haften

English translation: adhere

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:haften
English translation:adhere
Entered by: Michele Fauble

19:40 Aug 2, 2018
German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Materials (Plastics, Ceramics, etc.) / non-woven fabrics
German term or phrase: haften
This is an HR document about the company's products.

Wir können auch die isolierende Wirkung von Kleidung verbessern, indem wir die Oberfläche, an der die Luft *haften* kann, durch winzige Mikrofasern vergrößern.

Could "haften" be a mistake? Air cannot "adhere" to microfibers, it seems to me.

Thanks!
Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 18:20
adhere
Explanation:
I'm more familiar with this in the context of thermal transfer through glass,but, yes, air can adhere to a material.


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Note added at 14 mins (2018-08-02 19:55:41 GMT)
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"... thermal resistance of windows is mainly due to thin films of insulating air that adhere to either side of the glass surface."
https://books.google.com/books?id=upa42dyhf38C&pg=PA641&lpg=...

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Note added at 1 hr (2018-08-02 21:11:10 GMT)
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The writer used 'haften' for a reason. Air is trapped in a space, but adheres to a surface.
"... indem wir die Oberfläche, an der die Luft *haften* kann, durch winzige Mikrofasern vergrößern."
Selected response from:

Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 15:20
Grading comment
Thanks! Bowing to your technical expertise.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4adhere
Michele Fauble
3 +1surface area traps the air
Michael Martin, MA


  

Answers


24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
surface area traps the air


Explanation:
No. "Haften" is correct. But I would express this differently in English:

"We can improve the insulating effect of clothing by using tiny microfibers to enlarge the surface area that traps the air."

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Note added at 26 mins (2018-08-02 20:07:22 GMT)
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Compare with this:
"As the fiber surface traps air, a given weight of coarse fiber will trap less air than a similar amount of fine fiber." https://books.google.com/books?id=oABKCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA42&lpg=P...

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 18:20
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Ah, that one I can at least visualize!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Michele Fauble: Strictly speaking, air isn't trapped, but adheres due to molecular forces.
5 mins

agree  philgoddard
1 hr
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
adhere


Explanation:
I'm more familiar with this in the context of thermal transfer through glass,but, yes, air can adhere to a material.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2018-08-02 19:55:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"... thermal resistance of windows is mainly due to thin films of insulating air that adhere to either side of the glass surface."
https://books.google.com/books?id=upa42dyhf38C&pg=PA641&lpg=...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-08-02 21:11:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The writer used 'haften' for a reason. Air is trapped in a space, but adheres to a surface.
"... indem wir die Oberfläche, an der die Luft *haften* kann, durch winzige Mikrofasern vergrößern."

Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 15:20
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thanks! Bowing to your technical expertise.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks. I learn something new every day!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: This may be scientifically correct, but it sounds odd to me.
1 hr
  -> Correct and not odd if you're familiar with the subject matter (insulation, air), as I assume the author of the German text is.

agree  Lancashireman: Perhaps Phil would prefer 'cling'? Anyway, air is the subject rather than the object in this sentence.
6 hrs
  -> thanks

agree  Teresa Reinhardt
7 hrs
  -> thanks

agree  Edith Kelly
9 hrs
  -> thanks

agree  Johannes Gleim
11 hrs
  -> thanks

neutral  Michael Martin, MA: This may be super faithful to the original, but I doubt anybody would say it like that in English except when translating a foreign language text
1 day 1 hr
  -> A company describing its products, using technically correct language, not conversational language.
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