This site uses cookies.
Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site,
while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other
Dutch to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Engineering (general)
Dutch term or phrase:zwaar
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?
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.
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'. :-)
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.
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!
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. :-)
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.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
18 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
heavy-duty all the way!
Explanation: Another option.
Marijke Singer Spain Local time: 14:27 Works in field Native speaker of: English, Spanish PRO pts in category: 12
Explanation: 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'.
James Duncan United Kingdom Local time: 13:27 Native speaker of: English
7 mins confidence:
weighty
Explanation: 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
Textpertise United Kingdom Local time: 13:27 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 24
Explanation: 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.
TechLawDC United States Local time: 08:27 Works in field Native speaker of: English
Explanation: 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.
Lesley Gunn Netherlands Local time: 14:27 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English
Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs
(or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
peer agreement (net): +1
