Motorwagen und Hänger (vs Sattelzugmaschine und -Auflieger)
English translation: truck and trailer vs artic truck and trailer
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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:
Motorwagen und Hänger (vs Sattelzugmaschine und -Auflieger)
German to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Transport / Transportation / Shipping
German term or phrase:Motorwagen und Hänger (vs Sattelzugmaschine und -Auflieger)
Hello all,
This is from logistics software documentation. The user must specify the vehicle type, whether "Motorwagen, Hänger, Sattelzugmaschine oder -auflieger".
I believe that the Sattelzugmaschine and -auflieger are the truck and trailer of an articulated lorry (UK English). But what are the Motorwagen and Haenger? (I'm assuming they are two parts of the same vehicle, but I don't know much about HGVs!)
Explanation: Known colloquially to BAOR soldiers as a "woofer" - because our 4-ton Bedfords had no chance at all of keeping up with them - and they used to come flying past us like the wind! They never really caught on in GB like artics did, their popularity with German hauliers apparently lying in their flexibility - easier loading, the trailer can be disconnected etc.
The confusion may be coming from "Auflieger". If I`m not mistaken, this is the special type of trailer used for transporting containers. Drop the container into the retainers and away you go - whereas with standard truck & trailer or articulated truck & trailer goods usually have to be loaded and unloaded manually. Take a look at this page: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sattelzug
I jst got this back from the client - they confirmed truck and trailer vs artic truck and trailer. I think Frosty was closest - many thanks guys! 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Not really! The Hänger and Auflieger aren`t motorised, they must be pulled. Due to differing designs, a trailer with towbar can`t be pulled by an artic tractor unit, and an artic trailer can`t be pulled by a "normal" truck. So you have three choices:
Hello all, thanks for the suggestions and explanations! I just wanted to ask - if I'm already translating "Sattelzugmaschine und -Anhaenger" as "truck and trailer", what do I do with the "Motorwagen und Anhaenger"? I need to put down 4 terms... Thanks a lot!
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Answers
40 mins confidence:
Motorwagen und Haenger (vs Sattelzugmaschine und -Auflieger)
Truck and drag; tractor and (semi-)trailer OR articulated lorry
Explanation: The first is the term used in the UK by hauliers for the loory of about 6-7 metres in length hauling a trailer a little smaller, but usually close-coupled. The second term is for the commoner unit, AKA a "rig", which is up to about 16 metres in length overall. The semi-trailer can only be hauled by a tractor unit; when it rests on a plate between the rear axles of the tractor unit.
The expression "articulated lorry" is generally used, if at all. for rigs, but not usually by people in the trade - they would satisfy themselves with "artic.".
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 43 mins (2006-03-14 15:07:25 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
BTW, "Motorwagen + (An)Hänger" is more commonly known here as a "Lastzug". It has its equivalent in Australia and the USA too, but I think they are a lot closer to your and my idea of a train, with more, and longer, trailers.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 52 mins (2006-03-14 15:17:02 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
You might even call it a "lorry" in line 1....
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 22 hrs (2006-03-15 13:02:34 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
My way out is to call the first one a "tractor/trailer" or "tractor/semi-trailer" unit; the TRUCK normally carries a payload, whereas the tractor unit doesn't...
David Moore Local time: 14:27 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 705
Motorwagen und Haenger (vs Sattelzugmaschine und -Auflieger)
truck/lorry and trailer
Explanation: Known colloquially to BAOR soldiers as a "woofer" - because our 4-ton Bedfords had no chance at all of keeping up with them - and they used to come flying past us like the wind! They never really caught on in GB like artics did, their popularity with German hauliers apparently lying in their flexibility - easier loading, the trailer can be disconnected etc.
The confusion may be coming from "Auflieger". If I`m not mistaken, this is the special type of trailer used for transporting containers. Drop the container into the retainers and away you go - whereas with standard truck & trailer or articulated truck & trailer goods usually have to be loaded and unloaded manually. Take a look at this page: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sattelzug
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
