behindertenfreundlich vs behindertengerecht

English translation: suitable for disabled guests (disabled-friendly) vs. fully adapted for disabled guests

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:behindertenfreundlich vs behindertengerecht
English translation:suitable for disabled guests (disabled-friendly) vs. fully adapted for disabled guests
Entered by: Hilary Davies Shelby

18:54 Mar 14, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Tourism & Travel
German term or phrase: behindertenfreundlich vs behindertengerecht
Hello - got this in a hotel brochure. Some rooms are "behindertenfreundlich", while some are "behindertengerecht". Is there an "official" distinction between the two, or is this something the hotel made up?

Many thanks!

Hilary.
Hilary Davies Shelby
United States
Local time: 15:42
It's a difficult one...
Explanation:
According to the link, there is a difference:

"Es muss ausdrücklich darauf hingewiesen werden,dass „behindertenfreundliche“ Beherbergungsbetriebe nicht automatisch „rollstuhl- bzw. behindertengerecht“ sind und umgekehrt „rollstuhlgeeignete“ Beherbergungsbetriebe nicht immer zugleich auch „behindertenfreundlich“ sind. Der Begriff „rollstuhl- bzw. behindertengerecht“ ist objektiv messbar und beeinhaltet in Anlehnung an die DIN-Norm 18024 bzw. 18025 vor allem die bauliche Eignung des Gebäudes (Hotel, Pension, Ferienhaus, etc.) für Behinderte. Der Begriff „behindertenfreundlich“ ist nicht objektiv messbar, sondern er beschreibt den menschlichen Aspekt, z. B. ob behinderte Gäste bei den Inhabern bzw. Betreibern und dem Personal von Hotels, Pensionen, Ferienanlagen usw. willkommen sind und ob sie von der Bevölkerung des Urlaubsortes akzeptiert werden."

However, I'm not sure the hotel is trying to make quite such a clear distinction - maybe it's referring to the nuber of adaptations etc. in the rooms - so perhaps ypu could use something like "suitable for disabled guests" for "behindertenfreundlich", and "fully equipped rooms for disabled guests" for "behindertengerecht"??
Selected response from:

John Bowden
Local time: 20:42
Grading comment
Many thanks to all for these suggestions. As several people have suggested, I would go for "disabled" rather than "handicapped" in this day and age, and I think this suggestion hits the note of "disabled guests could probably manage in these rooms" vs "these rooms have facilities for the disabled" (adapted bathrooms, etc).
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3catering to the demands of people with special needs
silvia glatzhofer
3 +2It's a difficult one...
John Bowden
2 +2disability friendly vs disability accessible
Gabrielle Lyons
3wheelchair friendly vs conforming to the 'Gesetze und Verordnungen für behinderte Menschen'
Lancashireman
3Nachgedanken: "They're both Quatsch"
Craig Meulen
4 -2handicapped-friendly vs. handicapped-accessible
Michael Schubert


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
It's a difficult one...


Explanation:
According to the link, there is a difference:

"Es muss ausdrücklich darauf hingewiesen werden,dass „behindertenfreundliche“ Beherbergungsbetriebe nicht automatisch „rollstuhl- bzw. behindertengerecht“ sind und umgekehrt „rollstuhlgeeignete“ Beherbergungsbetriebe nicht immer zugleich auch „behindertenfreundlich“ sind. Der Begriff „rollstuhl- bzw. behindertengerecht“ ist objektiv messbar und beeinhaltet in Anlehnung an die DIN-Norm 18024 bzw. 18025 vor allem die bauliche Eignung des Gebäudes (Hotel, Pension, Ferienhaus, etc.) für Behinderte. Der Begriff „behindertenfreundlich“ ist nicht objektiv messbar, sondern er beschreibt den menschlichen Aspekt, z. B. ob behinderte Gäste bei den Inhabern bzw. Betreibern und dem Personal von Hotels, Pensionen, Ferienanlagen usw. willkommen sind und ob sie von der Bevölkerung des Urlaubsortes akzeptiert werden."

However, I'm not sure the hotel is trying to make quite such a clear distinction - maybe it's referring to the nuber of adaptations etc. in the rooms - so perhaps ypu could use something like "suitable for disabled guests" for "behindertenfreundlich", and "fully equipped rooms for disabled guests" for "behindertengerecht"??


    Reference: http://www.stadt-fuessen.de/1002.0.html
John Bowden
Local time: 20:42
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Many thanks to all for these suggestions. As several people have suggested, I would go for "disabled" rather than "handicapped" in this day and age, and I think this suggestion hits the note of "disabled guests could probably manage in these rooms" vs "these rooms have facilities for the disabled" (adapted bathrooms, etc).

