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"Stadt der kurzen Wege"

English translation: city of short distances


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Stadt der kurzen Wege
English translation:city of short distances
Entered by: Kim Metzger
Options:
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17:30 Mar 27, 2006
German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Transport / Transportation / Shipping / Urban planning
German term or phrase: "Stadt der kurzen Wege"
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Neben Instrumenten der Verkehrsvermeidung (u.a. Stichwort „Stadt der kurzen Wege“) und der Verlagerung von Verkehr auf umweltschonendere Verkehrsmittel kommt in einem solchen Konzept dem Stand der Technik entsprechenden Maßnahmen zur Begrenzung der Geräuschemissionen besondere Bedeutung zu.
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It is clear to me what this term means, but far from clear how to best render this in English. For a 'standard' term in German (152,000 Google hits no less!) there seems to be very little consistency in the way this is translated. In the first 20 hits on English sites I found:
"short-distance cities" http://corporate.basf.com/en/innovationen/felder/energiemana...
"short route town" http://www.bestpractices.at/main.php?page=vienna/best_practi...
"town of short distances" http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sbe/planbiblios/bibs/sustrav/ref...
"short-trips city" http://wwwistp.murdoch.edu.au/publications/projects/jan/pdf/...
"town of short journeys" http://www.worbis.de/Another pictures.htm

Your votes and/or informed opinion would be greatly appreciated!

TIA, Stephen
Languageman
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:27
city of short distances
Explanation:
e.g.

CITY OF SHORT DISTANCES. To reduce distances traveled everyday to work, shops, school, ... This goal is called in Europe the "City of Short Distances". ...
www.livablecities.org/TrueUrbanism.htm
Selected response from:

JSolis
United States
Local time: 08:27
Grading comment
Thanks all. I'll go with this, based on your votes, and it seems to fit best.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4city of short distances
JSolis
3 +1city/town where everything is close to handxxxCMJ_Trans
3city of proximity
doctor_suz


  

Answers


24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Stadt der kurzen Wege
city of proximity


Explanation:
off the top of my head, but it does get 5 google hits

doctor_suz
Local time: 07:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for the idea, sounds quite good. Unfortunately only two at most of the hits are relevant to this context.

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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Stadt der kurzen Wege
city/town where everything is close to hand


Explanation:
not a conept easy to render in English

Perhaps we would talk more about convenience than distance

xxxCMJ_Trans
Local time: 14:27
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 312

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cilian O'Tuama: "at hand" might be better, or where everything is nearby ("within walking distance" is probably going too far)
4 hrs
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48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
city of short distances


Explanation:
e.g.

CITY OF SHORT DISTANCES. To reduce distances traveled everyday to work, shops, school, ... This goal is called in Europe the "City of Short Distances". ...
www.livablecities.org/TrueUrbanism.htm

JSolis
United States
Local time: 08:27
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks all. I'll go with this, based on your votes, and it seems to fit best.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nesrin: Most of the 220 Google hits seem to be German websites, but I think it works anyway.
25 mins
  -> thank you

agree  Hilary Davies Shelby
3 hrs
  -> thank you

agree  Maurite Fober: has an 'obviously translated' charm. Also as per the cited url, 'liveable city'. This is a standard buzz-wordy way of referring to the aim you describe (eg my own city council bandies it about constantly). It's a viable alternative term.
8 hrs

agree  David Moore
14 hrs
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