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  3. Education / Pedagogy

mittlere Reife

English translation: intermediate high school certificate

17:48 Jul 3, 2003
German to English translations [PRO]
Education / Pedagogy / education
German term or phrase: mittlere Reife
on a CV:
Realschule (Abschluß: mittlere Reife).

(LEO says "secondary school level I certificate", but that's not anything I ever heard of at school in the US - is that a standard British term, or does it mean something like "honors diploma?)
Kurt Beals
United States
Local time: 02:34
English translation:intermediate high school certificate
Explanation:
Langenscheidt
Selected response from:

Regina Landeck
Local time: 03:34
Grading comment
The CV is actually for a profile on a website, not for a job application, so something more comprehensible and less roundabout seems appropriate - in any case, this looks like a good answer.
Thanks,
Kurt
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2intermediate high school certificate
Regina Landeck
4 +2intermediate high school certificate
Regina Landeck
5 +1certificate of graduation from secodary school
John Speese
5Leave it in German (with explanation)
IanW (X)
5 -1can't speak for UK, but this is JUNIOR high or MIDDLE SCHOOL in U.S.
Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.
3High School Certificate in the USA
Sheila Hardie
3Commerce or Trade HS vs Classical HS
Terry Gilman
5 -3equivalent of USHigh school graduate
Ilse Flick (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
intermediate high school certificate


Explanation:
Langenscheidt

Regina Landeck
Local time: 03:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
The CV is actually for a profile on a website, not for a job application, so something more comprehensible and less roundabout seems appropriate - in any case, this looks like a good answer.
Thanks,
Kurt

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: in reply to your question, Kurt, Secondary School Level 1 Certificate is not a British term - I don't know what country it refers to. Level 1 means nothing in UK terms.
29 mins
agree  Nicholas Hogg
1 hr
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -3
equivalent of USHigh school graduate


Explanation:
mittlere Reife ( 6 Jahre Gymnasium = equivalent of US high school graduate

Personal experience

Ilse Flick (X)
Local time: 04:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 11

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Trudy Peters: A US high-school graduate has 12 years of schooling vs. 10 years for Mittlere Reife
45 mins
  -> but the German curriculum is much more strenuous
neutral  Kim Metzger: You have to be careful with "equivalent" when translating a CV.
1 hr
disagree  Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.: with Trudy, except it's 13
9 hrs
disagree  David Moore (X): The US graduate has university entitlement, Mittlere Reife = GCSE in the UK; but where does this idea come from that the German curriculum is STRENUOUS? Das ich nicht lache....
14 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
High School Certificate in the USA


Explanation:
HTH


Sheila



Within the school, teachers work according to the curriculum and requirements of state-run schools, and consequently students have the same chances of graduating as in state schools. They can either leave school with 'Mittlere Reife' (equivalent to the GCSE in Britain or the intermediate High School Certificate in the USA). Or they can sit the final 'Abitur' exams (equivalent to the British A-level or the American high school diploma). 



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2003-07-03 17:53:42 GMT)
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I meant to say \'intermediate High School Certificate\' - sorrry!

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Note added at 6 mins (2003-07-03 17:55:36 GMT)
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Or - High School Graduation Diploma




http://www.nmit.ac.nz/international/int_entryqual.htm


    Reference: http://www.merz-schule.de/kurzinfo/english.htm
Sheila Hardie
Spain
Local time: 11:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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55 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Commerce or Trade HS vs Classical HS


Explanation:
Depending on the purpose of the translation, you'll probably need to explain the terms.

Here's a short explanation from a proz resume. For the Abitur, I'd add that it qualifies the holder to apply to universities.


1993-1996 Vöhlin-Gymnasium Memmingen (Certificate: German Abitur)
1990-1993 Realschule Babenhausen (Certificate: German Mittlere Reife)
(German secondary school, business orientation)


Terry Gilman
Germany
Local time: 11:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
intermediate high school certificate


Explanation:
Re: Realschule und dann Gymnasium:

In Germany, you decide after elementary school which school you go to for secondary education (Hauptschule, Mittelschule (or Realsschule) or Gymnasium. It is possible to enrol in a Gymnasium to achieve the High School Diploma (Abitur) after completeing Realschule. These are usually two different schools (are there school names on the document?). This seems to be the case with your client.

Regina Landeck
Local time: 03:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Teresa Reinhardt: exactly, nothing unusual here
1 hr
agree  Deborah Shannon: Possibly when the client achieved Mittlere Reife (late 60s) progressing to Gymnasium was not an option; I wonder if the relevant political reform took place a year or two later, and lo and behold the client was qualified for Gymnasium after all?
1 day 22 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
certificate of graduation from secodary school


Explanation:
This is a hard term to translate, because there really is no American equivalent. According to the article "Translating Foreign Educational Documents (Emphasis on German to American English), by Courtney Searls-Ridge, the Mittlere Reife is the degree earned by students completing the study program at a Realschule (upper level secondary school, non-college preparatory). From this point, a student can opt to do an Ausbildung (training) or go on to Fachoberschule (FOS, secondary technical school). This kind of education prepares students for such careers as bank clerks, office assistants, etc., and also, some students might go on from this point to a Beruffachschule, a two to three year program which prepares a student to be a medical technician or a research specialist in some field of science. I know that this isn't an exact answer; this article says that often the best thing to do is footnote these terms with explanations, and also to refer the person interested to have the diploma, certificate, or whatever evaluated by the World Education Services, an organisation that evaluates exactly what is equivalent to what in various countries, including grading scales. This article recommends that the translator translate the diploma or certificate as faithfully as possible, using brief footnotes for clarification,and not try to substitute what he/she thinks may be the appropriate US equivalent.

John Speese
United States
Local time: 05:34
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): good idea!
23 hrs
neutral  Deborah Shannon: I agree with not adding supposed equivalents from other systems, but I would never add a footnote to a CV, what is needed is a concise explanation in brackets
1 day 17 hrs
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
can't speak for UK, but this is JUNIOR high or MIDDLE SCHOOL in U.S.


Explanation:
I'm sobered by those who suggest that going to school until age 14 in Germany would be the equivalent of a high school diploma. (Remember we have excellent private schools in the U.S.!).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-07-04 03:17:47 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Since college/univ is \"post-secondary,\" maybe you can do something in this case with \"pre-secondary.\"

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Note added at 2003-07-04 03:23:53 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Regarding Ilse Flick\'s remark about \'rigor\': I\'ve taught university students in Germany, Austria, and France who would have been put to shame by a reasonably studious American 10th-grader (age 15).

Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.
United States
Local time: 05:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Kim Metzger: This is comparing apples and oranges, Maureen. The only thing a US junior high school "certificate" entitles a student to do is go on to high school. The mittlere Reife qualifies a student to attend vocational training:Beruffachschule or Fachoberschule.
469 days
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1 day 17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Leave it in German (with explanation)


Explanation:
Given that this a CV which will probably be used in many different countries, my approach would be to leave it in German with an explanation in brackets in English. Regina's ""intermediate high school certificate" would be the best for this, IMHO.

IanW (X)
Local time: 11:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43
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