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arbeider & bediende

English translation: worker and servant

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13:53 May 16, 2008

Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management / Employment contracts

Dutch term or phrase: arbeider & bediende

Flemish to English
What is a good translation for arbeider (labourer??)
What is a good translation for bediende (clerical worker??)
Appreciate your input.

Dennis Bodde KudoZ activity Questions: 2 (none open) Answers: 8 Netherlands
Local time: 06:40

English translation:worker and servant

Explanation:
Just a guess, and after refering to IATE

Selected response from:

Annabel Rautenbach
Local time: 06:40

Grading comment

Thank you Annabel.
But 'servant' sounds derogatory in English and there has to be a distinction between a 'manual' worker and a 'white collar' worker.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

blue-collar and white-collar workers

MoiraB

factory and clerical staff

Willemina Hagenauw

3 -4

worker and servant

Annabel Rautenbach

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -4

worker and servant

Explanation:
Just a guess, and after refering to IATE

Annabel Rautenbach
Local time: 06:40
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Afrikaans
PRO pts in category: 8

Grading comment

Thank you Annabel.
But 'servant' sounds derogatory in English and there has to be a distinction between a 'manual' worker and a 'white collar' worker.

Notes to answerer

Asker: Just to clarify: English term for a shop floor worker and an office worker. I gues that's the difference in the Flemish Arbeider/ Bediende. Clerical worker sounds longwinded and labourer that of a beast of burden.

Asker: Thank you Willemina. Love your term 'factory' but the contracts I'm translating are for a consultancy without own industrial premises.

Asker: Ladies, I think I'm just going to term it 'manual workers' and 'clerical' workers' as I don't see another way out. Thanks all for sharing your thinking caps.

31 mins confidence:

factory and clerical staff

Explanation:
Als het om een fabriekssituatie gaat.

Willemina Hagenauw
Local time: 05:40
Native speaker of:

Dutch

17 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

blue-collar and white-collar workers

Explanation:
This is how I would generalise them. Not all arbeiders are labourers!

Think you meant to add a note rather than award points to Annabel's answer!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2008-05-16 14:14:13 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Emire for Belgium offers the same solution:
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/BELGIUM/BLUECOLLARWORKE...
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/BELGIUM/WHITECOLLARWORK...

See also some discussion on the difference at http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Sci/sci.lang.transla...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 37 mins (2008-05-16 14:30:40 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

You've already awarded points so I don't think you can do anything about that (contact moderator perhaps?).

You didn't mention the context so can hardly expect the perfect answer! Manual employees and clerical employees? Check the Emire links above, as these have specific significance in Belgian labour law.

MoiraB
Local time: 06:40
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

Notes to answerer

Asker: Ah, ok, first time I've asked a question. Will award points at end of discussion. I can however hardly term blue and white-collar in contracts of employment. I have to make the distinction between a manual worker and one who pushes a pen.

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English translation: worker and servant

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arbeider & bediende

English translation: worker and servant

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KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

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