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Apr 26, 2010 08:26
14 yrs ago
7 viewers *
English term

bi-yearly

English Law/Patents Engineering: Industrial Clause in maintenance contract
W have a following clause in an industrial installation maintenance contract.

"Supplier consultants will also carry out scheduled preventative maintenance on-site. This will take place for a half day bi-yearly."

Seems trivial, but I want to be abolutely sure of the intervals at which such maintenance is to be carried out.
Responses
4 +8 could be either
4 +4 every two years
4 -1 every six months
References
ambiguous
biyearly
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (2): English2Korean, Lingua.Franca

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Discussion

Jenni Lukac (X) Apr 27, 2010:
Petrolhead, I really sympathize with your situation. Is it absolutely certain that no exception can be made if a correct and faithful translation depends upon it? I would try to explain the situation and ask for an exception. The difference between 6 months and two years is significant. Even if the six-month interpretation is "rare", it's worth trying to confer with the people who wrote and presented the document. Good luck!
Lingua.Franca Apr 27, 2010:
petrolhead The answer is that there is no answer :) Oxford tells you that it's ambiguous, so this is not a question you can have answered by ProZ or by the dictionary, you have to consult the client.

If you picked either of the two solutions, you took a 50/50 chance.
petrolhead (asker) Apr 27, 2010:
Lingua.Franca First, you tell me to consult OED pointing out that the OED definition contains the answer that would have made the question unnecessary. Then you repeat that it could be either .. or... and, finally, you tell me to consult the client saying that one CANNOT be absolutely sure!!
Ah, yes, and you also distribute negative feedback freely. What are you trying to tell us in the end??
Unfortunately, I am unable to ask the client because the deadline for asking questions (tender!!!) has expired!
Lingua.Franca Apr 26, 2010:
biyearly Just look at the Oxford dictionary definition, it contains the answer (and could and would have made this question unnecessary).

biyearly = (adjective & adverb) appearing or occurring every two years or twice a year.

So you cannot be absolutely sure. Ask the client!!!!!!!!!

Responses

+8
45 mins
Selected

could be either

According to definitions on the Web, it could be either. According to "your dictionary", it is usualy every two years, the other meaning is rarer. Far better if they had used biannual or biennial, not confussion there.

biyearly - definition of biyearly by the Free Online Dictionary ...
Happening every two years. See Usage Note at bi-1. 2. Happening twice a year; semiyearly. adv. 1. Every two years. 2. Twice a year; semiyearly. ...
www.thefreedictionary.com/biyearly

biyearly - Definition of biyearly at YourDictionary.com
adjective, adverb. once every two years; biennial(ly); Now Rare twice a year: in this sense, semiyearly, semiannual(ly), or biannual(ly) is preferred ...
www.yourdictionary.com/biyearly

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Note added at 57 mins (2010-04-26 09:23:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Not confussion? Sorry, looks as if there is. Should read "No confusion".
Note from asker:
Actually, it turns out to be "twice a year" in this case, but I could strangle the person who drew up the specification for having used such ambiguous terms.
Peer comment(s):
agree Cilian O'Tuama : best to ask client how they mean it
7 mins
Thank you. Yes.
agree Marek Daroszewski (MrMarDar) : while linguistically it could be either, extralinguistic knowledge and experience tells us that preventive maintenance takes place twice a year during the warranty period
27 mins
Thank you. Yes, you're right, but it's still ambiguous.
agree Rolf Keiser : with Cilian
1 hr
Тhank you. So do I.
agree Lingua.Franca : Check with client to be sure. Even if there is an official definition, the client may have a different idea.
2 hrs
Thank you. Yes.
agree British Diana : with Marek
3 hrs
Thank you.
agree Joyce A : Yes, have to check with client. This word always bugs me. :-)
3 hrs
Thank you. Yes.
neutral jerzy cieslik77 : Jack, the answer isnt the answer to the question
3 hrs
It's an answer as to whether he can be absolutely sure what is meant from the text alone. He can't.
agree Veronika McLaren
4 hrs
Thank you.
agree Polangmar
17 hrs
Thank you.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+4
3 mins

every two years

That's it.
Note from asker:
Thank you for your contribution. Actually, it turns out to be "twice a year" in this case but one would never know on the basisi of the text alone.
Peer comment(s):
agree English2Korean
18 mins
Thanks very much. Of course, when there is a doubt, one should always confer con the client.
neutral Cilian O'Tuama : how can you be so sure it's not twice yearly? Some sources say biyearly = biannual, as opposed to biennial
19 mins
Of course, when there is a doubt, one should always confer con the client.
agree jerzy cieslik77 : yes
4 hrs
Thanks Jerzy. Of course, when there is a doubt, one should always confer con the client.
agree Ildiko Santana : The 'twice a year' meaning is very rare, but if the asker is not 100% that 'bi-yearly' means every two years, he should confirm with the client, not with ProZ teammates. :)
5 hrs
Good afternoon and thanks, ildiko.
agree Jack Dunwell : Jenni! I have never come across "every 2 years" in any field (however possible)(Pamplona translators' festival in June)
10 hrs
Good evening and thanks, Jack. Fill me in about Pamplona!
disagree Lingua.Franca : Sorry but even just looking at the differences in ProZ members' answers it is clear that there is a doubt and that the client must be contacted.
14 hrs
As per the above discussion entry this seems to be difficult, so the translator is definitely in a bind.
agree Gary D : for half a day every two years.. same as bi-monthly = every two months.. there are a lot of structures which have bi-yearly inspections including all power poles. common term in contracts.Bi-annual usually referrers to business meetings and legal fields.
16 hrs
Good mornig and thanks, Gary. I'm afraid that this translation has a big dilemma.
Something went wrong...
-1
10 hrs

every six months

Logical. Nothing else fits IMHO
Peer comment(s):
disagree Lingua.Franca : This is not a question of logic. This is a question of defining the term, which could be either every six months or every two years.
3 hrs
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

56 mins
Reference:

ambiguous

bimonthly, biweekly and similar designations are almost always ambiguous. It is fr better to say "every two months", "twice a month", etc.
Bill Bryson, "Troublesome words"
bimonthly avoid bimonthly and similar expressions such as biweekly as ambiguous, prefer alternative expressions such as "every two months" and "twice a month"
New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree Jack Doughty
26 mins
Thank you :)
agree Lingua.Franca
2 hrs
Thank you :)
agree Tina Vonhof (X) : Absolutely.
11 hrs
Thank you :)
agree humbird : You said that again!
16 hrs
Thank you :)
Something went wrong...
4 hrs
Reference:

biyearly

lets take a technlogical approach - linguistics isnt enough
Prevetive maintenance is something special performed aside of "regular" maintenance/service. To do it twice a year would be to costly and time consuming. Please find how ofte are regular maintenacec perforemed for this equipement/ system/installation whatever it is. Ig e.g 2 a year then that "preventive" one also 2 a year would be nonsensical.
Engineer not a linguist - in such cases rationalise your thinking tenchnlogically

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Note added at 4 hrs (2010-04-26 12:50:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

it could be as well the adjective "preventive" is superfluous - Korea hop - remember this dance during Korean war?
Its simply could be a "maintenace - Wartung in German - and MrMarDar is right
Note from asker:
Thank you for your contribution.
Peer comments on this reference comment:
neutral Marek Daroszewski (MrMarDar) : 2 x 1/2 days a year = 1 days work = negligible cost given the cost of an industrial installation
1 hr
dont ye forget the cost of production loss
disagree Lingua.Franca : Wrong approach.
9 hrs
what is wrong? logic is wrong? do you turn off thinking?
Something went wrong...
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