Proper Spanish in Electrical Terms

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I am looking for some help in translating some typical electrical warnings for a job in Mexico. I want them to be professionally worded so I am looking for someone not only familiar with the electrical terms but fluent in Spanish.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, but that won't do it. Babelfish works "ok" for some stuff but not for technical things. Even a Spanish teacher would not know the electrical lingo enough to get the translation correct. Haven't you ever noticed how silly some technical things sound after being translated into English? I am looking for someone who really knows the trade and the language.
 

gndrod

Senior Member
Location
Ca and Wa
Xlassions

Xlassions

Yikes! Como sta. Where is George? He probably knows. Translating equipotential ground bonding might be a real challenge.
 

dbuckley

Senior Member
Ok, cant resist.

In Wales it is a legal requirement that all road signs are dual language. Like this:

_45162744_-2.jpg


This sign causes much merriment to the Welshers, as the Welsh language version reads "I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated."

Original source a BBC article here. And nope, this isn't an exercise in photoshop, its real, and funnier than that it is not unique...

So the moral of this story is if you are getting stuff translated get it checked!!!
 
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cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
One of the big problems they had when they were writing the spanish version of the NEC is that not everything translates.

You will find that with many languages.

Here are some actual notes that I got on a plan check for a Mexican bakery:

1. The inspector will be verify conform the plans, the electrical system on the field.

2. The existing electrical services 200 amp. The inspector must be verify on the field the services electrical.
 
Here are some examples...

Here are some examples...

Thank you for offering to assist. Here are a few examples which I believe are not quite professional enough in their translation:

Advertencia. Desconectar energia antes de dar servicio.

Advertencia. Este dispositivo esat conectado a mas de una fuente de poder. Desconecte todas las fuentes de poder antes de dar servicio.

Advertencia. Cable amraillo o cableado con guia amerilla no es desenergizado al desconectar este panel.

I am not fluent in Spanish, but I can get by. I just want these to look professional. These are for central M?xico (Cuautitl?n).
 
You're making the right choice in seeking help. If you saw the news with a mis-translated word on a gift to the Russians then you can attest to the fact that translation is important.
 

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
Thank you for offering to assist. Here are a few examples which I believe are not quite professional enough in their translation:

Advertencia. Desconectar energia antes de dar servicio.

Advertencia. Este dispositivo esat conectado a mas de una fuente de poder. Desconecte todas las fuentes de poder antes de dar servicio.

Advertencia. Cable amraillo o cableado con guia amerilla no es desenergizado al desconectar este panel.

I am not fluent in Spanish, but I can get by. I just want these to look professional. These are for central M?xico (Cuautitl?n).
I'll see if I can hit up my buddy Perfecto tomorrow to check it over. (No joke, that's his real name. :) )
 

mtnelectrical

Senior Member
Well I do not have a master in translation but I do speak spanish, and I suggest the following modifications
Advertencia.Desconecte la corriente el?ctrica antes de hacer reparaciones.
Advertencia. Este equipo est? conectadao a m?s de una fuente de poder. Aseg?rece que todas las fuentes de poder estan desconectadas antes de hacer reparaciones.
Advertencia. Cuando desconecte este panel el alambre amarillo o marcado con amarillo seguir? energizado.
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
There are a few searchable books, "English/spanish Contruction Terms", or translation books are out on the market, a firm in the get "northwest" has a single word-item crossreference.
 

dduffee260

Senior Member
Location
Texas
The told me 2 days ago to let the sheet rockers know not to rock a certain wall in a house when we were leaving. All I knew to do was get a piece of sheet rock and write " no cheetrock aqui" and nail it up on the wall. I hope they can read spanglish.
 

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
I got off the phone with Perfecto, he doesn't have email but he said he'd try to get in touch to take a look at this.

My take (deletions in red):

Advertencia. Desconecta energia el fuente antes de dar servicio.
Disconnect (ordering tense is a or e?) the source before servicing. Dar, give, is unnecessary. You're servicing, not giving servicing, IMO.

Advertencia. Este dispositivo equipo esta conectad? a mas de una fuente de corriente. Desconecte todas las fuentes de corriente antes de dar servicio.
I like mountain's use of "equipment" over "device". I didn't think poder looked right - directly translated it's "source to be able", which doesn't make sense. I asked Perfecto about poder over the phone and he suggested "fuerte de corriente", or "strength of current". I'd say "source of current" makes more sense, I couldn't remember the exact phrase you'd used, over the phone.

Advertencia. Cable amraillo o cableado con guia amerilla no es desenergizado al desconectar este panel.
I'll be perfectly honest, I haven't got a clue what you trying to say there, as an electrician reading it. How about...

Cuidado - El cable amarillo (or Los cables amarillos, whichever is more appropriate) o los alambres con rayas amarillos no son desenergizados cuando este panel esta desconectando.
Caution - The yellow cable (The yellow cables) or the conductors with yellow stripes are not deenergized when this panel is disconnected.

Edit: Come to think of it, I'm not convinced "desconectar" is a real word - all the switches I've ever seen have said "interuptor" on them. Perhaps that's a more appropriate word for this switch too.
 
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