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makes you sail

English translation: plain-sailing

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:makes you sail
Selected answer:plain-sailing
Entered by: jerrie

05:28 Apr 2, 2003
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Marketing - Transport / Transportation / Shipping
English term or phrase: makes you sail
My client provides means of transport for goods throughout Europe, both on sea and land.
They are now publishing a new brochure and for the headline I am asked to chose between two options or suggest improvements. The client is keen on the verb 'to sail' and the two options are as follows:

1) Our shuttle service makes you sail the heart of Europe.
or
2) Our shuttle service makes you sail to the heart of Europe.

Can any mother-tongue out there advise me? Many thanks in advance.
Mirella
Mirelluk
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:55
plain-sailing
Explanation:
If an activity is plain sailing (Am also smooth sailing), it is easy.
The roads were busy as we drove out of town, but after that it was plain sailing.

If you have to use 'sailing' I would combine it with the meaning of 'plain-sailing'....

It's plain-sailing all the way with our shuttle service.

Transporting your goods throughout Europe is plain-sailing with our shuttle service.

Your goods simply sail through Europe with our superior shuttle service.

Selected response from:

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:55
Grading comment
I am very grateful for the many options you and the other collegues have offered. I will pass them to my client.
Plain-sailing could be the right choice.
Unfortunately I can award points only to one of you.
Many thanks
Mirella
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +8Both are aweful.
Fuad Yahya
5 +5plain-sailing
jerrie
5 +2to sail.....
Gayle Wallimann
5 +1"Sail" really doesn't fit this sentence.
Refugio


  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +8
Both are aweful.


Explanation:
One shuttle service takes you to the heart of Europe.

One shuttle service carries you to the heart of Europe.

One shuttle service carries you through the heart of Europe.

One shuttle service through the heart of Europe.

One shuttle service, sailing through the heart of Europe.

Sail through the heart of Europe with our shuttle service.



Fuad Yahya
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gayle Wallimann: Yes, but be careful, awful isn't spelled with an "e". ;-)
43 mins
  -> You are right, Gayle. "Awesome" has an e; "awful" doesn't. I appreciate the correction.
agree  Sarah Ponting: if you have to use "sail", "sail through" is the most natural sounding option
1 hr
agree  awilliams: the last one
2 hrs
agree  Kardi Kho: so how many shuttles are there in total, Fuad? ;)
6 hrs
  -> Let us see: 1+1+1+1+1+1=1
agree  Andrea Wright: "sail through" I agree with Sarah!
10 hrs
agree  Antonio Camangi
12 hrs
agree  Сергей Лузан: Sail through the heart of Europe with our shuttle service.
1 day 13 hrs
agree  AhmedAMS
241 days
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to sail.....


Explanation:
I agree that both suggestions are not native sounding at all.
My suggestions:
_"Let our shuttle service sail you to the heart of Europe" (if it is a means of getting to the heart of Europe that they want to capitalize on) Or "Sail to the heart of Europe with our shuttle service"
_"Let our shuttle service sail you through the heart of Europe" (if it is a means of crossing through, traveling through Europe that they want to capitalize on) Or "Sail through the heart of Europe with our shuttle service"

Gayle Wallimann
Local time: 18:55
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  awilliams
1 hr
agree  Сергей Лузан
1 day 13 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
plain-sailing


Explanation:
If an activity is plain sailing (Am also smooth sailing), it is easy.
The roads were busy as we drove out of town, but after that it was plain sailing.

If you have to use 'sailing' I would combine it with the meaning of 'plain-sailing'....

It's plain-sailing all the way with our shuttle service.

Transporting your goods throughout Europe is plain-sailing with our shuttle service.

Your goods simply sail through Europe with our superior shuttle service.



jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:55
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
I am very grateful for the many options you and the other collegues have offered. I will pass them to my client.
Plain-sailing could be the right choice.
Unfortunately I can award points only to one of you.
Many thanks
Mirella

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  awilliams: good idea
5 mins
agree  John Bowden: Good suggestion - it's nonsensical to say "sail to the heart of Europe", unless you're going to cruise down the Rhine!
3 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  Kardi Kho: and also with John.
4 hrs
agree  Сергей Лузан: Quite a fresh approach!
1 day 11 hrs
agree  Refugio: Yes, for us Americans smooth sailing sounds better.
455 days
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"Sail" really doesn't fit this sentence.


Explanation:
Maybe your clients can use the word elsewhere in the brochure. I would recommend:

Our shuttle service speeds your goods straight to the heart of Europe.

Or:

Our shuttle service speeds your goods throughout the heart of Europe.

Refugio
Local time: 09:55
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  rottnick: Second choice is better advertising copy
454 days
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