Questions tagged [translation]
This tag is for question about determining English equivalents for words or phrases in other languages.
341
questions
0
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0answers
19 views
Usage of 'would'
Consider the following sentence
The program was able to communicate with humans using simple software that would recognize when certain key words were used.
I want to translate this sentence. ...
0
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0answers
11 views
I wish it to become smth - can I say so?
I am currently translating some materials from Russian to English and I have faced some troubles with translating the written compliment on a photo. It literally says "I wish that this moment becomes ...
2
votes
2answers
44 views
How can “jemand muss funktionieren” be translated to english?
The german term
Jemand muss funktionieren
is often used to express that somebody has to continue doing his stuff (work, house work, ...) because otherwise there are negative consequences (e.g. for ...
3
votes
4answers
484 views
How to translate “cocotte en papier” in English?
I'm surprised how I never been able to found an online translation of "cocotte en papier" (which is the thing pictured below), or people able to answer IRL, other than via less precise terms as "...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
“The me I want to be” phrase decomposition
What is the difference between mentioned phrase and "I want to be the me"? Is it right to use both phrases in the spiritual growth context? I what parts we could deconstruct this phrase? Is the "I ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
How to undestand “to find himself alone”?
I don't undestand how to translate this sentence: "He went out into the street to find himself alone". He wanted to be alone? Or he went out and then there was nobody on the street?
0
votes
2answers
51 views
Is “serves” a verb or noun in this complex sentence? (“…and serves as a tool for communication…“)
Project scheduling provides a detailed plan that represents how and when the project will deliver the products,
services, and results defined in the project scope and serves as a tool for ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Better leave room - how to understand this sentence in context?
Look this sentence:
Better leave room for more important things, like which wild animals to avoid and whether naked snowboarding is a bad idea'
I saw this sentence in a Python book. I know every ...
1
vote
2answers
38 views
What is the equivalent idiom for the German “Existenzberechtigung”?
"Existenzberechtigung" is a German word used to assert something has a reason/justification to exist, but most often used negated to say something has no reason to exist / should not exist because it ...
1
vote
1answer
109 views
How to say it in English “Khana nikalo”?
I am trying to speak English but I am stuck with the following situations that I have to frequently use. I am a Hindi speaking person.
Example,
Khana nikalo
In Indian villages we keep all the food ...
2
votes
2answers
36 views
How to express “Cela comptera moins”? (What are the most important objectives and those that'll count less)
In the French sentence:
Quels sont les objectifs les plus importants et ceux qui compteront moins ?
That I can approximately translate into:
What are the most important objectives and those ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
The meaning of “The use of English is by no means endemic to English-speaking countries.”
To me it has two entirely different meanings and I am not sure which is correct.
1st possible meaning: The use of English is prevalent in not just English-Speaking countries but also in non-English-...
11
votes
3answers
184 views
Why has Marx's “Das Kapital” been translated to “Capital” in English and not “The Capital”
Why has Marx's "Das Kapital" been translated to "Capital" and not to "The Capital"? Actually, the article "Das" in German points out that it is not any capital, but the capital as the process of the ...
0
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0answers
30 views
Can the preposition “toward” follow the verb “ask”?
I searched for the phrase "ask toward" but found nothing. The thing is it is a translated term, and I want to know if it is used or at least accepted in English.
And ask stars and winds, also ask ...
0
votes
1answer
23 views
What should I understand “available electronically” in this context?
In the sentence:
I needed a language that would run on the machines in our Linux lab as well as on the Windows and Macintosh platforms most students have at home. I wanted it to be free and ...
0
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0answers
26 views
Looking for an English equivalent to the following Spanish term [duplicate]
The term "paga fantas" is a person who does whatever it takes to gain a girl's approval, in hope that upon paying for a girl's drinks, doing her favors, carrying her bag/purse/handbag, listening to ...
-1
votes
1answer
208 views
What is “friggen”?
