Mar 16, 2002 14:41
22 yrs ago
German term
Canada
Question
German to English
Other
Education / Pedagogy
Education
I'm translating a text, urging parents to put their child in kindergarten. The term "das Kind" and its corresponding pronoun "es" is used all the time, but I'm loath to translate the pronoun with "it". Can I use just "he", or must it be "he/she"? Is it legitimate to circumvent the problem by using "children" and "they"? Is there any conventional wisdom on this? I looked up Child Psychology websites, but even there I find no standard way of usage. Olav
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +3 | him/her (combination) |
AnneM (X)
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| 4 +1 | circumventing is one good solution |
Kim Metzger
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| 4 | Being a parent myself.... |
Antje Ruppert
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| 5 -1 | children / they |
Alexander Schleber (X)
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Proposed translations
+3
19 mins
Selected
him/her (combination)
I would use a combination. There are times when 'your children/children' may be suitable but if this a text speaking directly to the parents, they may have only one child.
ie. It is proven that children are happier when in the company of other children their age.
BUT:
If your child is experiencing learning difficulties, you should help him/her to .... (more personal)
In this case, I would use him/her and defintitely avoid 'it' or just 'he'.
If you look up 'your child' in a search engine, you'll see lots of examples.
ie. It is proven that children are happier when in the company of other children their age.
BUT:
If your child is experiencing learning difficulties, you should help him/her to .... (more personal)
In this case, I would use him/her and defintitely avoid 'it' or just 'he'.
If you look up 'your child' in a search engine, you'll see lots of examples.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Ann! I wound up using a combination of "children - they" for "Das Kind - es" and "your child - he/she" for "Ihr Kind - es". Thanks also to everyone who answered! Olav"
+1
4 mins
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
Specializes in field
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
903
circumventing is one good solution
The site below provides several solutions. One good one is to use the plural - they. But I would always say children - they and never child - they. I'm old-fashioned that way.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Hartmut Lau
: You are facing the old "Spannungsfeld" between being faithful to the source language text and writing good target language text. Skip all the arguments on the topic and simply use your own good professional judgement!can good
7 mins
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Yes, but she's asking for assistance in forming a professional judgment.
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| agree |
Eva Blanar
14 mins
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11 mins
Being a parent myself....
Being a parent myself and having read the available literature in books, magazines, publications etc. I have seen that sometimes he and sometimes she is used.
That way it is somewhat personalized and yet all inclusive.
Check a magazine like Parenting for instance.'m sure thye have a website.
HTH,
Antje
That way it is somewhat personalized and yet all inclusive.
Check a magazine like Parenting for instance.'m sure thye have a website.
HTH,
Antje
-1
32 mins
children / they
As Kim has already suggested, I would use the plural and they, except in those cases where a reference is made to several children and a single child within the same context.
"das Kind an sich" = children as such
"wenn ein Kind" = if a child -> but can just as easily and correctly be translated as "if children" (depending onthe further context).
"das Kind" is here seemingly used as a category or type (i.e. in the plural sense) and the same would be true for "ein Kind". Since the advice probably is intended for "all children".
HTH
"das Kind an sich" = children as such
"wenn ein Kind" = if a child -> but can just as easily and correctly be translated as "if children" (depending onthe further context).
"das Kind" is here seemingly used as a category or type (i.e. in the plural sense) and the same would be true for "ein Kind". Since the advice probably is intended for "all children".
HTH
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Eckhard Boehle
: how can you say '"das Kind" is here seemingly used as a category or type' without knowing the whole text?
3 hrs
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How can oyu say I am wrong, without having seen the whole text?!
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