16:20 Nov 10, 2010 

Hi Tomasz, I don't mean that the mystery of the sentences has been solved now - just, along with Chris, how skids is used as a short for skid-mounted units :-|

15:00 Nov 10, 2010 

Lianne,
You have my admiration and respect if the fololwing phrase "makes perfectly sense now": "Opening of the skid piping of equipment should only take place..."
perhaps "or" instead of the second "of" helps but not quite...

13:26 Nov 10, 2010 

Hi Tomasz, fwiw I had exactly the same experience with this word recently. My first thought that it was an English-looking word being used incorrectly by Dutch subject-matter experts (the list is long...). But my conclusion was the same as yours.

05:40 Nov 10, 2010 

The explanation of 'skids' makes perfectly sense now. Thanks for posting.

05:26 Nov 10, 2010 

I have to close it because I realized that while the source was Dutch, the mystery did not come from the Dutch language -- but from the manufacturer-specific lingo; skids are simply "skid-mounted units" - although it doesn't solve mysteries of these convoluted sentences.

05:09 Nov 10, 2010 

The manufacturer is Dutch. The syntax used throughout has strong elements of Dutch (or, at any rate, Germanic influences). I know it's a bit of a detective work but I was hoping you could guess what was the original Dutch word that led to the mistranslated "skid," and then tell me what it should be. I wish I had the Dutch original but I don't

04:10 Nov 10, 2010 

Can you explain the Dutch part in your question again? The sentences are English, skid is an English word, whether properly used or not. So how did you get to the conclusion that there was any Dutch involved?