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ian M-H (X): yes - or maybe even "[fully] accessible" for the second term? It's tricky...
7 mins

agree  Francis Lee (X): fully equipped / fully catered for
1 hr
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
wheelchair friendly vs conforming to the 'Gesetze und Verordnungen für behinderte Menschen'


Explanation:
It's a legal distinction

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2005-03-14 19:09:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.bmgs.bund.de/deu/gra/gesetze/ges_4.cfm

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 134

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  John Bowden: Yes, it's a legal distinction - but "behindertenfreundlich" doesn't necessarily mean wheelchair-friendly (see link above)
15 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
catering to the demands of people with special needs


Explanation:
to be politically correct you would have to use "special needs". Rewrite the sentences, if possible, or call the behindertenfreundliche Zimmer "rooms catering to the demands of people with special needs" and the behindertengerecht "accessible for people with special needs"

silvia glatzhofer
Local time: 21:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Edith Kelly: pc
28 mins

agree  Francis Lee (X): catering/catered for
35 mins

neutral  Michael Schubert: "To be politically correct" indeed! But it's been some time since I heard anyone express that as a positive, as something to be aspired to!
4 hrs

neutral  Lancashireman: In UK 'special needs' is synonomous with 'learning difficulties'
5 hrs

agree  Ian M-H (X): maybe "special access requirements", to take Andrew's valid point into account?
13 hrs
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
handicapped-friendly vs. handicapped-accessible


Explanation:
I don't know whether there is such a clear distinction, but that's how I would pass along the hotel's own chosen distinction.

Be glad they didn't throw "behindertentauglich" and "behindertenzugänglich" into the mix (as well as something including "-mäßig"!)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 46 mins (2005-03-15 00:41:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hilary, I know this is for tourism purposes and you want to choose something that sounds the nicest. I think Silvia\'s suggestions below do the best job there. But the peer references/deferences to lists of language that has been deemed acceptable by various regional PC thought police are really shocking! How long before \"poor\" is tossed aside for \"fiscally challenged\"? Such recommendations come and go with the spring fashions and, personally, I make a point of ignoring them. It is the realm of politicians, not linguists.

Michael Schubert
United States
Local time: 13:42
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Ian M-H (X): I would very strongly recommend avoiding "handicapped" to refer to people. http://www.schoolnet.ca/aboriginal/disabl12/ http://www.acils.com/acil/talking.html
7 mins
  -> Sad, the regularity with which Orwellian codes of acceptable language are applied to that which is not pretty, and how passively even intelligent linguists sign on! Think about what the words "disabled" and "handicapped" actually MEAN.

disagree  silvia glatzhofer: see: http://www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/accessibility/english/prefe...
1 hr
  -> Did you even look at this link you provided? They warn against using words like "blind" and "autistic"! Ontario's misguided attempt to disguise sad realities is hardly a world benchmark, and certainly not a standard I would associate myself with.

neutral  Francis Lee (X): I very much doubt they use that term in the Bay Area
1 hr
  -> You would no doubt doubt, but I live in the Bay Area. There is a place in San Francisco called "Hospital for Crippled Children," and California uses "handicapped" consistently in the vehicular context (parking spaces, license plates).

neutral  Lancashireman: I don't know why this question has spilled onto ‘notes added’ at the top but…in UK you can see reasonably fit people getting out of cars displaying ‘disabled’ parking permits. It saves them parking fees and they can also park on double yellow lines.
6 hrs
  -> Spilled onto top because KudoZ limits space down here :-) Both "disabled" and "handicapped" are used commonly and absolutely synonymously here in the US. Agree with your note above, btw: "special needs" usu. means learning disabilities; educational term.
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
disability friendly vs disability accessible


Explanation:
seems to cover it although I'd say the distinction was hazy in any language

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 hrs 42 mins (2005-03-15 08:36:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

After reading John\'s link, I\'d like to suggest a revised answer:
\"disability-friendly vs wheelchair-accessible\" (with hyphens!)

In UK English, disabled is still the standard term at least when talking about physical accessibility for adults (e.g. \"disabled toilet\" etc. \"wheelchair accessible\" is also frequent.
e.g.
\"Disability-friendly accommodation in AYRSHIRE,UK... hotels, bed and breakfast, guest houses, self catering and more.\"
www.friendly-places.com/categories/disability-friendly/ disability-friendly.asp?Location=Ayrshire
\"Wheelchair Accessible Holiday Rentals throught Europe and beyond.\"
www.holidaylets.net/find/wheelchair-accessible/13


Gabrielle Lyons
Local time: 20:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michael Schubert: with hyphens, please :-)
2 mins
  -> hypens would be good - thanks

neutral  Nancy Arrowsmith: not used in US
8 mins
  -> I can see from other answers too that there is a big gap between UK and US English on this one.

agree  Claire Cox: with your second suggestion - what a nest of vipers this seemingly simple question has become!
14 hrs
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4 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Nachgedanken: "They're both Quatsch"


Explanation:
I know the question was resolved ages ago, but I thought this would be interesting: The former Behindertenbeauftragter of Rostock City Council is a student of mine, and so I thought I would ask him today what the difference was. His reply:

"They are both Quatsch! There is barrier-free and not barrier-free, everything else is meaningless. Barrier-free also caters, for example, for older people who aren't disabled, but need a walking stick or other aid."

So there's the word from the horse's mouth.





Craig Meulen
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
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