There is a line
Though it may take all friggen day
in a song "My World" by Avril Lavigne, and I can't find any translation/meaning for the word "friggen". Do you know anything about this word?
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0answers
47 views
Can “people with confusion” refer to people that are confused?
I need to refer to a specific group of people that are feeling confused like me.
According to my research, "with confusion" is used when dealing with confusion as an illness but not a feeling or ...
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votes
4answers
150 views
Chinese names in English
In Chinese, the family name comes before the given name.
By English convention, it's the other way around.
In English text, however, I often see Chinese names with the family name before the given ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
meaning explanation of blanket justification
I want to know what is this. I hope it is correct, but I'm ask you to be sure
so please help me .
The complete sentence is :
network invariably fall back on the blanket justification of giving
...
-1
votes
1answer
30 views
“Forego” and “Forgive” difference
I have wanted to use the common verb forgive until I came across a reliable translation where they have translated the same word to forgo.
When I have looked up the text and situation, it appeared ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Understanding “ear-first” and “crowded room”
what does "enter crowded rooms" and "ear-first" mean in this sentence from the passage:
The paper’s eyes were big and round, whereas mine disappear altogether if
I smile, and my nose is more ...
1
vote
0answers
90 views
Is there a difference between PhD student, doctoral student, doctorand and how to say “CIFRE”?
I was wondering if there was any difference between those three formulations:
PhD student
doctoral student
doctorand
Plus, in France we have 2 types of doctorates:
Doctorat (Doctorate)
CIFRE (??)
...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
How to say “While I smoking … ”
I want to make a funny video where two people are high and dance. And I want to write some strong phrase.
Direct Russian translate is "When smoked weed", But I understand it is not correct.
So how to ...
-1
votes
2answers
62 views
Meaning of “clung to my losses”?
Odean said, “I traded too actively, traded too speculatively and clung to my losses…. I violated all the advice I now give"
I don't understand "clung to my losses" in this sentence.
3
votes
2answers
565 views
What does Trap Queen means?
I'm new in learning English, so I want to know more about idioms and some words that I can't understand.
What is the meaning of trap queen?
And how and when the situation we can say that. If you ...
3
votes
1answer
33 views
What does the meaning of words “jigsaw” and “decay” in this paragraph?
Please tell me meaning of the words "jigsaw" and "decay" in this paragraph.The combination "the crazy, jigsaw geometry of decay" seems strange and vague to me.
Whenever I visit Khartoum I find I am ...
-1
votes
3answers
28 views
What does “one” refer to in “one pushing the other”? Does it refer to the girls or to the cars?
In the sentence below, what does "one" refer to in "one pushing the other"? Does it refer to the girls or to the cars?
On the way into town one day I noticed a couple of young girls working their ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
The meaning of “stuff” in this paragraph
I have problem in understanding the meaning of word "stuff", the first one and the second one:
Jean says that she’s “getting tougher” and learning to detach herself from each teacher’s individual ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
What's the meaning of “throw a pallet at her”?
Please tell me the meaning of "throw a pallet at her" in this context:
Teachers might be using the Unit Organizer and the course map and starting to see kids that normally don’t respond, responding....
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Which part of this Shakespearean sentence translates to: “Thank you”?
This is a quote from The Tempest by Stephano:
Be you quiet, monster.—Mistress line, is not this my
jerkin? Now is the jerkin under the line.
And it is translated (according to this source) into:
...
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votes
1answer
19 views
How can “take it as you list” mean anything like “go to hell”?
This is a quote from "the Tempest" by Stephano:
If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness. If
thou beest a devil, take ’t as thou list.
And it was translated to:
If you’re a man who's ...
-1
votes
2answers
30 views
What is the meaning of “lay it on” in this sentence?
I read a sentence in "The Tempest" which was:
Lead, monster; we’ll follow. I would I could see this
taborer. He lays it on.
And it is translated to:
Lead on, monster. We’ll follow. I wish I ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Which word would be a good replacement for “office” in this text?
This is a literal transcription of a text in Portuguese:
The judge understood that the sergeant could not be found guilty of things that he was obliged to do in the exercise of his office.
Is the ...
1
vote
1answer
42 views
Informally asking a rider/driver to accelerate
Are any of these constructions legitimate when talking to a person driving a car or riding a motorcycle? If no, which ones can be used?
"Add (some) gas!"
"Push the gas!" (This one for the car, ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
A better way to say “masters of translation”
What is the best and native way to use words master and translators to denote a "group of highly skilled translators"?
I am stuck with initial "M" letter, as it is used in the brand name and logo, so ...
2
votes
3answers
229 views
How to find proper phrasal verbs or idioms for the sentence you're translating?
Let's assume you're translating a sentence. You can translate everything in English but sometimes there are idioms and phrasal verbs that you can use to make your sentnce more clear and compact. e.g., ...
1
vote
2answers
9 views
Friends reunited?
I used to see my Phd Supervisor regularly every fortnight. I have not seen him for a while after my graduation. I would like now to drop him a line to say I would like to... (suggest an expression):
...
2
votes
0answers
69 views
Meaning of 'excess' in this sentence [closed]
Can you help me to understand meaning of 'excess'' in sentence below:
The project may, in fact, be hopeless when it comes to the absolute
birth and death of being as meaning – here we can only ...
2
votes
1answer
230 views
What do we call the relief person in a shift work (the next shift worker who comes to continue the work)?
I'm translating a sentence from Russian that says that a chromatography room operator failed to inform the next shift worker that he needs to test a further three filters:
Cause of deviation: the ...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
Is there a noun or a noun phrase describing the “let stand” part in “Prepare the solution, let stand for 10 min”?
I'm translating a table of deviations in a biotech manufacturing process. One of the sentences concerns an occurrence in which a solution was found not to conform to prescribed limits.
Protein ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
If a worker did not follow instructions, what do we call the document he is asked to compose to explain his actions?
If a worker did not follow instructions at work, and this has affected the performance of the company, he/she is often asked to write a kind of an explanatory letter to the management. What do we call ...
0
votes
1answer
18 views
Proper terminology for the edition and version/printing of a book
On the inside of the cover of a typical book you'll find the small print about the book. Stuff like copyright notices, place of print, authors, editors and alike.
Also, you'll find information about ...
4
votes
2answers
328 views
One can only be so unsensible, you know. -> explain please?
One can only be so unsensible, you know.
That line came from an Anime, so it's Japanese to English translation. The original Japanese line is something like "A lack of common sense is allowed only to ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Equivalents of Russian perfective/imperfective verbs
Which one of the sentences means "Ne ustanovili pravila", but don't "Ne ustanavlivali pravila"?
They didn't set rules.
or
They didn't have to set rules.
What is the difference? Which one makes ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
who it is and what it is
I wonder what this is: who it is and what it is.
Does it mean whoever it is and whatever it is?
And I don't understand how this is translated : “With respect to Western ideals and who it is and what ...
9
votes
2answers
837 views
Can exams in university be called “session”? (Similarly to Russian “сессия”)
In Russian, the period of time when students need to pass the exams after a semester are called "sessiya"(сессия), "session". Can the same word "session" be used in English or is it just wrong?
1
vote
2answers
24 views
What is a good, common alternative for the “He is the engine of the group” expression?
In French, to say that someone is the key element of the dynamic of a group, we can use the expression "she/he is the engine of the group" (Elle/Il est le moteur du groupe). This clearly shows that ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
How to advise someone about the danger of a television failling from his arms
Does the sentence "You drop the television!" express the purpose of advising someone about the danger (of the television falling from his arms) or the fact of not being able to believe that someone ...
4
votes
2answers
230 views
Can you paraphrase “hold all of humankind”?
Writing to the woman who would become his third wife, Hermann Hesse complained: “Life for me now holds almost no pleasures any more, in fact I am living in Hell.” The event that had reduced Hesse to ...
