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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Zweckverband

English translation:

special-purpose association

Added to glossary by Yvonne Becker
Mar 3, 2011 20:28
13 yrs ago
10 viewers *
German term

Zweckverband

German to English Other Education / Pedagogy
I am translating a letter certifying that a person completed her studies at a Meisterschule für Friseure:

The institution issuing this letter is:

"Meisterschulen in Handwerkerhof. Meisterschulen des **Zweckverbandes** der Landeshaupstadt München und der Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern."

How do you translate "Zweckverband"? Is "Administrative Union" correct?

Thank you very much in advance
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 special purpose association
3 +1 consortium
3 [under the] local education authority [of]
References
Ad hoc
Change log

Mar 4, 2011 21:40: Yvonne Becker changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/97116">Yvonne Becker's</a> old entry - "Zweckverband"" to ""special purpose association""

Discussion

Horst Huber (X) Mar 4, 2011:
Consortium would be perfect (especially in terms of US usage) IF the German administrators were using this approach for schools predominantly.
Not only your example shows that German cities have "Zweckverbände" (not to forget the term "Verbund") for all sorts of activities; it seems to set up cooperative ventures among otherwise unrelated jurisdictions not necessarily functioning within a hierarchical structure. I was saying that "association" suggests the long term perspective; "Verband" may actually be stronger in this regard?
Inna Edsall Mar 4, 2011:
But the way I see it, Zweckverband refers to Association/Organization of der Hauptstadt ...., not Meiterschulen.
By the way, there was another discussion on Proz regarding the term in questions. http://www.proz.com/kudoz/german_to_english/environment_ecol...
Joint local authorities was the answer chosen (in the context of that question).
Inna Edsall Mar 4, 2011:
Now, re-reading your answer, I think that you and I are also looking at different parts of the sentence. I was really focusing on Zweckverband der Hauptstadt.... , where as you are thinking of translation starting with Mesiterschule, which makes sense. Am I right?
Inna Edsall Mar 4, 2011:
Hi Andrew, I see your point. Well, why can't it be Association of? It is quite common to use association in the educational context. Ohio Education Association, National Education Association.
So here it can be something like: The City of Munich and the Chamber of Trade Education Association.

Lancashireman Mar 4, 2011:
Hi Inna 255 characters can be rather restrictive so I'll add this further comment here: "special-purpose association" strikes me as a descriptive phrase rather than a term that can be incorporated into the name of an organisation, which is what I believe Yvonne requires here.
Inna Edsall Mar 4, 2011:
Regarding posting another answer Not a problem, it's your right. That is why we have an option of several answers. :) In fact, it is very nice of you to be so considerate. You are absolutely right, my examples are not taken from the school context, but there seems to be an established translation of the term, that is why I am proposing it. In fact, the way I arrived at it was finding a Russian translation (Russian is my native language), and then searching for parallel text in English. Interestingly enough, special-purpose association is also the Russian version of Zweckverband. Is it possible that this school is run/sponsored within this association? Organized by it?

Proposed translations

+1
8 mins
Selected

special purpose association

The Commission also refers to the court rulings of the European Court of Justice on so-called in-house dealings (Teckal decision). Being an integral part of municipal self-government, the activity of public special-purpose associations (Zweckverbände) is excluded from competition. Public procurement law and the court ruling on in-house dealings are therefore not applicable to the establishment and joining of such special-purpose associations (Zweckverbände).



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2011-03-03 20:38:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Entity responsible for the project:
Zweckverband Gewässerrandstreifenprojekt "Spreewald" (Special-purpose association, 'Spree Forest' watercourse margin project)

http://www.bfn.de/0203_spreewald M52087573ab0.html



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2011-03-03 20:56:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

SPECIAL-PURPOSE ASSOCIATION with a hyphen!
Reference:

http://www.bdew.de/bdew.nsf/id/DE_id100109759_statement-on-the-green-paper-ppp?open&l=DE&ccm=420060070

Peer comment(s):
neutral Armorel Young : without a hypen I'm left wondering what a purpose association is
13 mins
Sorry about that. Yes, there needs to be a hyphen in the answer. Long day.
agree Horst Huber (X) : If the EU has established this as the official term for such undertakings, that would be it. But remember, it is only one earlier translator's attempt. You may do better. "Association" suggests something rather perennial; and this may indeed apply here?
4 hrs
Please, see discussion.
neutral Lancashireman : Sorry, I normally try to avoid posting next to an alternative answer but I was prompted by Horst’s reference to ‘official term for such undertakings’. Unfortunately, your two examples are not taken from a schools/colleges context.
4 hrs
Please, see discussion. I can't fit everything here.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much "
+1
14 mins

consortium

How are you translating 'Meisterschulen'?
"Administrative Union" makes no sense at all in an educational context.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 32 mins (2011-03-03 21:00:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Well, I can't say I'm too enamoured of "School for Master Craftspeople" but if you check out these occurrences of "consortium of vocational...", you will see that they all refer to groups of educational/training institutes: http://tinyurl.com/5waflyw

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-03-03 23:09:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Yvette
Your Meisterschule appears to be a uniquely German phenomenon. Consequently, you need to keep the original German designation and then present some sort of explanation in parentheses. ‘Master school’ on its own would not be adequate, as this could be taken to refer to the fine arts, music and the like. Since hairdressing is a trade, I would suggest something including that term: ‘Master Trade School’ perhaps?
Regards
AJS


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2011-03-04 01:24:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

the Washington Consortium of Lutheran Colleges.
http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/directory/duke
The consortium of Claremont colleges in California
http://www.newser.com/story/85811/100-happiest-colleges.html
Colleges of Worcester Consortium
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleges_of_Worcester_Consortiu...
The Leadership Consortium of North Texas Colleges and Universities
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2214959209



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2011-03-04 02:11:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Suggested formulation (though admittedly rather unwieldy): The City of Munich and Chamber of Trade for Munich & Upper Bavaria Consortium of Guild Schools
Note from asker:
For Meisterschulen I have found ·"School for Master Craftspeople"
Thanks for the suggestion. I also have another letter certifying that this person went to a "Berufsschule" which I have translated as "vocational school". As the Meisterschule is a further step in her education, I have to use some term that somehow expresses this Maybe, I'll ask for suggestions in an additional question
Peer comment(s):
agree 784512 (X) : better late than never...
2 days 1 hr
Something went wrong...
12 hrs

[under the] local education authority [of]

Since this Zweckverband is for education (Schulen), why not name the purpose at once:
for instance, master schools under the local education authority of the provincial capital city of Munich. If you are not content with this suggestion, you could also leave "Zweckverband" in the original and explain everything in the footnote (local association under public law for special purposes - education). Anyway, why not tell others that German people have something others don't.
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

16 hrs
Reference:

Ad hoc

adv.
For the specific purpose, case, or situation at hand and for no other: a committee formed ad hoc to address the issue of salaries.

adj.
Formed for or concerned with one specific purpose: an ad hoc compensation committee.

http://www.answers.com/ad hoc
Something went wrong...
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