Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2009 July 12

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July 12

Is this self-made translation correct?

I have translated the self-description of a magazine into English (names removed) and would be grateful for any feedback.

Since June 2009, cline is the main publication of the club, released six times a year (the predecessor, issue 1-200, was called clubzine). It reports activities in the club and the umbrella association, spiced with papers, columns, humor, puzzles and more.

All club members may contribute articles and images of any kind. Deadline for articles and letters to the editors is the 28th of any odd month, to be sent by eMail or fax, +1 2345. Regarding that a two-pager will contain roughly 5,000-5,500 characters, length should not exceed 8,500 in total.

The magazine is printed in full colors. For that we can afford this, we allow members to place an advertisement (for themselves or their enterprises): 1/8 page for € 130, 1/4 for € 250. A standing order for one year (i. e. 6 issues) reduces the respective price to € 100 and € 200.

--KnightMove (talk) 09:26, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

Where's the original? Algebraist 10:19, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

The text is not on the web in this version, but I assume the content to be correct - I'm just asking for correct English grammar, phrases etc. --KnightMove (talk) 10:43, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

The phrase "spiced with ...", whilst understood, is not quite idiomatic. You may use "interspersed with" or some synonym. "Odd month" could be improved as odd not only means "ungerade" but also "seltsam". Maybe "... deadline ... is the 28th of the month of publication" or something similar. "Regarding that..." I would replace with "As a two-pager...". The phrase "for that we can afford this" is presumably a literal translation of "damit wir uns das leisten können", it is, however, not quite correct. I suggest "To support our printing costs, bla bla". "Colors" is USian. If you have a majority of US American readers, this is OK, otherwise you may prefer to use the BE spelling, "colours".

Grüße aus Wien. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 11:12, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

Much thank from exactly there... go we times on a beer? :) --KnightMove (talk) 11:40, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

In addition to the points Cookatoo has noted, there are a few other unidiomatic usages:

• "Since June 2009, cline is the main publication" - "is" should be "has been"
• "Deadline for articles and letters.." should be "The deadline..." (and for clarity I would say "odd-numbered month")_
• "Regarding that a two-pager will contain roughly 5,000-5,500 characters," - "Regarding" should be "Since" or "As"
• "The magazine is printed in full colors." - should be "... in full colour"

Hope this helps. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 11:48, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

...or "full colors" becomes "full color", if using US English. StuRat (talk) 13:43, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

It does, thx. --KnightMove (talk) 11:52, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

I'd also simply omit the "i. e." in the final sentence. (If it's retained, it should be "i.e." [with no space] and should be followed by a comma.) And in the first sentence "issue 1–200" would be better as "issues 1–200." Deor (talk) 12:27, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

Oh, and "respective price" in the final sentence should be "respective prices." Deor (talk) 14:19, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

"Released" looks odd. I'd translate "ausgeben" as "publish" rather than "release" in the context of a written work. I also find the bit about character counts confusing - maybe "[As a] a two-pager will contain roughly 5,000-5,500 characters, length should not exceed 8,500 in total" makes sense in context. Tonywalton ^Talk 01:08, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

Also, English language magazine names are typically capitalized. However, in those cases where the name is lowercase on the actual mag, then it's correct to report it that way. StuRat (talk) 13:41, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

I suggest posting a corrected version, with all the above corrections, so we can double-check it for you. Also please state whether you want it in US English, British English, or some other variety. StuRat (talk) 13:46, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

I'd change For that to So that. A space after € looks a bit odd to me. —Tamfang (talk) 16:23, 20 July 2009 (UTC)

Punjabi ordinal numbers

I need the punjabi words for "thousandth" and "millionth". A good reference would be good as well, if available. Thanks 90.196.64.47 (talk) 21:03, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

Thousand is 'hazaar' in Punjabi, according to http://www.punjabonline.com . Not sure how to make it into 'thousandth', but in Hindi its हज़ारवां. Probably its something quite similar in Punjabi. As per millionth, note that Punjabi uses Indian numeral system with lakhs and crores. One million is ten lakhs, das lakh. --Soman (talk) 21:13, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

Why is this sentence wrong? (SAT-style question)

"Although study after study has shown that standardized test scores have little to do with students' real potential for achievement, but such tests continue to proliferate."

"Although" is what the answer key says is wrong. What's the reason for the answer? I can't figure it out. 24.6.46.177 (talk) 23:55, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

Personally, I could live with deleting either "Although" or "but"; however, with both, this is not a sentence but two subordinate clauses. // BL \\ (talk) 23:59, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

• No, "but" does not produce a subordinate clause. The error is that "although A, B" and "A, but B" mean the same thing, but have different structures and can't be combined like that. --Anonymous, 05:14 UTC, July 13, 2009.

I would make it "have shown" also. Algebraist 00:04, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

I wouldn't. :-) // BL \\ (talk) 00:06, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

This may be a regional variation. If so, it's not explictly mentioned in American and British English differences, though it's sort-of related to Formal and notional agreement Algebraist 00:17, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

And it should be students', not student's (or, alternatively, a student's). - Nunh-huh 00:08, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

That was my typo. ;) It's a SAT find the error question, so the only thing you can change are the choices they give you, in this case, "although". Thanks for the quick replies everyone! 24.6.46.177 (talk) 00:24, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

(After EC :-)) While nothing is certain or perfect, SAT-style tests tend to be very careful about ensuring there is only one error if only one error is required to be identified. I suspect, then, given what the answer key maintains is correct, that "student's" is a typo by the OP and that, if "Study . . . has" is a regionalism, the test was created in a region where the singular form of the verb is considered correct, and not notional. // BL \\ (talk) 00:29, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

Try the sentence in more everyday language:

Although I keep telling him not to put his gym shoes in the washing machine, but he keeps on doing it.

makes little sense.

I keep telling him not to put his gym shoes in the washing machine, but he keeps on doing it.

Although I keep telling him not to put his gym shoes in the washing machine, he keeps on doing it.

I'd agree with BL - either "although" or "but" is acceptable; if both are there one of the two is an error. Tonywalton ^Talk 00:51, 13 July 2009 (UTC)