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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

bij nacht en ontij

English translation: at any time of the day or night

15:47 May 1, 2008
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Dutch term or phrase: bij nacht en ontij
No problem understanding what is meant but need a nice phrase for the context - which is a glossy company brochure extolling the company's products and especially the levels of support that it provides. The phrase appears as heading and also in the following sentence:
"We adviseren in doseerapparatuur en staan bij nacht en ontij aan de machines als onze hulp nodig is."

Any ideas?
Brian Moses
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:36
English translation:at any time of the day or night
Explanation:
Van Dale N-E provides the following translations: "at ungodly hours" or "at any time of the day or night".
In my opinion, the second term fits best in the given context. As an alternative, I would suggest a translation in terms of "... 24 hours per day (on-site support/service)".
Selected response from:

Kitty Brussaard
Netherlands
Local time: 03:36
Grading comment
Thanks to you all. I have actually used "around the clock" in the header and "day or night" idea in the body. Pity I can't split the points here. Now to take my aching brain to an early bed!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4around the clock
Casey Dovale
3 +3at any time of the day or night
Jacqueline van der Spek
4at any time of the day or night
Kitty Brussaard
4around the clock, come rain or shine
JoGoes


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
around the clock


Explanation:
Just a suggestion going on my gut feel :)

Casey Dovale
Local time: 03:36
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kitty Brussaard: Nice one too! Many relevant hits for 'service/support around the clock'.
33 mins
agree  writeaway: sounds good in a business context and is more elegant for a brochure than 24/7
38 mins
agree  Dennis Seine
2 hrs
agree  Kalyani Jog
1 day 4 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
at any time of the day or night


Explanation:
or 24/7?

HTH,
Jacqueline

Jacqueline van der Spek
Netherlands
Local time: 03:36
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kitty Brussaard: Waren blijkbaar gelijktijdig met hetzelfde (type) antwoord bezig :-)
30 mins
agree  swisstell: yep, 24/7
33 mins
agree  Tina Vonhof (X): or just "day and night". I prefer this over 'around the clock' because it stays closer to the source text and because it emphasizes the 'even during the night' aspect.
1 hr
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
at any time of the day or night


Explanation:
Van Dale N-E provides the following translations: "at ungodly hours" or "at any time of the day or night".
In my opinion, the second term fits best in the given context. As an alternative, I would suggest a translation in terms of "... 24 hours per day (on-site support/service)".


Kitty Brussaard
Netherlands
Local time: 03:36
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 44
Grading comment
Thanks to you all. I have actually used "around the clock" in the header and "day or night" idea in the body. Pity I can't split the points here. Now to take my aching brain to an early bed!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: I prefer around the clock -covers the 24/7 aspect in a more elegant fashion and is shorter and more business-like than any time of night or day
28 mins
  -> Thanks, see also my 'agree' with Casey's answer :-)
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2 days 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
around the clock, come rain or shine


Explanation:
(come) rain or shine

To translate the idea they will give assistance what ever the circumstances
Freedictionary says:
if you say you will do something come rain or shine, you mean you will do it whatever happens. Come rain or shine, I'll be there, I promise.


JoGoes
Local time: 02:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
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