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ΦΕΚ

English translation: More thoughts...

18:45 Jul 27, 2001
Greek to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial
Greek term or phrase: ΦΕΚ
What is the generally accepted way of translating Greek abbreviations such as ΦΕΚ, Company name ΑΕ, Company ABEE?
Sometimes I see just an anglicised version (FEK, AE, etc) and sometimes I see a full translation (Govt. Gazette, Ltd or S.A. and I'm not quite sure about ABEE either.
What do you usually do?
Marina Robb
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:26
English translation:More thoughts...
Explanation:
I agree with Helen plus:
Case 1: UN, EU, UK, USA, USSR etc.
In this case, there are suitable abbreviations both in English and Greek, thus you may use ONLY the appropriate one for the language you translate into. E.g. UN=Ο.Η.Ε., EU=Ε.Ε.
Case 2: DoD, DoJ, etc.
Such abbreviations mean nothing in Greek, thus they should be translated in full WITHOUT including the abbreviations in brackets. E.g. DoD=Υπουργείο Εθνικής Άμυνας (or even Υ.ΕΘ.Α.)
Case 2: SA, Ltd, Inc. Corp. etc.
These are often associated with the name of the foreign company, thus they are not translated into Greek. E.g. Toshiba Corp.
Case 3: ΕΠΕ, ΑΕ, ΟΕ, ΕΕ etc.
There are equivalent abbreviations for these in English which should be used when translating into English (AEBE or other versions of SA are generally converted into SA; but Helen's suggestion is also OK).
Please note, however: ΕΠΕ = LTD.
Case 4: Other organisations etc. should be translated in full AND remain in abbreviated form within brackets, for reference purposes. E.g. Ministry for the Environment, Planning and Public Works (Υ.ΠΕ.ΧΩ.Δ.Ε.)
The general idea is to explain such terms to the foreign reader who may not be acquainted with them, while maintaining direct or indirect reference to such terms as they are used in the country of the original language.
Perhaps I missed some cases, but that's the general idea I use.
Hope I helped.
Selected response from:

Nikolaos Konidis
Local time: 23:26
Grading comment
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
na +2More thoughts...
Nikolaos Konidis
naRE: ΦΕΚ, ΑΕ, ΑΒΕΕ
Helen Floropoulos
naGovernment Gazette or ΦΕΚ
Athena


  

Answers


2 hrs
RE: ΦΕΚ, ΑΕ, ΑΒΕΕ


Explanation:
Greek
ΦΕΚ = Φύλλο Εφημερίδας Κυβερνήσεως

English
GG = Government Gazette
or
GGG = Greek Government Gazette
====================

Greek
Α.Ε. = Ανώνυμη Εταιρία

English
LTD = Limited (in US)
S.A. = Societe Anonyme (in Canada)
==================================

Greek
ΑΒΕΕ = Ανώνυμη Βιομηχανική και Εμπορική Εταιρία

English
Industrial & Commercial Co. Ltd. (in USA)
Industrial & Commercial S.A. (in Canada)

Helen Floropoulos
Local time: 13:26
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in pair: 8
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs peer agreement (net): +2
More thoughts...


Explanation:
I agree with Helen plus:
Case 1: UN, EU, UK, USA, USSR etc.
In this case, there are suitable abbreviations both in English and Greek, thus you may use ONLY the appropriate one for the language you translate into. E.g. UN=Ο.Η.Ε., EU=Ε.Ε.
Case 2: DoD, DoJ, etc.
Such abbreviations mean nothing in Greek, thus they should be translated in full WITHOUT including the abbreviations in brackets. E.g. DoD=Υπουργείο Εθνικής Άμυνας (or even Υ.ΕΘ.Α.)
Case 2: SA, Ltd, Inc. Corp. etc.
These are often associated with the name of the foreign company, thus they are not translated into Greek. E.g. Toshiba Corp.
Case 3: ΕΠΕ, ΑΕ, ΟΕ, ΕΕ etc.
There are equivalent abbreviations for these in English which should be used when translating into English (AEBE or other versions of SA are generally converted into SA; but Helen's suggestion is also OK).
Please note, however: ΕΠΕ = LTD.
Case 4: Other organisations etc. should be translated in full AND remain in abbreviated form within brackets, for reference purposes. E.g. Ministry for the Environment, Planning and Public Works (Υ.ΠΕ.ΧΩ.Δ.Ε.)
The general idea is to explain such terms to the foreign reader who may not be acquainted with them, while maintaining direct or indirect reference to such terms as they are used in the country of the original language.
Perhaps I missed some cases, but that's the general idea I use.
Hope I helped.

Nikolaos Konidis
Local time: 23:26
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in pair: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joanna5
227 days
agree  Egmont
524 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs
Government Gazette or ΦΕΚ


Explanation:
What I do is taking into consideration what will be the use of my translation. If there is a chance that people reading my translation will need to find the mentioned ΦΕΚ and use it as a reference e.g. in some legal context, then I think they should be able to trace it and recognize it by seeing it only. Abbreviations like OGG for Official Government Gazette are not very popular in legal texts. In any other kind of text where the translator has the opportunity to use a communicative approach it is OK.
The same goes for ΑΕ and other abbreviations that carry some legal but country specific load. Unless a company has already translated and registered its name in a foreign language (in which case I use the registered version) I stick with the greek.
I'm not for the agglicized version in any circumstances, except as a phonetical transcription in brackets.

Athena
Local time: 23:26
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in pair: 11
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