May 8, 2013 15:02
11 yrs ago
4 viewers *
German term
United Kingdom
Keine Kür ohne Pflicht
German to English
Tech/Engineering
Construction / Civil Engineering
Website headline
This is for a German construction company's website, on a testimonial and/or current project page:
Tiefbau und Umwelttechnik
Keine Kür ohne Pflicht, kein Bau ohne Tiefbau:
Unsere Spezialisten im Geschäftsfeld Tiefbau erschließen Areale für sämtliche Nutzungen und reaktivieren belastete Industrieflächen. Zur Altlastensanierung zählt ebenso die fachgerechte Entsorgung. Dabei berücksichtigen wir gesetzliche Vorgaben und die aktuellen Erkenntnisse modernster Bauverfahren.
I've not come across this particular phrase before. Are they playing on the fact that they dispose of the old stuff before putting new stuff in? Could it be something like 'no pain, no gain' or 'doing due diligence'?
Thanks in advance!
Tiefbau und Umwelttechnik
Keine Kür ohne Pflicht, kein Bau ohne Tiefbau:
Unsere Spezialisten im Geschäftsfeld Tiefbau erschließen Areale für sämtliche Nutzungen und reaktivieren belastete Industrieflächen. Zur Altlastensanierung zählt ebenso die fachgerechte Entsorgung. Dabei berücksichtigen wir gesetzliche Vorgaben und die aktuellen Erkenntnisse modernster Bauverfahren.
I've not come across this particular phrase before. Are they playing on the fact that they dispose of the old stuff before putting new stuff in? Could it be something like 'no pain, no gain' or 'doing due diligence'?
Thanks in advance!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 | You have to put in the groundwork first |
Lancashireman
|
| 3 +2 | No laurels without labor |
Michael Martin, MA
|
| 3 +1 | No sweat, no glory/No pain, no gain |
Ramey Rieger (X)
|
| 3 | You can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs. |
jccantrell
|
| 3 | excellence builds on the basics |
Horst Huber (X)
|
Proposed translations
2 days 2 hrs
Selected
You have to put in the groundwork first
By request
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2013-05-10 17:45:18 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
You're very welcome.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2013-05-10 17:45:18 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
You're very welcome.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you!"
+1
17 mins
No sweat, no glory/No pain, no gain
just to get things started
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
David Moore (X)
: To keep it short as in the original, "no pain, no gain" gets my vote
17 hrs
|
|
You gotta suffer to sing the blues. Thanks David, have a good weekend!
|
31 mins
jccantrell
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Was nicht ist, kann noch werden.
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
164
You can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs.
How I heard the "pain before the gain" described for a freeway construction project here in LA.
Unfortunately, it is now over-budget and will be one year behind schedule.
Some omelette (or omelet, depending on your taste).
Unfortunately, it is now over-budget and will be one year behind schedule.
Some omelette (or omelet, depending on your taste).
+2
43 mins
Michael Martin, MA
United States
United States
Native in German
&
English
United States
Creativity wins in the long run
Native in: German (Variant: Germany) 
, English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
82
No laurels without labor
... ,no construction without underground engineering? I find the second part harder to translate..
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2013-05-08 16:05:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Thanks, Jen. I thought about "no construction without a good foundation" for the second part. But I had reservations since they're doing so much more than laying building foundations.. But then again, Tiefbau as such doesn't necessarily include all that remediation work they seem to be doing.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 hrs (2013-05-09 11:40:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
More ideas:
"No accolades without achievement (quality), no construction without solid groundwork"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2013-05-08 16:05:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Thanks, Jen. I thought about "no construction without a good foundation" for the second part. But I had reservations since they're doing so much more than laying building foundations.. But then again, Tiefbau as such doesn't necessarily include all that remediation work they seem to be doing.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 hrs (2013-05-09 11:40:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
More ideas:
"No accolades without achievement (quality), no construction without solid groundwork"
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Kathi Stock
: Nice, I think this one fits best in this context!
6 hrs
|
|
Thanks much, Kathi!
|
|
| agree |
Thayenga
: Nice!. I agree with Kathi. :)
15 hrs
|
| agree |
Ramey Rieger (X)
: Excellent!
16 hrs
|
| disagree |
David Moore (X)
: This sounds too US for a UK-based translator - don't be hurt, but we are talking different styles here.
17 hrs
|
|
Your assumption may have been correct here but translator’s location alone is normally insufficient to draw this conclusion. Her client could be anywhere. Unless UK English is dictated by context or requested by asker, everything should be fair game.
|
23 hrs
excellence builds on the basics
To try something different.
Discussion
Good/solid/quality groundwork is a must - not an optional extra
Die Redewendung „Erst die Pflicht, dann die Kür“ bedeutet, den grundlegenden Aufgaben Vorrang gegenüber den darauf aufbauenden bzw. spezielleren Aufgaben zu geben.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kür_(Wahl)