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21:14 Feb 2, 2011
German to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Military / Defense
German term or phrase:Wachtmeister der Gendarmerie
In the short story I'm translating, the character with this function accompanies a gauger (surveyor of weights and measures) on his job. I am unclear on the nuances of military terms (especially in translation. . .) and would greatly appeciate outside input.
Explanation: Wachtmeister translates to "constable."
However, depending on the short story you are translating, "Gendarmerie" can be kept as either "Gendarmerie", or "Gendarmery."
The only good translation of "Gendarmerie" that I know if is "constabulary." However "constable of the constabulary" might sound a bit strange. Nevertheless, Gendarmerie is a term that has been adopted in English, so you can just leave the Gendarmerie part.
is intended for an uneducated readership, I'd be wary of insulting the intelligence of the readers. Most reasonably educated readers would be familiar with gendarmes and police constables.
When it comes to it, you could leave it "untranslated". When I lived in the countryside, people would have said, "and a Gendarm came along" (to supervise or whatever).
Would officer convey the same array of funtions that Wachtmeister does, though? I have a hard time grasping what a German reader knowledgeable on the topic would understand a "Wachtmeister" to be, in the first place. . .
It's mentioned that he is dressed in full regalia. The next line says that the Wachtmeister's presence is the state's way of showing that if the gauger realises there shopkeeper in question has been cheating there will be consequences to pay.
Re Gendarmerie - I want the text to be understandable to a native speaker of English, but still faithful to the atmosphere and cultural peculiarities of the original. . .
doesn't exist in English - are you looking for an equivalent, or would you like to keep the term? What is the police officer's function? Is he military or civilian? Does he "control" the gauger, assist him, are they friends, enemies? (Now I'm just curious and rambling........)
We used to address almost all police officers as "Herr Wachtmeister". Earlier it was a cavalry rank corresponding to sergeant; native speakers might remamber a suitable 19th century English phrase? "Gendarmerie" is roughly similar to what in the US is called "state police".
something about your story. Where and when does it take place? Why do you say it's a military term? It's also best to give us the German source text instead of your translations as in: a gauger (surveyor of weights and measures).
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Constable of the Gendarmerie
Explanation: Wachtmeister translates to "constable."
However, depending on the short story you are translating, "Gendarmerie" can be kept as either "Gendarmerie", or "Gendarmery."
The only good translation of "Gendarmerie" that I know if is "constabulary." However "constable of the constabulary" might sound a bit strange. Nevertheless, Gendarmerie is a term that has been adopted in English, so you can just leave the Gendarmerie part.
The translation workplace 
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