Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Danish term or phrase:
formidle, formidling
English translation:
communicate, communication, interpret, interpretation, convey, present
Added to glossary by
Christine Andersen
Aug 28, 2012 21:20
11 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Danish term
Denmark
the message, not just the words
Native in: English (Variant: UK) 
Works in: Danish to English, English
formidle, formidling
Danish to English
Other
History
what museums do with their material ;-)
Jeg ser på formidlingen i friluftsmuseer fra lydens perspektiv.
... kommunikationsvirkningen af lyden i formidlingen på stedet...
... hvordan et museum formidler historien ...
At formidle kunst til et ungt publikum ...
I have some really awful Danish-English that I am trying to proofread, and simply cannot think how to get it to sound right.
These phrases are from another section, which I will be translating.
The Danish there is not impressive either, but at least it is Danish. This is a fairly theoretical introduction to the texts on wall charts and in booklets (some with illustrations) that will be available for visitors to the museum. I have translated a few of those, and of course, they are very different, written by different authors!
I always have trouble with ´formidling´. Mediation, which the client has used, sounds completely out of place. There is no dispute to settle here...
Propagate and disseminate are no better.
As the word occurs quite often in a total of a thousand words or maybe 1200, I am thinking of expressions like
presenting the material
putting the message across
communicating an idea
Maybe even just showing things, but the concept here is more active than simply arranging objects for visitors to see.
-- Basically, everything this museum does leads up to ´formidling´ in one way or another, possibly with a little interpretation on the side.
Thanks for any comments!
... kommunikationsvirkningen af lyden i formidlingen på stedet...
... hvordan et museum formidler historien ...
At formidle kunst til et ungt publikum ...
I have some really awful Danish-English that I am trying to proofread, and simply cannot think how to get it to sound right.
These phrases are from another section, which I will be translating.
The Danish there is not impressive either, but at least it is Danish. This is a fairly theoretical introduction to the texts on wall charts and in booklets (some with illustrations) that will be available for visitors to the museum. I have translated a few of those, and of course, they are very different, written by different authors!
I always have trouble with ´formidling´. Mediation, which the client has used, sounds completely out of place. There is no dispute to settle here...
Propagate and disseminate are no better.
As the word occurs quite often in a total of a thousand words or maybe 1200, I am thinking of expressions like
presenting the material
putting the message across
communicating an idea
Maybe even just showing things, but the concept here is more active than simply arranging objects for visitors to see.
-- Basically, everything this museum does leads up to ´formidling´ in one way or another, possibly with a little interpretation on the side.
Thanks for any comments!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +2 | communicate, communication |
564354352 (X)
|
| 2 | convey, conveyance |
Leif Henriksen
|
Proposed translations
+2
7 hrs
Selected
communicate, communication
kommunikationsvirkningen af lyden i formidlingen på stedet -> the communicative effect of sound in this place
hvordan et museum formidler historien -> how a museum communicates history
At formidle kunst til et ungt publikum -> Communicating art to a young audience
In my experience, there is no single English word that covers all the different Danish uses of 'formidle' and 'formidling', respectively, as the concept involves both 'spreading the message' and 'the message sinking in', and you have to interpret it in the context. However, when you get a Danish text where 'formidling' is a core subject, it becomes quite difficult to vary the translation, because you lose the cohesive effect. In such cases, I have found that either communicate/communication or disseminate/dissemination (mainly in relation to research) come closest. But some additional clarification may still be needed in places.
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Note added at 8 hrs (2012-08-29 05:25:12 GMT)
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P.S. I strongy object to the use of 'mediate' and 'mediation', respectively. I have seen both used in translations from Danish, but I have not been able to find any definition of the terms that correspond to the Danish use of formidle/formidling in relation to putting a message across. You will find 'mediate' in Danish dictionaries as a translation for 'formidle', but it means to 'stand in the gap' (sort of) between two (arguing) parties.
hvordan et museum formidler historien -> how a museum communicates history
At formidle kunst til et ungt publikum -> Communicating art to a young audience
In my experience, there is no single English word that covers all the different Danish uses of 'formidle' and 'formidling', respectively, as the concept involves both 'spreading the message' and 'the message sinking in', and you have to interpret it in the context. However, when you get a Danish text where 'formidling' is a core subject, it becomes quite difficult to vary the translation, because you lose the cohesive effect. In such cases, I have found that either communicate/communication or disseminate/dissemination (mainly in relation to research) come closest. But some additional clarification may still be needed in places.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2012-08-29 05:25:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
P.S. I strongy object to the use of 'mediate' and 'mediation', respectively. I have seen both used in translations from Danish, but I have not been able to find any definition of the terms that correspond to the Danish use of formidle/formidling in relation to putting a message across. You will find 'mediate' in Danish dictionaries as a translation for 'formidle', but it means to 'stand in the gap' (sort of) between two (arguing) parties.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Christopher Schröder
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Pernille Chapman
: And in some cases, you might also be able to use phrases with "inform(ation)" or even "enlighten(ment)". Recent discussions on the changes to the National Museum of Scotland focused on whether the role of a museum is to enlighten or entertain...
9 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for the useful comments.
This is an ongoing job, so all suggestions will come in useful at one stage or another :-)"
26 mins
Leif Henriksen
Norway
Norway
Norway
Experienced - accurate - on time
Native in: Norwegian 
, Norwegian (Bokmal)
Works in: English to Norwegian, German to Norwegian, English to Norwegian (Bokmal), and 4 more.
convey, conveyance
Ville du være mer komfortabel med dette uttrykket?
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Note added at 27 mins (2012-08-28 21:48:39 GMT)
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Aha, Pernille hadde allerede vært der mens jeg satt og skrev her :)
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Note added at 27 mins (2012-08-28 21:48:39 GMT)
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Aha, Pernille hadde allerede vært der mens jeg satt og skrev her :)
Reference:
http://www.presspubs.com/white_bear/news/article_7a3448ac-e16f-11e1-a800-0019bb2963f4.html
Discussion
mediate
n verb
1 intervene in a dispute to bring about an agreement or reconciliation.
2 technical be a medium for (a process or effect).
n adjective involving an intermediate agency.
DERIVATIVES
mediately adverb
mediation noun
mediator noun
mediatory adjective
ORIGIN
Middle English (as an adjective in the sense 'interposed'): from late Latin mediatus, mediare 'place in the middle', from Latin medius 'middle'.
And the Advanced Learner's:
3. Formal or technical
to influence something and/or make it possible for it to happen
Educational success is mediated by economic factors.
... But that is still a long way off what is usually meant by ´formidle´ in Danish.
Interpretation is better, especially in an artistic context. Maybe a little more controversial, or perhaps just honest, with history!
This job is slightly off my usual beat, but not far in fact.
Thanks for all comments so far!
This might one of those occasions when there's some German lurking in the background. It often gives me fits with academic texts.