Like-Blog
Presenting you the most interesting translation solutions
Why Like-Blog? Now, first of all, this blog is a blog that you should like (and read regularly) – at least, if you are interested in translation. Then, the topic discussed here is one in which the meaningful likeness between a text and its translation in the language pair English-German plays a key role. On this page, I will take a close look at some interesting translation solutions that I have come across in the course of my work as a translator and translation scholar.
A translation solution is only as good as the arguments that support it. This means that any translation criticism, whether positive or negative, needs to be justified. The quality of a translation solution shows only when we compare it to other possible translation solutions in a given translation situation. Therefore, a translation critic should not only say why a translation solution is bad, but also demonstrate what a better solution might look like. I will try to stick to these principles of translation criticism. So if you have any questions regarding my line of argument or if you disagree, please, let me know your opinion by phone at +49 4171 6086525 or by e-mail to bittner@businessenglish-hamburg.de. So much for the introduction. I hope you’ll enjoy reading this blog!
Together and separately (July 2026)
The text “Will they still come?” from The Economist (7 August 2010) is about international students in Britain:
“To start with, [international students] are crucial to the finances of cash-strapped universities.”
This was translated in the following way: “Zunächst einmal sind [die ausländischen Studierenden] für die Finanzlage der von Pleite bedrohten Universitäten entscheidend.”
The expression “von Pleite bedroht” (on the verge of bankruptcy) is not only unusual in connection with universities, it also exaggerates what in the original text is referred to as “cash-strapped”. What is more, the adjective “cash-strapped” does not have a defining function but merely describes the financial situation of British universities in general. In other words, the text does not distinguish between cash-strapped universities on the one hand and universities that are not cash-strapped, on the other hand. The rather drastic expression used in the German translation, however, renders a defining function of “von Pleite bedroht” inevitable as not all universities are on the verge of bankruptcy.
A better translation would be: Zunächst einmal sind [die ausländischen Studierenden] für die Finanzlage der unter chronischem Geldmangel leidenden Universitäten entscheidend.