So in that case the decision to eat breakfast is not "fully free"; there is a price associated with it!!<BR>Chalk another one up to experience.<BR>

Seven heads are obviously better than one. Ta, y'all.