Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Dutch term or phrase:
bèta
English translation:
techie; geek; technically minded person; math(s) and science graduate
Added to glossary by
Michael Beijer
Feb 12, 2018 22:59
6 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Dutch term
bèta
Dutch to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
my context:
"De softwareontwikkelaars in Silicon Valley zijn meestal jonge mannelijke bètas."
I know what the author means but can't think of anything clever. Oh yeah, am also tired. Anyone?
"De softwareontwikkelaars in Silicon Valley zijn meestal jonge mannelijke bètas."
I know what the author means but can't think of anything clever. Oh yeah, am also tired. Anyone?
Proposed translations
(English)
4 +1 | techie | Richard Purdom |
3 +2 | math(s) and science graduates | philgoddard |
References
Van Dale | Kitty Brussaard |
Change log
Feb 14, 2018 21:03: Michael Beijer changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/652138">Michael Beijer's</a> old entry - "bèta"" to ""techie""
Proposed translations
+1
1 day 20 hrs
Selected
techie
That should fit your short sharp and sweet sentence
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Note added at 1 day 20 hrs (2018-02-14 19:33:41 GMT)
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Most Silicon Valley software developers are young male techies, and some haven't seen the light of day since 2011
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Note added at 1 day 20 hrs (2018-02-14 19:33:41 GMT)
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Most Silicon Valley software developers are young male techies, and some haven't seen the light of day since 2011
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks Richard, why didn't I think of that? I prefer it to "geek"."
+2
1 hr
Dutch term (edited):
bètas
math(s) and science graduates
Exacte wetenschappen zijn de takken van wetenschap die gebaseerd zijn op natuurwetten en theorieën die gekenmerkt worden door wiskundige modellering, formele logica en (met uitzondering van de wiskunde) experimentele toetsing (de wetenschappelijke methode). Ze worden, voornamelijk in Vlaanderen, soms ook aangeduid als positieve wetenschappen, in Nederland ook als ***bètawetenschappen***.
The exact sciences, sometimes called the exact mathematical sciences, are those sciences which admit of absolute precision in their results; especially the mathematical sciences. Examples of the exact sciences are mathematics, optics, astronomy, and physics,
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Note added at 1 hr (2018-02-13 00:46:00 GMT)
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You obviously wouldn't say "exact sciences", because most people wouldn't immediately know what this means. But I think "maths and science" is a good approximation.
The exact sciences, sometimes called the exact mathematical sciences, are those sciences which admit of absolute precision in their results; especially the mathematical sciences. Examples of the exact sciences are mathematics, optics, astronomy, and physics,
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Note added at 1 hr (2018-02-13 00:46:00 GMT)
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You obviously wouldn't say "exact sciences", because most people wouldn't immediately know what this means. But I think "maths and science" is a good approximation.
Note from asker:
Thanks Phil. although technically correct, I don't think this will work in my text as they are merely using the term to denote the type of person, rather than use such a specific, although technically correct, term. I think the author means more something along the lines of: geek, nerd, technically inclined person, right-brained person (or left-brained; I can never remember which is supposed to mean which; I think the myth is that the left brain is allegedly the more creative side and the right brain more analytical), etc. |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Barend van Zadelhoff
: They are talking about 'US bètas'. I was thinking of STEM grads, though refers to jobs in Silicon Valley in general https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathryndill/2016/05/03/the-best...
1 day 17 hrs
|
Yes, that would work perfectly. Thanks!
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agree |
Kitty Brussaard
: Your answer is definitely correct in itself and therefore also deserves an agree. I'm happy to see that Michael also decided to include this option in the glossary entry :-).
1 day 21 hrs
|
Thanks.
|
Reference comments
1 day 19 hrs
Reference:
Van Dale
bèta
zelfstandig naamwoord • de ] • bèta’s
(...)
3
als aanduiding van de richting binnen het havo en vwo (m.n. gymnasium) die zich bezighoudt met de exacte vakken
•
gymnasium bèta
4
metonymisch leerling van een bèta-afdeling of student van een studie die binnen de bètawetenschappen valt
5
metonymisch iem. met (uitgesproken) aanleg voor of affiniteit met exacte wetenschappen
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Note added at 1 day 21 hrs (2018-02-14 20:23:13 GMT) Post-grading
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@Michael: I also have a feeling that it's most probably the latter of the two metonymical meanings that applies here and, if it does, Richard's 'techies' seems to fit the bill. Anyway, having the entire text in front of you, I'd say you're in the best position to make this call.
zelfstandig naamwoord • de ] • bèta’s
(...)
3
als aanduiding van de richting binnen het havo en vwo (m.n. gymnasium) die zich bezighoudt met de exacte vakken
•
gymnasium bèta
4
metonymisch leerling van een bèta-afdeling of student van een studie die binnen de bètawetenschappen valt
5
metonymisch iem. met (uitgesproken) aanleg voor of affiniteit met exacte wetenschappen
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Note added at 1 day 21 hrs (2018-02-14 20:23:13 GMT) Post-grading
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@Michael: I also have a feeling that it's most probably the latter of the two metonymical meanings that applies here and, if it does, Richard's 'techies' seems to fit the bill. Anyway, having the entire text in front of you, I'd say you're in the best position to make this call.
Note from asker:
Bedankt Kitty, eindelijk iemand die me begrijpt. het is inderdaad metonymisch gebruikt. |
some relevant synonyms I just found in Oxforddictionaries.com: egghead, brains, Einstein, whizz, wizard, alpha geek, brainbox, clever clogs, maven, rocket scientist, brainiac, etc. |
Discussion
Which on a pedantic note brings me to your answer: they are maths OR science graduates, not maths AND science graduates.
"Techies" is also slang, which may be inappropriate.
I still feel your questions are different to other people's. Most people post because they don't understand a word or phrase, but you've already made up your mind.
It may well be possible in this instance an option like Phil's was required (certainly the sentence suggests so), while in other cases an informal option.
metonymisch leerling van een bèta-afdeling of student van een studie die binnen de bètawetenschappen valt
2) your sentence suggests otherwise
3) you did not indicate it should be informal
4) unlike usually, very quick closure of question
Although I indeed had an idea how I could solve it, I most definitely hadn't already decided on an answer beforehand, and wasn't just asking it for my own amusement. If I tell people what I already thought of, you get pissed; if I don't, writeaway gets snarky. Can't win really.
A "bèta" does usually mean something long the lines of math(s) and science graduates, but it is being used loosely in my text, as shorthand for technically minded people. See also Kitty's 5th Van Dale ref. "bèta: metonymisch iem. met (uitgesproken) aanleg voor of affiniteit met exacte wetenschappen" (which shows that there is nothing incorrect about translating "bèta" as "geek").
Dutch has perfectly good words for many things, but for whatever reason, the author chose to use "bèta" instead of something like "computergek" or "computerfreak".
This sentence does not suggest this:
"De softwareontwikkelaars in Silicon Valley zijn meestal jonge mannelijke bètas."
Seems to be used in a neutral, matter-of-fact sense, concerning people with a certain type of education.
Also, they are talking about US employees, which means they are talking about 'bèta's' in the US sense, which means 'bèta's' needs to be localized.
It looks like I was wrong to do so.
"Bètas" does not mean "geeks" as far as I'm aware, and it would be incorrect to translate it that way. Dutch has a perfectly good word for geek, and it's the same as the English.