Pages in topic:   [1 2] >
Wording and pronunciation of '(', '[' and '{'
Thread poster: Mats Wiman
Mats Wiman
Mats Wiman  Identity Verified
Sweden
Local time: 15:03
Member (2000)
German to Swedish
+ ...
In memoriam
Feb 10, 2010

If you have to tell someone how to spell these signs, you often land in difficulties.

AFAIK, in English it's 'bracket', 'square bracket' and '......' (what)

Please tell us your versions!

Mats


 
Grayson Morr (X)
Grayson Morr (X)  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 15:03
Dutch to English
American usage Feb 10, 2010

I call these "(left) parenthesis," "bracket," and "curly bracket." In list form:

() parentheses
[] brackets (or square brackets when needing to distinguish from....)
{} curly brackets
angle brackets


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 15:03
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
{ is a curly bracket in English and Tuborg in Danish Feb 10, 2010

{ is called a curly bracket in general conversation AFAIK.

In Danish it is known as a Tuborg, because it reminds people of the crown cap on top of a beer bottle!

Tuborg parentes, if necessary.
I am not sure what the official names are!


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 15:03
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
ZA Feb 10, 2010

Mats Wiman wrote:
AFAIK, in English it's 'bracket', 'square bracket' and '......' (what)


Afrikaans: hakie (literally little hook)
ZA English: bracket

The word "parenthesis" is not unknown in ZA but it is very uncommon and there is a definite risk of misunderstanding if you use it.

For the different shapes:

Afrikaans:
[ ] = blokhakie (block hook), vierkanthakie (square hook)
{ } = krulhakie (curl hook)
< > = skerp hakie (sharp hook), kleiner-as OR groter-as (less than OR greater than)
( ) = ronde hakie (round hook)
« » = klein dubbelhakie (small double hook)

ZA English:
[ ] = square bracket
{ } = curly bracket
< > = sharp bracket, greater-than OR less-than
( ) = round bracket
« » = small double bracket (the use of these signs for quotes is so uncommon in ZA that it would more likely be described as a type of bracket and not as a type of quote character)


 
Maria Castro
Maria Castro  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:03
Member (2008)
English to Portuguese
+ ...

MODERATOR
SITE LOCALIZER
Portuguese Feb 10, 2010

() - parênteses (curvo)
[] - parênteses recto
{ - chaveta


 
Susanna Martoni
Susanna Martoni  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 15:03
Member (2009)
Spanish to Italian
+ ...
Italy Feb 10, 2010

() parentesi (parentesi tonde)
[] parentesi quadre
{} parentesi graffe
parentesi uncinate


 
Armorel Young
Armorel Young  Identity Verified
Local time: 14:03
German to English
UK usage Feb 10, 2010

I refer to "The Oxford Style Manual", which says:-

"Correctly, the round brackets () are parentheses; [] are square brackets to the British, though often simply called brackets in US use; {} are braces or curly brackets; and are angle brackets."


 
jacana54 (X)
jacana54 (X)  Identity Verified
Uruguay
English to Spanish
+ ...
Spanish Feb 10, 2010

According to the Real Academia Española:

( paréntesis
[ corchete
{ llaves



 
P Forgas
P Forgas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 10:03
Portuguese to Spanish
+ ...
Spanish Feb 10, 2010

Lucia Colombino wrote:

According to the Real Academia Española:

( paréntesis
[ corchete
{ llaves



antilambdas
«» comillas latinas

P.


 
Monique van Prehn
Monique van Prehn  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:03
English to Dutch
+ ...
in Dutch Feb 10, 2010

() - haakjes
[] - vierkante haken
{} accolades
< - kleiner dan
> - groter dan


 
Hildegard Klein-Bodenheimer (X)
Hildegard Klein-Bodenheimer (X)  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 15:03
English to German
+ ...
auf Deutsch Feb 10, 2010

() - Klammern oder runde Klammern
[] - eckige Klammern
{} - geschweifte oder geschwungene Klammern (Akkoladen)
< > - Verhältniszeichen (kleiner als, größer als)


 
Nevenchi
Nevenchi
Local time: 15:03
English to Croatian
+ ...
in Croatian: Feb 10, 2010

() -> (okrugle) zagrade;
[] -> uglate zagrade;
{} -> vitičaste zagrade;
-> trokutaste zagrade, ili manje/veće od

[Edited at 2010-02-10 14:23 GMT]


 
Paul Dixon
Paul Dixon  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 10:03
Portuguese to English
+ ...
In Portuguese Feb 10, 2010

In Portuguese (Brazilian):

( ) parênteses

[] colchetes

{} chaves

I don't know about except in their mathematical usage: < (menor que = less than) or > (maior que = greater than).


 
kawthar Omar
kawthar Omar
Saudi Arabia
Local time: 16:03
English to Arabic
In Arabic Feb 10, 2010

القوسان أو الهلالان ( )
brackets or (two) crescents.

المعقوفان [ ]
hooked brackets.

الحاصرتان { }
restricting brackets.

الشارتان < >


 
Neil Coffey
Neil Coffey  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:03
French to English
+ ...
braces Feb 11, 2010

Grayson Morris wrote:

I call these "(left) parenthesis," "bracket," and "curly bracket." In list form:

() parentheses
[] brackets (or square brackets when needing to distinguish from....)
{} curly brackets
angle brackets


In computer speak at least, the curly brackets are also often called "braces".

Usually if you say "brackets", people will assume you mean () unless you specify otherwise (and if you do need to specify, then yes, parenthesis is generally unambiguous in meaning the () variety).

I also got into an argument a few weeks ago with another computer programmer who said that they don't use "brackets" to refer to (). From my experience, I disagree-- for many people "brackets" can refer to either parentheses or braces, and in some contexts possible square brackets-- but it was interesting to note the other point of view.


 
Pages in topic:   [1 2] >


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Nawal Kramer[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Wording and pronunciation of '(', '[' and '{'






Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »
CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »