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German to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Tourism & Travel / Frankfurt
German term or phrase:Fressgass
Does anyone know if there is a *standard* English translation for Fressgass in Frankfurt? I've come across a couple of versions (pig-out alley and eating street (yuk)) but can't find a universally accepted one.
I'm toying with Grub, Nosh, and Guzzle - but wonder if North Americans would understand the first two? or South Africans - I think Aussies and Kiwis would understand - but do put me right ;) Looking forward to your suggestions!
Explanation: The "official" name of the street is the Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse, but in the years I lived in the Frankfurt area, I never heard it referred to by anything but Fressgass.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr 31 mins (2005-08-18 21:33:57 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
\"Gluttony Row\" is my own invention. This section of street isn\'t particularly long, but there are numerous delicatessens and gourmet shops, which is how it got its name. No one of my acquaintances ever bothered to translate it.
I can understand your outrage, Nicole, and fully identify with your distress at being asked to translate place names. This request by my client, which I assure you I have contested ;) in the politest and most assertive way possible, certainly goes against the grain. I have won one or two small skirmishes with him on acceptable translations - or glosses. Perhaps I should have been more accurate and asked for a suggested gloss from Proz colleagues for this, as Hilary points out, it what I am trying to achieve. In my fairly thorough Googling with various food-related words I did not come across one which stood out as being the most common (I gave examples of what I had found in my original question). Based on the fact that there are, of course, many accepted and common translations of well-known places,(we Brits speak of the Spanish Steps, St Peter's Cathedral, etc in Rome, St Mark's Square and the Grand Canal in Venice and so on), I was wondering if I had missed one. However, that said, if there is no standard universally accepted gloss/translation for Fressgass, it is more grist to my mill of trying to persuade the client to drop his idea altogether. Nobody will happier than I!
mentioning the original German names. It's worked for me every time - just don't forget to mention that you know the client is a reasonable, intelligent person who will understand ;-)
I'd suggest you do this for all the streets. What I've done before is explain to the client (who is probably a tourist organization, right?) that people will not be able to find their way around or recognize the places if you translate them without
i'd agree with Nicole's principle here (i know the street well myself) but what you CAN do is put something in brackets after it to indicate what the nickname means, ie, "On the Fressgasse [a name which literally means "pig-out alley"], you will find.."
Last one: Lisa, there is no such thing as a client asking you to translate place names in tourism. Please don't try to fool pros. Sorry if I sound to harsh.
This is the first time I'm getting shitty on someone (KudoZ) because I prefer the professional tone, but how about checking out the one or the other website of the city you are writing about?
Please don't try to translate "Grosse Bockenheimer". This street was named after whatever famous person and is the address of some of the world's largest ad agencies. Big outch. Contact me at [email protected] for a further tour.
00:38 Aug 19, 2005
Non-ProZ.com
22:01 Aug 18, 2005
@Kevin: Thanks for your reply. No, frankly, nor would I expect to translate it, just add an explanation as a gloss, but the client is *insisting* I translate all the place names. It's a nightmare, because there are some, such as Gro�e Bockenheimerstra�e, which are just not possible. But as we know (as we burn our candles at both ends), the client is always right! @Daniel: I like your suggestion, too! I knew we would have some fun with this one (on a scale of entertainment it beats the commentary on Persian poems I was translating earlier today!)
Non-ProZ.com
21:26 Aug 18, 2005
@Kevin: I like your suggestion. Can you tell me if Gluttony Row is used by English-speaking tourists to Frankfurt - or is it your own (good)invention?
Grub would be understood in the USA. Nosh, only in the big cities, in my opinion.
20:19 Aug 18, 2005
Non-ProZ.com
20:18 Aug 18, 2005
@Andrew: hmm, interesting. I hadn't thought of refining it! I was wallowing around in ideas to do with fressen (I ruled out pig-swill!) I wonder if anyone else will have a thought or twain. I've got till midday tomorrow...
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
28 mins confidence:
Gluttony Row
Explanation: The "official" name of the street is the Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse, but in the years I lived in the Frankfurt area, I never heard it referred to by anything but Fressgass.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr 31 mins (2005-08-18 21:33:57 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
\"Gluttony Row\" is my own invention. This section of street isn\'t particularly long, but there are numerous delicatessens and gourmet shops, which is how it got its name. No one of my acquaintances ever bothered to translate it.
Kevin Fulton United States Local time: 19:44 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
Thanks for all your contributions. I decided on glossing it as Gluttony Alley, so the points go to Kevin!
Explanation: Hey, isch bin en alder Frankfurter. Des heest eefach so. Unn do kamma sisch zu dood mampfe, gell?
Got that? It's a name of a street in downtown Frankfurt, characterized by plenty of cute restaurants. Please don't try to translate street names. Used to live 2 streets away.
Heieiei.
Nicole Schnell United States Local time: 16:44 Works in field Native speaker of: German PRO pts in category: 58
