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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

Postbus

English translation: PO Box

12:02 Mar 4, 2019
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Dutch term or phrase: Postbus
Dear colleagues,

Do you normally translate the Dutch 'Postbus' (in a Dutch address) into 'PO Box'?
It seems logical to leave it untranslated if it is a Dutch address.

Thanks in advance,
Frank
Frank Brakenhoff
Local time: 14:47
English translation:PO Box
Explanation:
I think both are possible, but does an English speaking person understand the word "Postbus"? So, to be on the safe side I would translate it.

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Note added at 1 day 3 hrs (2019-03-05 15:32:41 GMT)
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@Frank

Als eerder vermeld, er zijn hier meerdere mogelijkheden, maar voor de consistentie zou ik alle "postbussen" vertalen. Niet gaan knoeien met aanhalingstekens of haakjes.
Selected response from:

Robert Rietvelt
Local time: 14:47
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +6PO Box
Robert Rietvelt
4 +1Postbus
philgoddard


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Postbus


Explanation:
I don't think you should translate addresses unless they're written in non-European scripts.

You wouldn't translate Champs-Elysées as Elysian Fields, or Unter den Linden as Under the Limes.

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 36
Notes to answerer
Asker: You do have a point. Now I'm in doubt again...Maybe do what is most common. I seem to see more translations where 'Postbus' is translated than texts where it's left Dutch.

Asker: Thanks Barend and the others!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Barend van Zadelhoff: Ik neem aan dat het gaat om de adresgegevens voor respons.
1 hr
neutral  Tina Vonhof (X): Not translating Postbus is an option but it's not the same as a street name.
2 hrs
  -> I think it is!
neutral  writeaway: agree with Tina. Translating it makes it clearer for anyone not familiar with Dutch. It's definitely not the same as translating street names. Not even remotely
8 hrs
neutral  Richard Purdom: But you wouldn't arrange to meet someone at Brandenburger Tor in Berlin or Canal Grande in Venice either.
22 hrs
  -> I'm not talking about meeting places, I'm saying that the address is for the benefit of the postal service.
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
postbus
PO Box


Explanation:
I think both are possible, but does an English speaking person understand the word "Postbus"? So, to be on the safe side I would translate it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 3 hrs (2019-03-05 15:32:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

@Frank

Als eerder vermeld, er zijn hier meerdere mogelijkheden, maar voor de consistentie zou ik alle "postbussen" vertalen. Niet gaan knoeien met aanhalingstekens of haakjes.

Robert Rietvelt
Local time: 14:47
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Robert, also to Henk, Marijke and Textpertise. I've decided to translate it, in case English speakers might be confused bij 'Postbus'.

Asker: Yes, opinions are clearly divided. I tend to agree with Richard Purdom's last point. So what do you think of translating it between brackets the first time it appears and leave it untranslated if it appears a second or a third time?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Henk Sanderson
1 min
  -> Bedankt
agree  Marijke Singer
3 mins
  -> Bedankt
agree  Textpertise: I always translate it as P.O. Box or P.O.B.
5 mins
  -> Bedankt
neutral  philgoddard: I don't think it's important that English-speaking readers be able to understand every word of an address. It's not them who will be delivering the letters :-)
1 hr
  -> I said both are possible, but I would translate it.
agree  Tina Vonhof (X)
4 hrs
  -> Bedankt
agree  writeaway: I don't understand why this is an issue but translating makes it clear to any English speaker who doesn't know Dutch.
10 hrs
  -> Bedankt
agree  Richard Purdom: It is important that everyone knows it's a PO Box
23 hrs
  -> Bedankt
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