cirkelpassare

English translation: pair of compasses

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Swedish term or phrase:	cirkelpassare
English translation:	pair of compasses
Entered by:	Helen Johnson

21:44 Dec 3, 2007

Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Science - Science (general) / vacuum technology

Swedish term or phrase: cirkelpassare

Deras första produkt var en cirkelpassare, därav namnet Pi (3,14) AB.
Advice appreciated.

Helen Johnson KudoZ activity Questions: 1946 (4 open) (22 without valid answers) (125 closed without grading) Answers: 460 United Kingdom
Local time: 13:03

pair of compasses

Explanation:
This should work.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-12-04 02:23:35 GMT)
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http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pair_of_compasses

Selected response from:

Hanne Rask Sonderborg
Denmark
Local time: 14:03

Grading comment

Thanks, Hanne!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +5

pair of compasses

Hanne Rask Sonderborg

3 +1

dividers

Don Spade (X)

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

34 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

dividers

Explanation:
I think this is the same as "passare" - see URL. Not absolutely certain!

Reference: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dividers

Don Spade (X)
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

32 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

pair of compasses

The first PIAB product was a pair of compasses that simplified the work of designers and draftsmen. This pair of compasses has given the company its name, Pi (=3.14) AB.

Reference: http://www.piab.com/upload/GB/Documents/Products/Special/011...

Hanne Rask Sonderborg
Denmark
Local time: 14:03
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of:

Danish
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thanks, Hanne!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Sven Petersson

2 mins

-> Thank you Sven!

agree

Hugh Curtis: you guys are right, sorry.

3 hrs

-> Sorry, but you would never ever say "one compass" in English. The tool has too legs, therefore "a pair" or "a set". Look it up in any English dictionary!

agree

Larry Abramson: In the US, at least, it's just called a compass. Scissors, on the other hand, are "a pair"

3 hrs

-> "a compass" is a navigating tool, which is an entirely different tool. A "pair of compasses" is one tool and it is correct in this context.

agree

George Hopkins: Pair of compasses or simply, compass. Both are correct.

9 hrs

-> Yes, I should never say never! However, using the plural does avoid any chance of misunderstanding. Thank you George!

agree

Don Spade (X): See PIAB's English website (http://www.piab.com/Templates/Page.aspx?id=5790, click on the instrument shown over the year 1951). Also to be found on their Swedish sites, and this is a pair of compasses (one foot has a pencil lead) rather than dividers.

11 hrs

-> Thank you Don!

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English translation: pair of compasses

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