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This question was closed without grading. Reason: No acceptable answer
Oct 4, 2016 22:05
7 yrs ago
13 viewers *
Dutch term

stafmedewerker

Dutch to English Bus/Financial Human Resources
One of those vague terms that Dutch people use all the time, but what does it really mean and how can you translate it into English? No context, just want to create a good entry in my private termbase.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +2 member of staff, staff member
References
Stafmedewerker
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (2): writeaway, freekfluweel

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Discussion

Richard Purdom Oct 5, 2016:
Go with JurLex, executive staff
Kitty Brussaard Oct 5, 2016:
PS I think non-line staff might be another option worth adding to your list :-) The advantage of this term would be that it comprises both corporate-level and business-level staff in non-line positions.
Kitty Brussaard Oct 5, 2016:
As for the literal/generic translation I fully agree with Natasha's comments. Using 'staff member' or 'member of staff' might work in quite a few cases, but would be problematic if this term is already used in the same text to refer to 'medewerker' in general.
Natasha Ziada (X) Oct 5, 2016:
Non-pro Yes, me too - not really a straightforward, bilingually answerable question (unless you go for the generic translation which is een beetje kort door de bocht)
Michael Beijer (asker) Oct 5, 2016:
ha ha, that's sort of what I was expecting No neat single termbase entry I suppose: just a long list of synonyms for use in particular contexts. Oh well, it was worth a try.

Would love to hear what the "re-classifiers" had to say on the matter.
Kitty Brussaard Oct 5, 2016:
Mission impossible... ... there is simply no single or 'best' answer to your question. Any of the options from your own list may work and the same goes for Erzsébet's answer. It all depends on the actual context in which the term is used.
Michael Beijer (asker) Oct 5, 2016:
also just found this Q., in the opposite direction http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english_to_dutch/management/267889...

ENG: Staff Professional
NL: stafmedewerker
Michael Beijer (asker) Oct 5, 2016:
Yes, I have the FELOnline online sub. Just wondering what people here had to say.

JurLex keeps it simple:

stafmedewerker = staff executive

FELOnline has more (as you mentioned):

stafmedewerker =
corporate staff officer

stafmedewerkers [stafpersoneel/staven] =
corporate staff
group staff
head office staff
senior staff
executives

stafmedewerkers [vs lijnmedewerkers] =
management personnel [vs operational personnel]

lijnmedewerkers [vs stafmedewerkers] =
operational personnel [vs management personnel]

and IATE:
NL: stafassistent
NL: stafmedewerker
NL: staffunctionaris

EN: staff officer
EN: staff assistant

+

NL: stafmedewerker
NL: staffunctionaris

EN: staff officer

PS: oxforddictionaries.com defines "staff officer" as "A military officer serving on the staff of a military headquarters or government department."
*****************************
Van Dale NL:

stafmedewerker = staffunctionaris

1. functionaris die tot de staf behoort
1a iem. die een staffunctie heeft
antoniem: lijnfunctionaris
MoiraB Oct 5, 2016:
FEL? I'd have thought you'd have had a copy of the Financieel-Economisch Lexicon lying around (4/5 stafmedewerkers entries are in the old paper version) but here's what the online subscription version offers: stafmedewerker = corporate staff officer; stafmedewerkers [stafpersoneel/staven] = corporate staff/group staff/head office staff/senior staff/executives; stafmedewerkers [vs lijnmedewerkers] = management personnel [vs operational personnel]
Erzsébet Czopyk Oct 5, 2016:
@Natasha it also appears as a definition of occupancy in the templates of the immigration service. If someone has no special title/occupation, you can tick a box 'staff member/stafmedewerker'
Natasha Ziada (X) Oct 5, 2016:
@ Phil In regards to your comment: IMO it would still be an acceptable, if somewhat generic, translation in most cases, depending on the level of detail necessary (and on the context of course)

Proposed translations

+2
1 hr

member of staff, staff member

http://www.linguee.nl/nederlands-engels/search?source=auto&q...

https://www.google.hu/search?q=stafmedewerker&rlz=1I7GGLD_en...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2016-10-04 23:34:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.dictionary.nl/vertaal/stafmedewerker/Nederlands/E...
Peer comment(s):
agree Natasha Ziada (X) : See my reference below
3 hrs
Hartelijk bedankt, Natasha!
neutral philgoddard : No, it's a particular kind of employee, as Natasha points out.
3 hrs
Thank you for your comment.
agree Kitty Brussaard : This might work in certain contexts but would be problematic if this term is already used in the same text to refer to 'medewerker' in general.
12 hrs
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

5 hrs
Reference:

Stafmedewerker

Stafmedewerker is normally someone who works in the 'staf' (as opposed to the 'lijn', i.e. production) of an organisation: strategy, policy, HR, R&D.

The difficulty in finding a translation is that the English 'member of staff/staff member' is used more widely and synonymously to 'employee', hence the differentiation 'staf'/'lijn' tends to disappear in English.


https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staf_(organisatie)
http://anw.inl.nl/article/stafmedewerker

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2016-10-05 03:40:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In Dutch there seems to be ambiguity as well, regarding the differentiation adviserend/ondersteunend, e.g.: "Als staffunctionaris ondersteun je deze profitcenters. Je levert geen directe bijdrage aan de winst van de onderneming, maar helpt andere bedrijfsonderdelen bij het maken van omzet en winst."
(http://www.carrieretijger.nl/carriere/profiel/lijn-staf-onde...

versus:

"De staf is de benaming van de groep medewerkers die de leidinggevende van een organisatie bijstaan als raadgever en helper."
(https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staf_(organisatie)

Not sure if this is helping Michael or just adding to the confusion :)
Note from asker:
Thanks Natasha, there is indeed a certain amount of ambiguity.
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree Erzsébet Czopyk : let's agree with the confusion :) have a nice day
42 mins
agree Kitty Brussaard : Prima uitleg en kanttekeningen! Het begrip 'stafmedewerker' is ook nauw verbonden met de zgn. secundaire (ondersteunende) en tertiaire (besturende) bedrijfsfuncties/processen.
7 hrs
Dank je Kitty! En voor de toelichting :)
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