Nov 19, 2010 14:44
13 yrs ago
French term
United States
Scientist / Linguist
Native in: English (Variants: US, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Italian to English, Portuguese to English, and 2 more.
meta-chloronitrobenzene vs 1-chloro-3-nitrobenzene
French to English
Science
Chemistry; Chem Sci/Eng
An issue has been raised as to the proper rendering of this term. While the French source refers to the former, Termium says the following:
"The prefixes "ortho-", "meta-" and "para-", along with their corresponding abbreviations ("o-", "m-" and "p-"), appear in italics and are ignored in alphabetizing. According to the actual chemical nomenclature rules in organic chemistry (in 2003), the numbers designating the positions of the disubstitution groups (1,2- for "ortho-", 1,3- for "meta-" and 1,4- for "para-") are to be preferred to the symbols "o-", "m-" and "p-". Furthermore, the prefixes "ortho-", "meta-" and "para-" should not be used anymore, and their corresponding abbreviations ("o-", "m-", and "p-") will soon be judged to be avoided, if not totally condemned".
I am not a chemist and would like input from translators who have expertise in this area.
MTIA!
"The prefixes "ortho-", "meta-" and "para-", along with their corresponding abbreviations ("o-", "m-" and "p-"), appear in italics and are ignored in alphabetizing. According to the actual chemical nomenclature rules in organic chemistry (in 2003), the numbers designating the positions of the disubstitution groups (1,2- for "ortho-", 1,3- for "meta-" and 1,4- for "para-") are to be preferred to the symbols "o-", "m-" and "p-". Furthermore, the prefixes "ortho-", "meta-" and "para-" should not be used anymore, and their corresponding abbreviations ("o-", "m-", and "p-") will soon be judged to be avoided, if not totally condemned".
I am not a chemist and would like input from translators who have expertise in this area.
MTIA!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +3 | Use the same format as in the source text |
Karen Tkaczyk
|
Proposed translations
+3
15 mins
Karen Tkaczyk
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
PhD Chemicals/Pharmaceuticals/Cosmetics
Native in: English (Variants: US, British)
Works in: French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
326
Selected
Use the same format as in the source text
Hello Elizabeth,
Without client input, I recommend always using the same format as the source text. Ortho, meta and para are still very much in widespread use and officially "allowed". See link.
Having said that, if you wish you could ask for client preference on the more modern IUPAC usage versus the more traditional usage.
Without client input, I recommend always using the same format as the source text. Ortho, meta and para are still very much in widespread use and officially "allowed". See link.
Having said that, if you wish you could ask for client preference on the more modern IUPAC usage versus the more traditional usage.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Joan Berglund
: In school, I learned that everybody would be using IUPAC nomenclature from now on. In real life, not so much so far.
39 mins
|
|
Indeed
|
|
| agree |
Zareh Darakjian Ph.D.
50 mins
|
|
Thanks
|
|
| agree |
raptisi
16 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Karen, thank you - this was just the confirmation I needed. My inclination is to use the same format and insert an explanatory note about the modern IUPAC usage. A number of colleagues I queried agree with the consensus here.
Thank you Marco, Anton, Joan, Zareh and raptisi as well."
Discussion