harm causing injuries

20:49 Oct 7, 2013

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Medical - Medical: Instruments

English term or phrase: harm causing injuries

"Hazard which leads to harm that can cause injuries or death."

Does harm cause injuries or does harm involve injuries? Is the above phrase logically correct?

I was asked to proofread an instructions manual and the translator decided to translate the above phrase simply with "Hazard that can cause bodily harm or death" (my back-translation). I understand his/her decision, though I know that the source phrase could have been translated in Romanian precisely as it is phrased in English. I think that the translator felt that there is a logical error in saying that "harm causes injury", which I can agree with to some extent. However, because I feel that the translator should have preserved the source text phrasing/wording -- that's what I would have done in the first place -- I decided to ask for additional opinions on this just to make sure.

Is it logically correct to say that "harm causes injury". Why didn't the English writer simply say: "Hazard which leads to injuries or death"?

Daniel Grigoras
Romania

Discussion entries: 8

Daniel Grigoras

Romania

ASKER

sorry for the delay in answering your questions

14:36 Oct 8, 2013

It's not exactly a proofreading job. There a number of new segments and I have received a translation memory. So I have to translate new segments and update or improve the translation of others.

As regards the word "harm", I always thought that it refers to a negative effect on an organism, as opposed to damage that would mainly refer to a negative effect on an object.

B D Finch

France

@Tina

13:38 Oct 8, 2013

That is a good explanation. A hazard is a risk, not a certainty. However, the source text is very poorly phrased and it might be better as e.g. Hazard resulting in damage that can cause injury or death. "Harm" is very general and can be physical harm to persons or objects, or emotional, financial or mental harm to persons. It does seem that the writer of the source text means "damage" (to objects), rather than "harm" but it is also possible that there was a degree of confusion about what they meant.

Re the Asker's question "Does harm cause injuries or does harm involve injuries?", injuries and death are both harm. Lightning may strike a tree that falls on and kills a person. Both the tree and the person suffered harm.

SafeTex

France

@DDG

07:57 Oct 8, 2013

Hello

Firstly, what you are asking us to help on is NOT proofreading at all but post editing or even more.

That said, I feel that the translator has done a good job as he has avoided a sentence in English that would make no sense at all.

David Moore (X)

As another ENS,

07:12 Oct 8, 2013

I totally agree with Cilian.

Cilian O'Tuama

Germany

IMO, the (back-)translation

22:33 Oct 7, 2013

is better than the (very strange) source text. I doubt the author is an ENS.

Tina Vonhof (X)

Canada

P.S.

22:16 Oct 7, 2013

I was thinking of road accidents of course but it is also true for many other accidents, where there may be damage but not necessarily injuries.

Tina Vonhof (X)

Canada

22:06 Oct 7, 2013

Hazard don't always lead to accidents and it is accidents that may cause injuries or death but could also cause harm (damage) to your car. 'Harm involving injuries or death' would be better i.m.o.

Michal Berski

Poland

20:56 Oct 7, 2013

I believe the sentence implies that not every harm leads to an injury

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