Mesaĝoj: 39
Lingvo: English
erinja (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-18 18:17:15
Realistically, if I have to pick someone's usage over someone else's, it is going to be American usage over British, because of the demographics of this site (among users who indicated a country, we have 18681 for the USA and 3450 for the UK). I can't justify going with a usage that covers a relatively small minority of our English-speaking users, so indeed, it might be the British users who get the 'asterisk' explanation. The vocabulary lists (as opposed to the translations in the text) will indeed get both definitions, so "ŝranko" will likely be defined in the vocabulary list as cabinet, cupboard, wardrobe.
Locker doesn't really work for me (it doesn't necessarily lock) and closet as a free-standing object seems to present a problem for the British (Anna mentioned this to me as well).
But if anyone comes up with some brilliant idea that works for both language groups I would still like to hear it. I prefer to choose a word that works mutually, than something that gives the wrong impression on either side -- however, if someone is going to get the wrong impression regardless of choice, I have to go with the numbers as far as coming down on one side or the other, to confuse as few people as possible.
matrix (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-18 21:24:40
erinja:The story uses the word "ŝranko" to describe a wardrobe that holds clothing (this will likely be edited to "vesto-ŝranko" to make this clearer), and also to describe a cavity with a door that acts as a food dispenser, and also to describe a box with the rough dimensions of a wardrobe that functions as a time machine.Ŝranko may be translated in French by armoire which is also an English word.
In Wiktionary “armoire”: “A type of cupboard, cabinet, or wardrobe - originally used for storing weapons.”
Although still rather rare in English, “armoire” is general enough to fulfill different meanings needed — in both American and British English.
JDnDorks (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-18 21:50:48
Chainy (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-18 23:26:00
Chainy (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-18 23:41:02
erinja: And I could perhaps agree with referring to the small food-dispensing cavity as a "cupboard"A food dispensing cavity? Is 'ŝranko' a good word for this? Is this like in Star Trek, where the food magically appears out of the dispenser in the wall? Have you heard anyone call that a 'cupboard'? Sounds like the wrong word in any form of English.
How about 'aŭtomato' or perhaps 'manĝ-aŭtomato'? And then just stick with 'food dispenser' in English, or whatever they call it in Star Trek...
Chainy (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-18 23:53:39
erinja:I would prefer not to refer to it as a wardrobe, since it doesn't hold clothing, though it does have that dimension.Ok, it doesn't contain clothing because it's actually a time-machine. But the point is, what does it look like from the outside? If it looks like a wardrobe, then call it that. And by wardrobe, I mean something like this: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
What do you call that story in America? The Lion, the Witch and the Closet?
erinja (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-19 05:41:42
Chainy:I only called it a cavity because I was trying not to prejudice anyone's thoughts about word choice, so I went with something neutral. As an American I'd call it a cabinet, it's like a box with a door. Food doesn't materialize there but food is delivered there.erinja: And I could perhaps agree with referring to the small food-dispensing cavity as a "cupboard"A food dispensing cavity? Is 'ŝranko' a good word for this?
Armoire doesn't work well for the food dispenser. And pretty much only clothes are kept in an armoire, in US usage. We do use the word wardrobe, so I don't see a point in turning to 'armoire' here, since 'wardrobe' works for everyone as far as the thing that holds your clothing. The problem is only to describe something with the form factor of a wardrobe that is not in fact a wardrobe, and also to accurately teach the meaning of "ŝranko" in context, so people get a good idea of the range of meanings that this word can take.
On the pictures - I'm not going to post the link publicly because the story hasn't launched yet and the story isn't in its final state. But anyone who signs up for translation rights (and who actually helps translate) can get the link to see what they're translating, so anyone who sincerely wants to help can get the link privately.
Miland (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-19 07:11:38
Perhaps both should be included as alternatives, with "(UK)" or "(US)" after them?
sudanglo (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-19 10:22:12
Chainy (Montri la profilon) 2013-julio-19 13:27:34
erinja:As an American I'd call it a cabinet, it's like a box with a door. Food doesn't materialize there but food is delivered there.A box with a door. People deliver food from it. Wonderful description. Is it a 'serving hatch'? If so, it's not a ŝranko.
erinja:On the pictures - I'm not going to post the link publicly because the story hasn't launched yet and the story isn't in its final state.I don't know why you're being so cagey about showing us a simple picture. It would really speed up this discussion. Or at least find some pictures on Google to show us what you mean.
erinja: But anyone who signs up for translation rights (and who actually helps translate) can get the link to see what they're translating, so anyone who sincerely wants to help can get the link privately.I already work as a lingvohelpanto and editor of the Lernu dictionary, so I don't have time to do translations for the site at the moment. I'm not going to sign up to the translation team just to see a picture of a box with doors on it.
Anyhow, you're posting your question here in the forum for all members to help. We don't have to be members of the translation team in order to demonstrate our 'sincerity'!