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The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2011-09-08 11:54:07 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
Dutch to English translations [PRO] Bus/Financial - Finance (general)
Dutch term or phrase:"(interne) opdrachtgever"
I basically have two questions in one:
(1) What is the correct English translation of 'interne opdrachtgever' / 'intern opdrachtgever', and (2) how to deal with the Dutch parenthetical construction above.
'Intern opdrachtgever
Veel projectleiders en teamleden opereren in projecten vanuit een andere organisatie dan die van de opdrachtgever. Binnen hun eigen organisatie moeten zij ook verantwoording afleggen over de verrichte werkzaamheden, de in te zetten uren en de kosten en opbrengsten van de eigen activiteiten. Degene aan wie deze verantwoording wordt afgelegd wordt wel de interne opdrachtgever genoemd.
Een intern opdrachtgever mag zich niet met de inhoudelijke kant van het project bemoeien. De inhoud, dat doen zijn mensen, hij moet niet in de val trappen dat hij zich gaat manifesteren als super-projectleider. Doorgaans is de interne opdrachtgever een direct leidinggevende. Deze direct leidinggevende heeft wel verantwoordelijkheid voor de kennis, ervaring, ontwikkeling en het welzijn van zijn medewerkers. Hij is vakbaas en beheerbaas[ii].'
Explanation: Cannot see what is wrong with just translating it directly. As for the second part, just google 'internal client' and you will have your answer.
without specification usually means 'external client'. That's why (internal) Is added as an option. There is (are) often (sometimes) (a) reason(s) behind the (Dutch) bracket(s) madness....
They come up time and time again (see KudoZ entries for (room)ijs and (weer)haakje to name just two...).
Parr & Lemmens have also commented on this topic. An earlier comment of mine on this issue was: "For more on this very Dutch use of brackets, see Handboek voor de Vertaler (Lemmens & Parr), section 6.2.3.4.2, and Righting English that's gone Dutch (Joy Burrough), p.17 (1st ed., 1998). In brief, this use of brackets is generally incorrect in English."
And a question back: if "(interne) opdrachtgever" means "internal or external client", could you not just reduce it to "client"?
' ... (bouw)activiteiten zoals ...'
'In hoeverre is het (bestuurlijk) wenselijk ...'
'... zo moest er o.a. een openbare (wandel)verbinding komen tussen de binnenstad en de ...'
'... een geliefde bestemming voor (koop)toeristen ...'
'De steden zijn het initiatief (even) kwijt (geweest) bij ...'
'... (publieke) parkings en halten van openbaar vervoer ...'
'... de nieuwe (snel)tram ...'
I didn't say that the title did not exist but I have read the first two documents and neither has any relationship to the translation we are discussing. In the first document the titile is given to someone who distributes assets and resources and in the second document the only reference is 'So far we have dealt with the internal principal/agent problem of HAOs'.
Wow, thanks for the great reference Johan, I actually just ordered it on bol.com! How to unpack these cryptic Dutch parenthetical constructions into correct English is a topic that (continually) annoys (and amuses) me, and I look forward to reading what the author has to say on the matter.
Is writing '(interne) opdrachtgever' synonymous with 'opdrachtgever (intern/extern)'?
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
14 mins confidence:
(internal) principal
Explanation: The opdrachtgever is usually translated as the "principal" in calls for tenders/tender submissions. Sometimes this creates some rather strange sentences, and you can write around it eg "the other party to the contract". But it seems the official word to use is "principal".
Example sentence(s):
Remember also that any bids you are involved in (either as principal or co-applicants) need to be prepared (see web ref below)
Yasdnil1 Dominican Republic Local time: 02:59 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 8
19 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +3
(internal) client
Explanation: Cannot see what is wrong with just translating it directly. As for the second part, just google 'internal client' and you will have your answer.
David Walker Netherlands Local time: 08:59 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 16
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +3