Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Rektor
English translation:
Vice-Chancellor
Added to glossary by
Libero_Lang_Lab
Aug 12, 2002 10:46
22 yrs ago
26 viewers *
German term
New Zealand
Committed to the Customer
Native in: English (Variant: New Zealand) 
Works in: French to English, German to English, Spanish to English
Rektor
German to English
Other
Education / Pedagogy
Tertiary Education
For this word, the Collins dictionary said that the "Rektor" of a "Fachhochschule" is a "principal". However, I'm a bit sceptical about that, because as I understand it, a principal is the head of a primary or secondary school, not a tertiary institution. I'm leaning towards "vice-chancellor" or possibly even the literal "rector". Does anyone know which would be best? Or is the Collins right?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +2 | You're probably correct |
Libero_Lang_Lab
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| 4 +3 | below |
Cilian O'Tuama
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| 4 +2 | Dean |
gangels (X)
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| 4 +1 | vice chancellor |
David Kiltz
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| 5 | the following from the Oxford Duden |
jkjones
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| 4 | Chancellor |
Steffen Walter
|
Change log
Aug 22, 2012 08:19: Steffen Walter changed "Field (specific)" from "(none)" to "Education / Pedagogy"
Proposed translations
+2
4 mins
Libero_Lang_Lab
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
The sports specialists
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
You're probably correct
Be careful of rector.
In Oxbridge colleges you have a rector and this is indeed the head of the college.
But for example in a Scottish university the rector is an honorary appointment, often a celebrity figure, elected or chosen to "front" the student body.
The vice-chancellor would indeed be the true executive head of a university (in England or Scotland - not sure about the USA), as the chancellor is again an honorary appointment.
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Note added at 2002-08-12 12:40:58 (GMT)
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To Chris Rowson: Chancellor and vice-chancellor are different positions, and I very much suspect that if you went to a UK uni, you had both, but perhaps the chancellor was a more high-profile name. In fact though, it is the vice-chancellor who makes all of the big decisions. Think of it like an executive director and a president of a commercial organisation - the president\'s role will be less hands-on and more of an ambassadorial one, while the executive director actually runs the shop.
In Oxbridge colleges you have a rector and this is indeed the head of the college.
But for example in a Scottish university the rector is an honorary appointment, often a celebrity figure, elected or chosen to "front" the student body.
The vice-chancellor would indeed be the true executive head of a university (in England or Scotland - not sure about the USA), as the chancellor is again an honorary appointment.
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Note added at 2002-08-12 12:40:58 (GMT)
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To Chris Rowson: Chancellor and vice-chancellor are different positions, and I very much suspect that if you went to a UK uni, you had both, but perhaps the chancellor was a more high-profile name. In fact though, it is the vice-chancellor who makes all of the big decisions. Think of it like an executive director and a president of a commercial organisation - the president\'s role will be less hands-on and more of an ambassadorial one, while the executive director actually runs the shop.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "It was really hard picking a winner here, and I must admit I'm still not totally clear about this. Not only the Collins, but also the Oxford/Duden, says Rektor means "principal" in a Fachhochschule context. But I still don't like that in a tertiary context. Maybe "principal" would be all right for a "Fachoberschule", but not "Fachhochschule".
So, I've ended up opting for "vice-chancellor". Dan was basically first in with the "right" answer and gave a helpful explanation of the difference between Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor (though these offices are very similar in New Zealand universities). So he edges out Steffen. Commiserations, Steffen, but thank you for your help. And thanks to everyone else who contributed as well.
I'll leave this out of the glossary, because there are several possible solutions depending on the context, and in some cases, it seems to be a bit up the in air."
3 mins
Steffen Walter
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Germany
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Native in: German (Variant: Germany)
Works in: English to German, German to English, French to German, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
232
Chancellor
I would say...
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Note added at 2002-08-12 10:52:06 (GMT)
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Der Große Eichborn gives \"chancellor\" as \"Rektor (Universität)\" but I would also use it for a Fachhochschule in support of your argument that both are institutions of higher (or tertiary) education.
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Note added at 2002-08-12 10:52:06 (GMT)
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Der Große Eichborn gives \"chancellor\" as \"Rektor (Universität)\" but I would also use it for a Fachhochschule in support of your argument that both are institutions of higher (or tertiary) education.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Libero_Lang_Lab
: see my response below
2 mins
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Then I'd go for vice-chancellor, in the light of your good explanation.
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| agree |
Chris Rowson (X)
: I think this is more common in Britain than Vice-Chancellor. I and both of my brothers were at Universities with Chancellors (Bath, Birmingham, Essex).
29 mins
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Hmm... the uncertainty remains...
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+3
3 mins
Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
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Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English, German, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
69
below
Rektor m einer Schule: headmaster, Amerikanisches Englisch principal; Universität vice-chancellor, principal, Amerikanisches Englisch president
© 2001 Langenscheidt
HTH
© 2001 Langenscheidt
HTH
+1
4 mins
David Kiltz
Native in German
Works in field
knowledgeable and precise
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, German to English, Spanish to German, and 6 more.
vice chancellor
This is what corresponds to a Rektor in Britain (don't know about the US of A).
2 hrs
the following from the Oxford Duden
Rektor / "rEktOr /
der; Rektors, Rektoren / -"to:r@n /
a (Schulleiter) head[master];
b (Universitätsrektor) Rector; þ Vice-Chancellor (Brit.); (einer
Fachhochschule) principal
If it's a school, headteacher, please, (principal in the US) but it looks as if you want Vice-Chancellor as others have already said.
der; Rektors, Rektoren / -"to:r@n /
a (Schulleiter) head[master];
b (Universitätsrektor) Rector; þ Vice-Chancellor (Brit.); (einer
Fachhochschule) principal
If it's a school, headteacher, please, (principal in the US) but it looks as if you want Vice-Chancellor as others have already said.
+2
6 hrs
Dean
in the US. Universities and colleges, though, are run by a "board of governors" with a "president", while the various departments (medicine, law etc) are led by a department chairman.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Beth Kantus
: except the university is run by a president and board (of trustees), the colleges are headed by deans, and the individual departments within the colleges are run by department chairs
2 hrs
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OK, I am not to quibble. Actually, it's "dean of the faculty"
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| agree |
sylvie malich (X)
: I"m with you and Beth if it's to be a US-Eng. trans
7 hrs
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Discussion
In my experience though, principals are only for primary and secondary schools. But it's interesting that three dictionaries seem to agree on "principal" being used in a tertiary context, with two plugging for "principal" in relation to "Fachhochschule".