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German to English translations [PRO] Bus/Financial - IT (Information Technology) / Flyer for SAP TRM product
German term or phrase:Erfahrungsvorsprung
This the the headline of a paragraph:
Erfahrungsvorsprung
The team of COMPIRICUS has more than two decades of experience in the field of IT products and solutions, not only for the insurance industry insurance. Our customers include leading companies like....
I think the term calls for transcreation. Any ideas out there?
@Andrew After some deliberation, I agree that it is best not to use the first phrase I suggested (also because there's some ambiguity involved). Thus, I am grateful for the discussion board and your feedback (honestly!).
@Sabine It actually would have been more helpful to describe where the word is used. To explain the circumstances to the others (found the direct reference, as Sabine apparently forgot to remove the company name from her question before posting it):
It's the heading of a list item. The sentence above the list reads: "Mit Einsatz unserer [...] können Sie entscheidende Vorteile beim [...] für sich nutzen:"
They used the word as I expected:
1) While it's not a marketing "slogan", Ramey was right in pointing out that it has virtually no meaning whatsoever. The comparison here is simply too vague. It just means reichhaltiger Erfahrungsschatz.
2) Considering the first sentence ("Vorteile...nutzen"), I don't think advantage, etc. makes sense here (repetition).
3) Frankly, the list is poorly structured. Erfahrungsvorsprung has nothing to do with the benefits of the program but with the team involved in its creation. Needs to be separated.
I don't disagree with your objection to the phrase. I'd simply prefer you call it "poorly worded" than "non-native" given the examples I dug up. It's not as if native speakers weren't using the structure at all.
So why did Audi leave this in German? Perhaps some ENS told them that ‘x through y’ means something quite different: per ardua ad astra = through adversity to the stars (i.e. what lies beyond). My usual solution for this most Germanic of constructions is ‘y for x’, e.g. Technology for progress. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_ardua_ad_astra
I just posted my comments below because I don't quite understand why
A) The answers all focus on nouns. At least in my experience, a lot of situations may require that you turn the nouns into verbs and vice versa. B) I haven't seen any answer accounting for the fact that "Erfahrungsvorsprung" is a basic concept and a very loosely defined one, too.
And I realize I should have posted the original, German, text of the paragraph: Das Team von xxx verfügt über Erfahrungen von mehr als zwei Jahrzehnten im Bereich IT Lösungen und Produkte nicht nur für die Versicherungsbranche. Zu unseren Kunden zählen namhafte Unternehmen wie....
Of course I know what Erfahrungsvorsprung means in German. And I do love my compound nouns. However, they usually ask the translator for some creativity in dealing with them. Also, remember translation is an art not a science, nor is it math. There is no absolute truth. :)
If I'm suggesting something in English I may attract comments about "non-native" instead of, say, "not well put"; if I'm trying to explain something in German, my comment almost ends up getting drowned in other comments ignoring the special structure used.
I don't know whether Andrew simply responded with "non-native structure" because of the wrong link I posted (yes, that was a simple mistake).
Just to get you a few more examples: "Leading through experience
Our Lung Center is one of the few hospitals in the United States which has extensive experience in performing and analyzing CT screens for lung cancer, because the hospital has participated for six years as part of a national clinical study [...]" http://www.stagnes.org/index.php/our-specialties/cancer-inst...
It's an American hospital. There is also a UK company which uses "leading through experience" as its slogan (and it's full of native speakers): http://www.quest-flight-training.co.uk/index.asp
Was about to post an answer (actually, I wanted to post more of a reference entry on the German word and an explanation), then everything went blank. That's why I shortened it and just posted something here.
Also, this time the reference list looks bleak and Andrew already said he doesn't like it (through as because of). That is exactly why I only posted it here - to discuss it (the space here is still called "discussion" I hope).
To your "rarely suggest an answer outside", Ramey:
1) I posted the reference for "Ursaft", agreed with your answer, and only used the discussion box to ask about adding a word to yours. 2) I posted the reference for "Selektenschule", agreed with Andrew's answer (albeit too late unfortunately), and did not say anything in the discussion box. 3) I did use the discussion box for "so sehr...so sehr" but only to explain the German term and to later ask about some changes to the sentence structure.
I used the discussion box once more today to post some information about "reimbursable project" but nothing that amounts to an answer.
As far as I remember, this is only the second time I've used this box here to post something resembling an answer.
Will delete comment because distracts from actual answer too much.
Simply said something because you almost gave me a heart attack with your statement which sounded so exclusive ("means" -> only means) and I thought I had forgotten about some rule but I did not.
Also said I prefer "such as" (at least in BrE). It's just not wrong and it wouldn't be ambiguous here either (saying "like" and then including a whole list of customers just to describe how similar they are to your own would be a bit over the top.)
Very refreshing explanation of your answer by the way!
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
@Björn
11:40 Aug 22, 2014
Your argumentation and references are truly remarkable, but I notice you rarely suggest an answer outside of the discussion box. To reap the appropriate and due recognition for your efforts, post your suggestions as answers. Of course, this is risky business, as colleagues may or may not agree with your suggestions and/or references, but that is the name of the kudoz game!
Wanted to elaborate but my text disappeared on me...
In short: There is no need for transcreation.
1) Erfahrungsvorsprung is a normal German term, as in Erfahrungsvorsprung der Älteren gegenüber den Jüngeren. You can even find it in legal documents in this sense. 2) In business, it simply means (reichhaltiger) Erfahrungsschatz / führend im Bereich... 3) Not sure what sets it apart from phrases such as "leaders in the field" - I think that'll suffice.
Both plain and simple, no "advantage" or something else needed. Second solution may be preferable because "experience" appears again in your first sentence.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
11 mins confidence:
front-runners in experience
Explanation: This exact phrase produces zero hits on Google and cannot therefore be faulted on originality.
BTW: "leading companies like..." means similar to but not including. I think you mean "leading companies such as..."
Lancashireman United Kingdom Local time: 13:47 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 103
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Andrew! Of course you are correct about the "such as". I have been in the US for too long. ;-)
Explanation: This sounds like it should be a Marketing slogan.
Ramey Rieger (X) Germany Local time: 14:47 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 18
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Ramey! Yes, it is sort of a slogan. This might not quite be in line with the other headers, which of course give people a better idea. Perhaps I can put them up there. Little time though, working under deadline.
