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Category Archives: Mistranslations

Trajectories are for ballistics

The curve taken under gravity by a thrown object, or a metaphorical upward progression such as a career. Not a generic synonym for a route or pathway.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJuly 10, 2020July 14, 2020Posted inMistranslations, Overused words, Style, Valse vriendenTags:dunglish, engels, Eurospeak, traject2 Comments on Trajectories are for ballistics

Eventually

Most Dutch writers are aware that “eventual” means “uiteindelijk”: in the end. But they’re still often unsure how to deal with the faux-ami “eventueel”.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJuly 7, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Mistranslations, Valse vriendenTags:dunglish, engels, eventueelLeave a comment on Eventually

A monumental mistake

A monument is a structure erected in remembrance of a person or event. They’re often on a grand scale, which is why “monumental” simply means extremely large.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 23, 2020June 24, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Mistranslations, US-UK issues, Valse vriendenTags:dunglish, engels, erfgoed, monument, monumentaalLeave a comment on A monumental mistake

So-called

Watch the overtones: it’s not only telling you a term is used but also implying that it’s incorrect. A so-called expert or so-called friend is not to be trusted!

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 19, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Mistranslations, Overused words, Valse vriendenTags:dunglish, engels, zogeheten, zogenaamd, zogenoemdLeave a comment on So-called

Different from what?

If you can answer that, “verschillende” can be translated as “different”. Otherwise, “various” is often the better solution.

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 29, 2020May 29, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Dual meanings, MistranslationsTags:andere, dunglish, engels, verschillendeLeave a comment on Different from what?

Sustainability and durability

The word “duurzaam” covers two different meanings in Dutch (eco-friendly and long-lasting), so you can’t use “sustainable” as a catch-all translation.

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 25, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Dual meanings, MistranslationsTags:circulair, dunglish, duurzaam, duurzaamheid, engelsLeave a comment on Sustainability and durability

Coronaspecial

Coronatijd, coronamaatregelen, coronacrisis, coronawerk… Dutch has adopted “corona” as a new prefix, but English hasn’t. Well, not yet. Not really.

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 13, 2020May 21, 2020Posted inAdvanced, NeologismsTags:coronacrisis, coronamaatregelen, coronatijd, coronavirus, dunglish, engels, virus, zoekopdrachtenLeave a comment on Coronaspecial

Checking the controls

Controls are mechanisms or procedures for making machines or processes behave as you want, i.e. controlling them, not checking them.

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 9, 2020May 21, 2020Posted inElementary, Mistranslations, Valse vriendenTags:controle, controleren, dunglish, engels, EurospeakLeave a comment on Checking the controls

Species names

A goldfinch isn’t a goudvink. A coal tit isn’t a koolmees. Your pond is unlikely to be visited by a ring snake or a salamander.

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 7, 2020May 21, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Mistranslations, Valse vriendenTags:dunglish, engels, goudvink, koolmees, ringslang, salamander, spreeuwLeave a comment on Species names

The random nervous system

A prime example of the kind of slip-up that makes a document leave a very dubious impression.

Posted byMike WilkinsonMay 2, 2020June 9, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Dual meanings, MistranslationsTags:dunglish, engels, machinale vertaling, MT, willekeurigLeave a comment on The random nervous system

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