Barrierefreiheit

English translation: accessibility

15:24 Jan 10, 2002

German to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents

German term or phrase: Barrierefreiheit

Mie dem Begriff Barrierefreiheit wurder erstmalig im Mietrecht der Anspruch des behinderten Mieters auf einen behindertengerechten Umbau seriner Wohnung geregelt.

anna

English translation:accessibility

Explanation:
In designing facilities, one has to factor in accessibility (more PC to use a positive term instead of something to do with barriers). This is the term that is generally tossed about in the media. My father, an architectural draftsman, also uses and encounters this term.

Selected response from:

Jonathan Lack
United States
Local time: 00:12

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

accessibility

Jonathan Lack

4 +2

barrier-free architecture/construction

Kim Metzger

absence of obstacles

Adalbert Kowal

without restrictions/restriction free

Ilse Flick (X)

5 -1

freedom from restrictions

bochkor

Can't go word by word since this is a artificial legal term

Tao Weber (X)

Answers

15 mins confidence:

absence of obstacles

Explanation:
The text implies that a handicapped person leasing a flat under the new law has the right to have the flat to be built (altered) in a fashion that there are no obstacles hindering his free movement (such as high thresholds and the like). Thus "Barrierefreiheit" here means the "absence of obstacles".

Adalbert Kowal
Local time: 09:12
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in pair: 50

18 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

barrier-free architecture/construction

Explanation:
We can't use Freiheit as *freely* as it is used in German, so the solution is to reconstruct your sentence so that you can use ..._free

Reference: http://www.access-board.gov/publications/ADAFactSheet/A13.ht...

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 01:12
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 22192

21 mins confidence:

without restrictions/restriction free

Explanation:
I'm handicapped

Ilse Flick (X)
Local time: 02:12
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in pair: 55

28 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

freedom from restrictions

Explanation:
As my reference link proves, "Barrierefreiheit" is a wider term, than just for apartment reconstruction. The dicussion at this link proposes, for example, free Internet access for the disabled.

Therefore, I wouldn't use the word "obstacles", because that would limit it to the physical sense only (as in this case), but to be legally correct, I think you have to speak of "restrictions", anything that restricts a disabled person from doing something, which a healthy average person would be able to do.

And I would leave the word "freedom" literally translated, as long as it is followed by "from". "Absence" is just the lack of, but that's not written there, so it's not accurate enough.

Reference: http://nonpro.net/petition/messages/47.html

bochkor
Local time: 03:12
Native speaker of:

Hungarian,

German
PRO pts in pair: 25

1 hr confidence:

Can't go word by word since this is a artificial legal term

Explanation:
Landlords must allow disabled tenants to make reasonable modifications to their living unit or common areas at their expense, if needed for the person to comfortably and safely live in the unit. (42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(A).) Disabled tenants have the right to modify their living space to the extent necessary to make the space safe and comfortable, as long as the modifications will not make the unit unacceptable to the next tenant, or if you agree to undo the modification when you leave.
Examples of modifications undertaken by a disabled tenant include:

lowering countertops for a wheelchair-using tenant
installing special faucets or door handles for persons with limited hand use
modifying kitchen appliances to accommodate a blind tenant, and
installing a ramp to allow wheelchair access to a raised living room.
These modifications must be reasonable and made with prior approval. A landlord is entitled to ask for a description of the proposed modifications, proof that they will be done in a workmanlike manner and evidence that you are obtaining any necessary building permits. In addition, if you propose to modify the unit in a way that will require restoration when you leave (such as the re-positioning of lowered kitchen counters), the landlord may require you to pay into an interest-bearing escrow account the amount estimated for the restoration. (The interest belongs to you.)

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Note added at 2002-01-10 16:40:06 (GMT)
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see Kim\'s answer

Reference: http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/ency/article.cfm/objectID/CAF4...

Tao Weber (X)
PRO pts in pair: 36

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

accessibility

Jonathan Lack
United States
Local time: 00:12
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 17

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

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