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equipo -> equipment?

English translation: device / unit / machine

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:equipo
English translation:device / unit / machine
Entered by: María Teresa Taylor Oliver

16:14 Nov 6, 2003
Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO]
Tech/Engineering
Spanish term or phrase: equipo -> equipment?
Teniendo en cuenta la definición en inglés de "equipment" y en español de "equipo", necesito saber lo siguiente:

Sé que en español, "equipo" puede utilizarse para significar una máquina, como por ejemplo: el equipo de sonido, el equipo de copiado (copiadora), etc., según la acepción 6 del DRAE. Así, la palabra "equipo" acepta plural.

Pero no estoy segura de que "equipment" en inglés tenga este mismo sentido. Además, me parece haber leído en algún lado que "equipment" no acepta plural, debido a que se trata de "un conjunto de aditamentos, aparejos, utensilios, etc."

¿Me puede sacar alguien de dudas?

¡Gracias!

~*MT*~


Main Entry: equip·ment
Function: noun
Date: 1714
1 a : the set of articles or physical resources serving to equip a person or thing: as (1) : the implements used in an operation or activity : APPARATUS (2) : all the fixed assets other than land and buildings of a business enterprise (3) : the rolling stock of a railway b : a piece of such equipment
2 a : the equipping of a person or thing b : the state of being equipped
3 : mental or emotional traits or resources : ENDOWMENT


equipo.

1. m. Acción y efecto de equipar.
2. m. Grupo de personas organizado para una investigación o servicio determinado.
3. m. En ciertos deportes, cada uno de los grupos que se disputan el triunfo.
4. m. Conjunto de ropas y otras cosas para uso particular de una persona, y, en especial, ajuar de una mujer cuando se casa. Equipo de novia, de colegial, de soldado, etc.
5. m. Colección de utensilios, instrumentos y aparatos especiales para un fin determinado. Equipo quirúrgico, de salvamento.
6. m. Inform. Conjunto de aparatos y dispositivos que constituyen el material de un ordenador.
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
Panama
Local time: 08:19
device / unit / machine
Explanation:
You can use the plural with any of those (photocopy machines, etc.)

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Note added at 2003-11-06 16:18:19 (GMT)
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\"Equipment\" is okay in English as a collective plural. We have good computer equipment (everything considered as a whole).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-06 16:31:33 (GMT)
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\"Equipment\" is okay in English as a collective plural. We have good computer equipment (everything considered as a whole).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-06 16:50:32 (GMT)
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I remember when I was doing a lot of telecommunications translations in Paris, I had to follow model translations where they said \"terminal equipments\" but that always sounded horrible to my ear. Why not just say \"terminals\" or at least \"terminal units\"?
Selected response from:

William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 07:19
Grading comment
Thanks, everyone!! Specially William :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2device / unit / machine
William Stein
5 +1Not an exact equivalent, but can often be used in translation
Refugio
5no siempre, podría ser "gear", por ejemplo
Sol
5not always, maybe 'unit' would work?
Lia Fail (X)
5What about "system"?
Maria Herrera


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
device / unit / machine


Explanation:
You can use the plural with any of those (photocopy machines, etc.)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-06 16:18:19 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"Equipment\" is okay in English as a collective plural. We have good computer equipment (everything considered as a whole).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-06 16:31:33 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"Equipment\" is okay in English as a collective plural. We have good computer equipment (everything considered as a whole).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-06 16:50:32 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I remember when I was doing a lot of telecommunications translations in Paris, I had to follow model translations where they said \"terminal equipments\" but that always sounded horrible to my ear. Why not just say \"terminals\" or at least \"terminal units\"?

William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 07:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1214
Grading comment
Thanks, everyone!! Specially William :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  James Hollander: Yes, and the issue is whether the text demands a countable noun or not. If not, it could be equipment.
30 mins
agree  Alicia Jordá
2 hrs
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Not an exact equivalent, but can often be used in translation


Explanation:
Equipment is always a collective noun. You can't say "an equipment" or "equipments". Equipo can be either singular or collective/plural, as when it means materiales o aparatos. So some of the meanings overlap.

Refugio
Local time: 06:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1827

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Margaret Schroeder: If you need to specify plural, it is "pieces of equipment".
40 mins
  -> Thanks GoodWords
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
no siempre, podría ser "gear", por ejemplo


Explanation:
equipo de pesca - fishing gear

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Note added at 6 mins (2003-11-06 16:20:45 GMT)
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hablando de gente,

equipo: team, staff, etc.

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Note added at 8 mins (2003-11-06 16:23:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

* Podría ser \"machinery\" *

Sol
United States
Local time: 09:19
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 531
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
not always, maybe 'unit' would work?


Explanation:
"Pero no estoy segura de que "equipment" en inglés tenga este mismo sentido. Además, me parece haber leído en algún lado que "equipment" no acepta plural, debido a que se trata de "un conjunto de aditamentos, aparejos, utensilios, etc."

Equipment is not synonymous with machine, but as another contributor has pointed out, it can refer to a collection of items that contains a machine.

Looking at your definition, all the references imply plurality, moreover, none of the defns would be considered as indicating, strictly speaking, a machine. On the other hand they do indicate a 'collectiveness' that could certainly include a machin (eg rolling stock)


Equipment is a collective noun, therefore has no plural. We say an individual 'piece of euipment' in the singular.


Euipo is problematic, I know that recently I have managed to resolve the problem using 'unit' in EN.

Hope this contribution helps:-)


Lia Fail (X)
Spain
Local time: 15:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1368
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1 day 50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
What about "system"?


Explanation:
a hi-fi system.
outfit (for clothes).

Maria Herrera
Argentina
Local time: 10:19
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
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