This dictionary from Routledge represents another in their series of German‐English/English‐German volumes, including the two‐volume set on technology (German Technical Dictionary, 1997) and that on environmental technology (German Dictionary of Environmental Technology, 1997). It has to be stated that it has taken its time to wing itself to this reviewer (the book was first published in 1996). Like the volumes I have previously reviewed, this one maintains the high standards of the series. The format is the same, with detailed instructions on using the dictionary. Like the previous volumes, also, the publishers are keen on flashing “New” on the front and the spine. Besides the German‐English and English‐German sections(pp. 1‐209 and pp. 217‐425 respectively), there is a list of commonly used abbreviations in information technology. I seem to remember these being somewhat adventurous at one time but most are rather dull acronyms (BoB, best of breed; BAD, breakthrough application delivery).
Animals appear a popular theme for information technology lexicographers, similar to fruits for hardware manufacturers. Hence “beaver‐tail” (“Biberschwanz”); “bat‐wing aerial” (not “Fledermausantenne” but “Mehrfach‐Schmetterlingsantenne”); “monkey‐chatter” (“Nachbarkanalstorung”) (“monkey” translates as “neighbour”); “alligator‐clip” and “crocodile‐clip” (“Krokodilklemme”) (clearly the same to Germans). Others include “squirrel‐cage motor” (no German squirrels but “Drehstrommotor”), “pigskin” (“Schweinsleder”), “turtle” (“Turtle‐Grafik”) and “rat‐race” (oddly called “ringformige Hybride”). More common ones are of course “mouse” and “virus”.
German is not particularly receptive of other nationalistic terms working themselves into terminology: “English finish” is “matte Satinierung” (is this a joke?), “French curve” is simply “Kurvenlineal” and “Polish notation” is “klammerfreie notation”. “Italic” from the obvious is “Kursivschrift” but note that “Infobahn” stays “Infobahn” and “Mandelbrot” is “Mandelbrot” (literally “almond bread”). Now, we know they did not start it, for while there is “faulty circuit”, “faulty insulation” and “faulty line” there is no “faulty towers”.
Information technology continues to create unusual terminology in English (and American English) and one gets the impression that literal translations into German are by no means easy: “do not disturb facility”; “don’t care gate”; “what if capability”. The last translates clumsily as “Fahigkeit zu Was‐wäre‐wenn‐Folgerungen”. “Ampersand” is merely an “Und‐Zeichen” (“and sign”) though “bagpipes” (“electronic noise”) is translated directly as “Dudeltonstorung” but “Dudeltonmusik” would be more accurate in my opinion. “Lurk” is certainly better than “im Hintergrund lauern” (“to lie and wait in the background”) and “tweeter” more evocative than “Hochtonlautsprecher”. Finally WYSIWYG translates as “wirklichkeitsgetreue Darstellung auf dem Bildschirm” (something along the lines of “a really true representation on the screen”)
This volume meets with the high standards of this series and I look forward to other dictionaries covering science and technology.
