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Duft

English translation: fragrance/scent


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Duft
English translation:fragrance/scent
Entered by: Klaus Urban
Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

18:36 Dec 7, 2009
German to English translations [Non-PRO]
Science - Botany / Zierpflanzen
German term or phrase: Duft
Ich versuche, einen Text über Kamelien ins Englische zu übersetzen. Es geht um Duftkamelien, etwas sehr Seltenes. Der Begriff "Duft" kommt ständig vor, z.B.
- Duftkamelien
- Der Wunsch nach Duft
- Kamelien und ihr Duft
- Was ist eine Blüte ohne Duft?
- Von Duft keine Spur
- Duftende Kamelien waren damals unbekannt.
- Die Düfte der Kamelien
- Duft und Farbe
usw.


Ich habe anfangs mit "fragrance" übersetzt, also
- fragrant camellias
- the desire for fragrance
- camellias and their fragrance
- what is a flower without fragrance
- not even a suggestion of fragrance
- fragrant camellias were unknown at this time
- the fragrances of camellias
- fragrance and colour

Nun frage ich mich, ob nicht manchmal "scent" besser wäre.
Nach meinem Verständnis ist "scent" der Oberbegriff und "fragrance" ist ein eher süßer Duft. Nicht alle Düfte bei Kamelien sind süß, bei manchen (den herbstblühenden Kamelien) wird der Duft von manchen als modrig empfunden (Duft ist eben etwas Subjektives).
Oder kann man einfach mal "fragrance", mal "scent" sagen, um sich nicht ständig zu wiederholen?
Kann jemand helfen?
Klaus Urban
Local time: 04:01
fragrance/scent
Explanation:
In answer to the specific question that you ask, to me it would feel absolutely fine to use fragrance on some occasions and scent on others - both seem entirely applicable, and as you say using both can avoid too much repetition of one word.

Selected response from:

Armorel Young
Local time: 03:01
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +10fragrance/scent
Armorel Young
4 +3scent, odour, fragrance, smell
Tom Feise


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +10
fragrance/scent


Explanation:
In answer to the specific question that you ask, to me it would feel absolutely fine to use fragrance on some occasions and scent on others - both seem entirely applicable, and as you say using both can avoid too much repetition of one word.



Armorel Young
Local time: 03:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Armorel!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cetacea: Come to think of it, you are right: no need to stick to either one of the two.
3 mins
agree  Jeux de Mots: both are suitable IMO
11 mins
agree  John Speese: Ich stimme der Armorel und den anderen Kollegen zu, freilich kann man die Begriffe fragrance/scent wechselseitig verwenden... ich wuerde jedoch bei "fragrant camellias" bleiben, eben weil es sich dabei um einen gaertnerischen Begriff handelt.
32 mins
agree  Ingeborg Gowans: mit John: sonst wird das Haarspalterei
1 hr
agree  Zareh Darakjian Ph.D.
1 hr
agree  Andrew Swift: Always answer the question as printed on the exam paper.
2 hrs
agree  Nicole Backhaus
2 hrs
agree  Goldcoaster
4 hrs
agree  Thayenga
12 hrs
agree  LittleBalu: with Andrew ;-)
13 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
scent, odour, fragrance, smell


Explanation:
smell - eher unangenehm
fragrance - eher suesslich
odour - eher aromatisch
scent - riecht halt, nach irgendwas
aus den lateinischen Namen der Spezies ist manchmal etwas abzuleiten, viola fragrans ist ein suess duftenden Veilchen

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2009-12-07 18:43:21 GMT)
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und wenn sie ganz lieblich sein sollten, die gibt es ja auch, bietet sich Parfum / perfume an... mal abgesehen von stench und stink ;-)

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Note added at 39 mins (2009-12-07 19:15:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

einige Camelias haben ja auch einen ausgesprochen starken Kräutergeruch, also einen herbaceous scent, und ich habe schon einige gefunden, die waren eindeutig bituminous, denn die haben nach Teer gestunken

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Note added at 3 hrs (2009-12-07 22:00:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

so scented may be pleasant or not, but fragrant is definitely not unpleasant, and depending on which sort of camelia this is about, you have to decide (or actually smell) the flower

Tom Feise
Switzerland
Local time: 04:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank yo, Tom! which camellia did you feel had a bituminous scent?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trudy Peters: fragrance. Lots of ghits for fragrant camel(l)ias. I wouldn't use odo(u)1.r
7 mins
agree  Cetacea: mit "scent". Manche riechen wirklich nur "nach irgendwas"... ;-)
17 mins
  -> ;-) aber manche auch etwas besser
agree  robin25
7 days
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Voters for reclassification
as
PRO / non-PRO		Non-PRO (3): Andrew Swift, SJLD, robin25


Return to KudoZ list


Changes made by editors
Dec 15, 2009 - Changes made by robin25:
LevelPRO => Non-PRO


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