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This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other
Mar 10, 2023 08:37
1 yr ago
30 viewers *
Dutch term

zwaar

Dutch to English Marketing Engineering (general)
Wat uw wensen op het gebied van ballast ook zijn, wij maken het graag **zwaar** voor u!

This is an easy enough word to translate, but the use of zwaar is very clever wordplay in Dutch as the ballast weighs something down. A literal translation does not have the same impact as 'zwaar' in this context. Does anyone have a clever suggestion?
Proposed translations (English)
4 +2 Weighed down / weighing ... down
4 +1 heavy-duty all the way!
5 weighty
4 ballast which is adequate and effective
3 counterbalance
3 we've got the grit to deliver

Discussion

Johan Venter (asker) Mar 15, 2023:
Many good suggestions There were many good suggestions, but the only person who truly understood why I asked this question is Barend, and he did not propose an answer that I can award with points. I will therefore close this one without selecting an answer. Thank you for all your contributions.
Barend van Zadelhoff Mar 10, 2023:
To further explain this pun.

When they use 'wij maken het graag zwaar voor u', this will evoke in the reader's mind (at least, the Dutch reader's mind) the expression 'wij maken het graag makkelijk/gemakkelijk voor u / we maken het u graag gemakkelijk', since this is what the reader would expect.

'Wat uw wensen op het gebied van ballast ook zijn, wij maken het u graag gemakkelijk/we maken het graag gemakkelijk voor u!'

So, by saying 'wij maken het graag zwaar voor u', the writer says at the same time 'we maken het u graag gemakkelijk'.

Kind of 'we'll be glad to make things easy for you by making things [railway bed, e.g.] heavy [with ballast] for you'. :-)
Johan Venter (asker) Mar 10, 2023:
Good suggestions Some good suggestions, thank you, in particular from Barend and Ruchira.
Barend van Zadelhoff Mar 10, 2023:
The joke/pun remains the same (we would like/we'll be glad to make things heavy for you :-)), but another possible reading of 'wij maken het graag **zwaar** voor u', depending on the services they deliver, is we'll always be happy to 'apply' the ballast (meaning: something heavy) on the relevant railway beds/road beds for you.
Michael Beijer Mar 10, 2023:
I also like Ruchira's suggestion: "Whatever your ballast requirements may be, we're happy to deal with this weighty matter for you!"
Barend van Zadelhoff Mar 10, 2023:
Or:

No matter how demanding your ballast requirements, we'll be happy to deliver for you!
Ruchira Raychaudhuri Mar 10, 2023:
Many good suggestions given Naturally, there are many ways to translate this, another option could be:
Whatever your ballast requirements may be, we're happy to deal with this weighty matter for you! or
Whatever your ballast requirements may be, we'll be happy to take care of this weighty matter for you!
Barend van Zadelhoff Mar 10, 2023:
I understand that the 'joke' gets lost in the rephrasing.

The joke being, normally you would say to your clients we would like to make things easy for you, rather than we would like to make things difficult / heavy for you. :-)
Barend van Zadelhoff Mar 10, 2023:
thank you.

meaning 5 in van Dale
zand, grind of steenslag, over de aardebaan gespreid als onderlaag voor de dwarsliggers van spoorrails

I was thinking of this option as well, perhaps a better rephrasing:

Wat uw wensen op het gebied van ballast ook zijn, wij maken het graag zwaar voor u!

Wat uw wensen op het gebied van ballast ook zijn, u kunt net zoveel ballast krijgen als u wilt! (geen enkel probleem, hoeveel het ook is)
Johan Venter (asker) Mar 10, 2023:
ballast Ballast in this case means heavy stones, recycled metals, etc. used on railway beds, road beds and the like.
Barend van Zadelhoff Mar 10, 2023:
What does 'ballast' refer to?
Ships? Hot air balloons?

As I understand it:

Wat uw wensen op het gebied van ballast ook zijn, wij gebruiken graag zoveel mogelijk ballast.
Johan Venter (asker) Mar 10, 2023:
wens waarmaken This is a play on words, making the customer's wishes come true in English.
Michael Beijer Mar 10, 2023:
strange use of "zwaar maken" I find the phrase "wij maken het graag zwaar voor u" very odd. I've never heard "zwaarmaken / zwaar maken" used in this sense, as being something positive. I'd associate this with stuff like: zwaarder maken, bemoeilijken, bezwaren, verzwaren. "Je voor iets zwaarmaken"? Nog nooit tegengekomen.

Proposed translations

+1
18 mins

heavy-duty all the way!

Another option.
Peer comment(s):
agree Textpertise : I like this one too.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
20 mins

Weighed down / weighing ... down

Suggest turn it around along the lines of:
'Ballast requirements weighing you down?' or 'Weighed down by ballast requirements'. Followed by something like ' Leave them to us' or 'Let us deal with them'.
Peer comment(s):
agree Michael Beijer : although I am slightly confused by "wij maken het graag zwaar voor u" (see my d.box entry), I like your suggestion!
22 mins
agree philgoddard : Or "ballast decisions".
5 hrs
Something went wrong...
7 mins

weighty

Others may have other suggestions.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2023-03-10 11:42:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As in, perhaps: We're happy to help with your weighty decision
Something went wrong...
8 hrs
Dutch term (edited): ballast ... zwaar

ballast which is adequate and effective

Concerning what you would like in terms of ballast, we will be pleased to provide you with ballast which provides adequate weight and functions effectively.
Explanation: The idea of "weighty" or "important" is fundamentally stupid and not worthy of translation. It would cause the reader to hesitate for no good reason.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2023-03-10 16:56:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alternative (avoids redundancy): Concerning what you would like in terms of ballast, we will be pleased to supply you with ballast which provides adequate weight and functions effectively.
Peer comment(s):
neutral philgoddard : I don't think the Dutch is "stupid". It's clever wordplay, and you should try to produce the same effect.
19 hrs
Something went wrong...
10 hrs

counterbalance

A simple synonym…
Example sentence:

Whatever ballast you need, we can counterbalance it!

Something went wrong...
2 days 22 hrs

we've got the grit to deliver

The pun doesn't work in English, so I'd use a different one entirely. If the ballast in this instance refers to gravel or coarse stone used to form the bed of a railway track or the substratum of a road, then you could use the following pun: '...then we've got the grit to deliver.' The grit in this instance refers to the determination and the ballast in the literal sense.
Something went wrong...
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