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awful sentence

English translation: attempt

21:17 Jan 9, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering
German term or phrase: awful sentence
This is from a document entitled "Honorarvereinbarung"related to a construction project. I hate to burden my colleagues with this horrible text, but am at wit's end with this project.
Thanks much for your patience and help.
Here is the whole darn thing:

Honorarvereinbarung
Die Workstage Nr. 3, also diese dritte Arbeitsstufe, detail design, beinhaltet die Werkpläne und die Stufe 4. Einsätze vor Ort und Fertigstellung sind von Herrn X wie folgt angedacht:
a) dreimaliger Aufenthalt pro Monat in M
b) die qualitative Überwachung und die Überwachung des Designs bis zur Fertigstellung.

Herr A brauchte bei der letzten Besprechung 12 Monate, Herr B brauchte nur 7 Monate. Herr X sichert zu, dass er seine drei Einsätze erweitert, nachdem er nicht nur die Arbeitesweise reduziert, sondern er sich hier flexibel zeigt.

Bezüglich des Preises des Gesamtprojekts schätzt Herr X den Preis auf 1 Mio. USD, inklusive Haus Nr. 4, wobei Haus Nr. 4 am leichtesten zu bauen ist, da es in einer Talsenke liegt und keine Rops entfernt werden müssen.

The problem parts are Werkpläne (which I am guessing are construction drawings?), and the part about extending the visits "nachdem er nicht nur die Arbeitesweise reduziert..." Maybe someting is missing from this sentence - can anyone figure out what could be meant here?

The last part I will separate out and post a second question. Seems only fair in terms of points.
Beth Kantus
United States
Local time: 21:50
English translation:attempt
Explanation:
Work Stage 3 is design detail. It contains the construction (OR facility) drawings (OR plans). Work Stage 4, entailing on-site work and completion, is conceived by Mr. X as follows:

a) Three times a month on-site in M
b) Quality monitoring and design monitoring until completion.

Mr. A said at the last discussion that he would need 12 months, Mr. B needs only 7 months. Mr. X assures us that he would extend his three visits, since he is not only prepared to reduce his work method, but also be flexible about the visits.
Beth, this is what it might mean and I would even say probably means! Sounds to me like the way people write when they are so close to a problem that they don't feel the need to be precise.
Werk could mean facility but then it looks as if 4 houses are involved.
All the best, Nancy
Selected response from:

Nancy Schmeing
Canada
Local time: 21:50
Grading comment
Thanks to everyone who took a stab at this one. I am not sure why the German was so difficult in this one, as the author has a very German-sounding name (but appearances can be very deceiving). Anyway, I think this answer seems plausible, and will use it and include a note to my customer (in this case an agency) about the ambiguous text.
Thanks again!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4construction (work) plans, yes, sentence below
Klaus Dorn (X)
4contains operation plans and step 4
Ingrid Grzeszik
4contains operation plans and step 4
Ingrid Grzeszik
4construction plans/drawings + attempt at sentence (below)
Susan Starling
3attempt
Nancy Schmeing


  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
construction (work) plans, yes, sentence below


Explanation:
As I said previously, looks to me as if this has been translated from English (or another language) into German beforehand, the spelling and sentence mistakes speak volumes!

OK, now for the sentence:

I think it should mean

"not only does he reduce the operational efforts, he also demonstrates flexibility on his part" (by increasing his visits to the site)

Of course, I could be completely wrong, but you have the whole text...

Klaus Dorn (X)
Local time: 04:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 1514

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Thijs van Dorssen
8 mins
agree  Hartwin Busch: Very imaginative for the sentence, but I prefer 'construction drawings'
29 mins
agree  & Associates (X)
2 hrs
agree  Tao Weber (X): sounds absolutely right to me
3 hrs
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30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
contains operation plans and step 4


Explanation:
Mr X promises to extend his three actions by not only reducing the mode of operation but proving flexibility in the proceeding.

My guess. Hope it helps.



Ingrid Grzeszik
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 139
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
contains operation plans and step 4


Explanation:
Mr X promises to extend his three actions by not only reducing the mode of operation but proving flexibility in the proceeding.

My guess. Hope it helps.



Ingrid Grzeszik
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 139
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
attempt


Explanation:
Work Stage 3 is design detail. It contains the construction (OR facility) drawings (OR plans). Work Stage 4, entailing on-site work and completion, is conceived by Mr. X as follows:

a) Three times a month on-site in M
b) Quality monitoring and design monitoring until completion.

Mr. A said at the last discussion that he would need 12 months, Mr. B needs only 7 months. Mr. X assures us that he would extend his three visits, since he is not only prepared to reduce his work method, but also be flexible about the visits.
Beth, this is what it might mean and I would even say probably means! Sounds to me like the way people write when they are so close to a problem that they don't feel the need to be precise.
Werk could mean facility but then it looks as if 4 houses are involved.
All the best, Nancy

Nancy Schmeing
Canada
Local time: 21:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 328
Grading comment
Thanks to everyone who took a stab at this one. I am not sure why the German was so difficult in this one, as the author has a very German-sounding name (but appearances can be very deceiving). Anyway, I think this answer seems plausible, and will use it and include a note to my customer (in this case an agency) about the ambiguous text.
Thanks again!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
construction plans/drawings + attempt at sentence (below)


Explanation:
Herr X hereby assures that he will increase the number of visits to the site from the current three after having not only scaled back his mode of operation, but also demonstrating flexibility in the process.

In a more informal context, I would say "Herr X assures us," but since this seems to be a legal agreement("Honorvereinbarung") I chose the form above.

I know the first part is long, but I think you need to do something like this to capture the meaning of "Einsatz."


Susan Starling
Local time: 03:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 226
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