Dec 13, 2009 02:40
14 yrs ago
Finnish term
suvantopaikka
Finnish to English
Social Sciences
Education / Pedagogy
vaan auttamassa suvantopaikkojen yli
In a discussion of day-care centers, the idea is not to play with children but to help them over the "suvantopaikat." The closest I could figure for this was to "help get through the quiet times," but is there something better?
In a discussion of day-care centers, the idea is not to play with children but to help them over the "suvantopaikat." The closest I could figure for this was to "help get through the quiet times," but is there something better?
Proposed translations
(English)
3 +1 | standstill | Timo Lehtilä |
4 | plateau | kathyw |
4 | (place where you could get) stuck | Anu Carroll |
4 | a care center whose goal is to redirect (children's) behavior | bserog |
3 | boring moment | Alfa Trans (X) |
Proposed translations
+1
6 hrs
standstill
Declined
'Suvanto' originally means 'backwater', the place in the river where the water does not flow at all or flows slowly.
Here 'suvantopaikka' is used descriptively, referring to the situation when the kids don't know what to do next. The nurses then intervene and inspire some activity.
You have caught quite correctly what the original expression means and I suspect that I can't, with my limited competence in English, produce anything much better. Maybe, 'intervene with inspiration when a standstill occurs'.
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Note added at 6 hrs (2009-12-13 09:23:13 GMT)
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It just crossed my mind. Would direct translation "to help over a standstill" work? Google gives no support, but I suspect that Google isn't very intelligent in determining the usability of a new expression.
Here 'suvantopaikka' is used descriptively, referring to the situation when the kids don't know what to do next. The nurses then intervene and inspire some activity.
You have caught quite correctly what the original expression means and I suspect that I can't, with my limited competence in English, produce anything much better. Maybe, 'intervene with inspiration when a standstill occurs'.
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Note added at 6 hrs (2009-12-13 09:23:13 GMT)
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It just crossed my mind. Would direct translation "to help over a standstill" work? Google gives no support, but I suspect that Google isn't very intelligent in determining the usability of a new expression.
1 day 2 hrs
plateau
Declined
A 'plateau' is used to refer to a stall in learning - not sure if I would use this to describe day-care level learning, but it does sound like what the writer is refering to here.
So - to help the children get over the plateaus in the learning process.
So - to help the children get over the plateaus in the learning process.
9 hrs
boring moment
Declined
IMHO suvantopaikka here means the same as hiljainen hetki. It means that there are boring moments (or too challenging ones - but something is always going on) in a game, when children may get bored with it and want to quit. Then they need the nurses to help them get through these moments.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2009-12-13 14:41:15 GMT)
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In Finland we use the following occupational titles:
head of day-care centre Päiväkodin johtaja
kindergarten teacher Lastentarhanopettaja
social educator Sosiaalikasvattaja
Bachelor of Social Sciences Sosionomi
Bachelor of Education Kasvatustieteen kandidaatti
Master of Education Kasvatustieteen maisteri
practical children’s nurse Lastenhoitaja
kindergarten practical nurse Päivähoitaja
practical nurse Lähihoitaja
family child minder Perhepäivähoitaja
special kindergarten teacher Erityislastentarhanopettaja
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Note added at 12 hrs (2009-12-13 14:44:25 GMT)
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I was hoping you would get some answers from native speakers, but obviously this is a tricky question for them, too, and they are clueless : )
Your suggestion is good, too.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2009-12-13 17:07:58 GMT)
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I forgot to add that we usually translate ohjaaja as instructor. I think you'd better ask your client about the usage, all I can tell you is what titles we use in Finland.
