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German to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Nutrition / Generic term
German term or phrase:Nahrungs- und Genussmittel
I would like to restart the discussion about this term which Steffen Walter, whose expertise I very much respect, was entered into the glossary as "food and beverages". Google has about 40k entries for "food and luxuries" but IMHO, contexts suggest that Nylon stockings can also be "luxuries". I don't like stimulants for Genussmittel either, although Wiki categorizes coffee and tea as stimulants, and both are typical constituents of the Genussmittel continuum as a native German speaker would interpret it. Chocolate, sugar, spices, beer, wine, and spirits are all classified as Genussmittel. To all you English speakers out there, how about "staple foods and stimulants" or "staple and non-staple foods"? Is it possible that there is no direct English equivalent? Thanks to all in advance! - Erich
Explanation: How 's that? It covers all the angles, though it's not as brief as the German. But then, many German expressions need twice as many words at least to translate them adequately...
And the term that was not supposed to be official made its way into our glossary? What's the (2)? Stuff like this only makes sense when (1) is entered as well. Ah, chaos is beautiful...
When I read the article on Genussmittel at de.wikipedia.org a second time, I noticed the proposed translation "luxury food". Since then, I have seen enough entries on Google of the type "luxury foods such as coffee/luxury foods such as wine", etc. to warrant the omission of beverages/drinks and even (for my non-legal context) tobacco. I hugely appreciate the constructive notes and suggestions you all provided. Proz is the place to be with questions like this. THANKS!
I'm not very confident about this, but a word for Genussmittel could be delicacies. In my experience Genussmittel include chocolates, truffles, sweets, i.e. food that is nice, for pleasure and taste, but not the main nutrition of the day.
From a hazmat POV, the term would be "foodstuffs". But I doubt this would suffice here. German clearly adds basics (bread, eggs...) and luxuries (wine, cigars, anything legal) for form this hyphenated term.
Asker: Thanks for your suggestion, Dolores, but it's not generic enough for me. I you invite someone over for a drink, you don't mean coffee or tea or even wine, you mean something like a gin & tonic. And as far as I know, tobacco isn't socially accepted as a Genussmittel anymore.
Explanation: That's how this sector is called in EU documents.
Example:
"EMCC dossier on the European food and beverage sector
The European food and beverage sector is faced with an unprecedented number of challenges today, leading to an increase in restructuring activity across the EU."
"These data come from a report2 issued by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. The results presented refer to the survey on food, beverages and tobacco carried out in 2006 in the 37 participatingcountries. This survey covered a total of approximately 500 comparable products."
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 41 mins (2008-03-15 12:08:44 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
ICT and eBusiness in the food, beverages and tobacco industry
According to the first eBusiness Market Watch newsletter of July 2002, the EU is the world’s largest producer in the food industry. Major changes in the industry are expected from deregulation, food safety and antitrust laws, biological production and new standards for genetically modified foods.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 48 mins (2008-03-15 12:16:07 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I just noticed your concerns regarding "tobacco":
"Bei Tabakerzeugnissen handelt es sich um Genussmittel, bei deren bestimmungsgemäßer Verwendung Gesundheitsschäden regelmäßig auftreten (BVerfG, B. v. 22. Januar 1997, Az. 2 BvR 1915/91, in: BVerfGE 95, 173)."
Nicole Schnell United States Local time: 19:18 Native speaker of: German PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Nicole, I appreciate your answer and your helpful links. However, I was really after a descriptive equivalent in English rather than the legal term that is indelibly written in stone in EU legislation. But I'm beginning to realize that maybe food & beverages will turn out to be the consensus after all – even though backtranslated, this would be Lebensmittel und Getränke (which just doesn't quite tally up).
Asker: Sorry about that glossary entry. I can't find any way to delete it. - Erich
Staple and semi-luxury food and drinks and tobacco
Explanation: How 's that? It covers all the angles, though it's not as brief as the German. But then, many German expressions need twice as many words at least to translate them adequately...
David Moore Local time: 04:18 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
See my note.
Notes to answerer
Asker: David, when I saw this: "luxury foods such as sugar, coffee, cocoa (chocolate), and tea" (website of African Studies Center, Michigan State University), I decided that staple and luxury foods is adequate for my purposes, and your suggestion encouraged me to make this choice. Thank you!
Explanation: IMO there's no exact mapping between the German terms and the English terms, so the translation will depend on the context and the intended audience. For example, in a legal or quasi-legal context, you have to use 'food, beverages and tobacco', while in an informal, consumer-oriented context 'food and beverages' might be adequate. If your text is for the grocery trade, you may or may not need to include tobacco products. In short, I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer.
Ken Cox Local time: 04:18 Native speaker of: English
8 hrs confidence:
Essential and non-essential food products, acohol and tobacco products
Explanation: There, that ought to cover it all. Genussmittel are non-essential
food products. Of course, I would beg to differ in the case of chocolate.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 hrs (2008-03-15 23:41:52 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
oops, of course it should be "alcohol"
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 15 hrs (2008-03-16 03:25:39 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Actually, you can find many links where tea and coffee are included under the heading of food:
Manufacturing: Food products including coffee, tea, chocolate and confectionery, ice cream, dietetic and infant foods product Nestle Bolivia S.R.L. ...
goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/browse_CI_2099-15 - 49k - Cached - Similar pages
Gisela Greenlee Local time: 21:18 Native speaker of: German PRO pts in category: 1
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
