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21:13 Nov 15, 2009
German to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / Floristry
German term or phrase:Aufgetischt
I know that this means served or dished up. The problem is that it's the title of a book on floristry for the table. The client has rejected my suggestion of simply "Table flowers" and said:
Wir brauchen in der Tat einen anderen Titel als "Table flowers", hier sollte die Diktion bzw. die Verbform des deutschen Titels "emotional" erhalten bleiben. Das Aktivische des Auftischens, des mit-Blumen-festlich-Herrichtens geht so doch verloren. Im Übrigen gibt es bereits einen älteren Titel des jetzt vorgeschlagenen Namens.
I can't see "Served up" as a title. The occasions covered in the book range from family celebrations (wedings etc) to business lunches, to informal brunches to evening buffet parties. The focus is the flowers but it includes place settings, napkins, place cards etc.
Explanation: This French expression, which is widely used in English, certainly conveys the festive mood of a carefully arranged banquet table, etc., and should whet the reader's appetite. I assume that there will be flowers on the cover, so there's no need to mention them in the title.
This was what I sent to the client but they didn't like the Frenchness. I guess it confused their list of translations to have an EN book with an FR title. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
I asked "Support" if I could split the points as I wanted to give some to Stephen and some to Paul but no can do so Paul gets it as his was the answer I like best but I'd love to shower you all with points.
You're all great and I REALLY appreciate all the excellent help and support on this one, as always. I told them "Set the table" is an order to complete a household chore so it was great to receive all your posts in vindication of that reaction. If the client should come back and opt for one of our wonderful suggestions after all then I will put up another post with the same Aufgetischt title. The problem, I think, is publishing house staff with some English who love to second guess my work and need convincing that I'm right. They've done it before, they'll do it again. I just can't resist the challenge.
It puts me in mind of the many times children in the UK are asked something along the lines of "... and what's the magic word?" when they forget to say "please." We're not too keen on being given orders without being thanked for acting upon them. Even just 'setting the table', though mightily dull, would be better.
You're right. Although here me took it as "Es ist aufgetischt! (Now, it is served/set - and beautifully! Hooray! - kind a like Annett's suggestion - the table is set now). But apparently, the chosen solution could be a suggestion, recommendation or the "well, come on, get those things on the table, damn it (with an exclamation mark of course).
There is, however, something extremely peremptory about a past participle plus exclamation mark. I frequently used this device when I was a secondary school teacher. Upon entering the classroom, I would bark: “Aufgestanden!”, the implication being that this was the expected status. (smiley)
Certainly the best and most irresistible KudoZ Q for ages.
Stephen won't have the time to give his "imput" to (and eliciting those peer comments) more than a fraction of the KudoZ questions which appear every day. Otherwise even answering things like "ulcer syringe" would become exciting.
P.S. that was rule 3.7., but I'm unrepentant
Not us - "them". Smacks of agencies (no matter what of/for) who'd rather not have the work done (or at least, have anything to do with it) in the first place, commission it and then niggle. Absolutely "With" Brit. Diana, Anne-Marie, Helen, Paul (yes, the horses. and the brevity), and - Sonja, you've got 18 (or maybe 36?) shoulders to cry your heart out on...
This session should go into a frontispiece for The ProZ Guide to the Galaxy Yearbook. (Fun, though, wasn't it)
- this title sounds like an order rather than an invitation. Might be bought by timid ladies who feel they need to be told how their table should look. Personally, I'd run a mile from it.
I completely agree with Paul even down to the unsexy memory of laying the table as a teenager (though obviously I wasn't sulky - that was my mum!). And what a shame that your clients should choose something so uninspired and dry after this fantastic brainstorming session! Anyway, we have a wonderful resource for us all to share, should anyone of us be faced with a similar conundrum.
In this business, the customer is always right (*sigh*). I could recite an endless number of quaint sayings like, "you can lead a horse to water, ...", but I’ll resist temptation. If you think about it, folks, "Set the Table" is indeed rather short (good for the layout) and it definitely has that elusive "Aktivische des Auftischens". And it is direct. No beating about the bush. However, I have this nagging feeling that something or other has been lost in translation. Can't quite put finger on it (lol). And, frankly, this title sounds like something my mother used to say to me when I was a sulky teenager: "Paul, set the table." Not a sexy memory for me personally. My gut reaction: This is not a title that would inspire me to purchase the book.
Well, the "creative" types have gone their own way and come up with "Set the table" as the English title. I don't yet know what they did with the subtitle. It comes back to me in a few days for final proofreading and layout so wathc this space...I don't want to close this yet in case anyone will want to know the final outcome. It generated such a lot of interest and input.
How about the eighteen or so of us crash down on publisher, thank them for the occasion, wag fingers at their unimaginative titling and Woe Betide if they don't take whatever Sonja's final choice is.
Wenn Du die Blumen und die festlichen Tafeln schon im Untertitel hast, brauchst Du im Haupttitel nur noch die Aktion. Da würde also "Served up" oder "Dished up" oder "Decked out" völlig genügen.
Ich biete dem Kunden in solchen Situaionten 3 bis 5 Kombinationen aus Haupt- und Subtitel zur Auswahl an. Wenn Du das machen willst, achte darauf, dass die verlangten Elemente alle vorhanden sind, aber nicht doppelt vorkommen.
Blumige Inszenierungen für jede Tafelsituation
This is the sub-heading, for those who were wondering. I rather like "Serve it with flowers" from Anne-Marie but so many good suggestions!
Thanks to both Helen and Brigitte. The trouble is this insistence on the active aspect of the original. I'm thinking "Beautifully served" or something similar. Of course there is also the limitation of space. The English title can't be too much longer than the original.
Explanation: This French expression, which is widely used in English, certainly conveys the festive mood of a carefully arranged banquet table, etc., and should whet the reader's appetite. I assume that there will be flowers on the cover, so there's no need to mention them in the title.
Paul Cohen Greenland Local time: 00:17 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 18
Grading comment
This was what I sent to the client but they didn't like the Frenchness. I guess it confused their list of translations to have an EN book with an FR title.
Explanation: Kam mir einfach so in den Sinn und beim Googeln habe ich folgendes Geschäft gefunden:
Don't stress over your wedding reception decorations. Find everything you need at All Dressed Up in Plymouth, Michigan. Not only do we rent a wide selection of table centerpieces, fresh flowers, silk floral arrangements, and chair covers, we'll also come to the location and decorate it for you. http://www.alldressedupweddings.com/
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