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Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2009-12-14 09:29:59 GMT)
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Suvantopaikka is figurative language which means in practice
giving support and guidance to children whenever they need it.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2009-12-13 14:41:15 GMT)
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In Finland we use the following occupational titles:
head of day-care centre Päiväkodin johtaja
kindergarten teacher Lastentarhanopettaja
social educator Sosiaalikasvattaja
Bachelor of Social Sciences Sosionomi
Bachelor of Education Kasvatustieteen kandidaatti
Master of Education Kasvatustieteen maisteri
practical children’s nurse Lastenhoitaja
kindergarten practical nurse Päivähoitaja
practical nurse Lähihoitaja
family child minder Perhepäivähoitaja
special kindergarten teacher Erityislastentarhanopettaja
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Note added at 12 hrs (2009-12-13 14:44:25 GMT)
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I was hoping you would get some answers from native speakers, but obviously this is a tricky question for them, too, and they are clueless : )
Your suggestion is good, too.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2009-12-13 17:07:58 GMT)
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I forgot to add that we usually translate ohjaaja as instructor. I think you'd better ask your client about the usage, all I can tell you is what titles we use in Finland.
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Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2009-12-14 09:29:59 GMT)
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Suvantopaikka is figurative language which means in practice
giving support and guidance to children whenever they need it.
Note from asker:
vaimoni and I were thinking about this some more -- how about "to help them get by those times when they are clueless about what to do next"? The sense here goes beyond boredom and maybe back to the earleir suggestion of things being at a standstill. |
The question of how to refer to the person who works directly with children in a day care center (päivakoti) is also of interest. I'm not sure nurse would be the best rendition of the original Finnish, which in this case is "ohjaaja." My wife is very firm on that, because a nurse is only someone who provides medical attention and she teaches in that field in Finland! I checked with some of the U.S. day care employment ads and the closest I could find was "caregiver." |
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/childnurse/ This gets quite interesting but also confusing. You will see from this link, which is actually British, that a child's nurse is defined as someone who looks after the health of children. Nursemaid is archaic English and does have the non-medical connotation. I also found child minder for lastenhoitaja in the dictionary but that would sound more like British English. Some people use babysitter, which may be right in its context, but not when talking about day care centers. A licensed practical nurse at least in the US is the equivalent of alihoitaja, which is solely of the medical variety. I also found a discussion on the Net about Socionomi, where they suggested there is no real equivalent and then offered Bachelor of Social Services. |
14 hrs
(place where you could get) stuck
Declined
I would have no idea what to suggest if it weren't for the previous two suggestions, and it would probably help if I knew something about children, but something like "give them a nudge when they seem to be getting stuck" sounds good to me. I also thought about "going adrift," but that sounds too poetic here (tends to be used about people losing direction in their lives).
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Note added at 20 days (2010-01-02 19:48:28 GMT)
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This got stuck in the back of my mind and I just thought of "lull", probably too late
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Note added at 20 days (2010-01-02 19:48:28 GMT)
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This got stuck in the back of my mind and I just thought of "lull", probably too late
635 days
a care center whose goal is to redirect (children's) behavior
Redirect is a term often used (in the US) as a method of handling difficult behavior in children. It usually means calming them and then re-focusing them on a better goal or play.
I'm guessing that the suvanto of suvantopaikka refers to more of a calm refuge for troubled kids, a sort of haven, or a safe place with caregivers that help them learn to guide and control their behavior. 'Positive Discipline' is another related technique.
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Note added at 635 days (2011-09-10 00:52:24 GMT)
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Another thought - If suvantopaikka is in context of a small child's temper tantrum, then it could just be a 'timeout', or a place to calm down.
I'm guessing that the suvanto of suvantopaikka refers to more of a calm refuge for troubled kids, a sort of haven, or a safe place with caregivers that help them learn to guide and control their behavior. 'Positive Discipline' is another related technique.
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Note added at 635 days (2011-09-10 00:52:24 GMT)
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Another thought - If suvantopaikka is in context of a small child's temper tantrum, then it could just be a 'timeout', or a place to calm down.
Discussion
Creativity stems from a well-nourished brain. It requires responsive adults willing to inspire and stimulate. We should not underestimate daily routines and games. Humour helps, you should teach a child not to take things too seriously. Learning should be fun, too!
To me, it does sound like the original writer is trying to express that what actually happens is an educational experience, rather than 'just play'. In that case, plateau would fit better, as it does refer to an actual educational phenomena.