relatiegeschenken

English translation: gifts as a form of bribery, graft, under-the-table 'perks' etc.

16:36 Jan 29, 2005
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Linguistics
Dutch term or phrase: relatiegeschenken
I need the term "relatiegeschenken" translated to English. Here is the text it comes from:
"Al snel werd hij ingezet om speciale messen als relatiegeschenken te maken."

I cannot use the term "Corporate Gift" here as this refers to a period in Eastern Europe under the socialist system when they clearly had no such things. From what I understand these were gifts for highly ranked members of the Communist Party at the time.
Johan Venter
Czech Republic
Local time: 23:01
English translation:gifts as a form of bribery, graft, under-the-table 'perks' etc.
Explanation:
sounds like gifts given to keep the machinery running smoothly or to get contracts, speed up bureaucracy, have people suddendly go blind to certain events, etc.
Was the only way to get things done at times under those systems. Hed friends in Bulgaria.
Selected response from:

writeaway
Grading comment
This helped, thanks.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2promotional gift / present
Marijke Mayer
3 -1gifts as a form of bribery, graft, under-the-table 'perks' etc.
writeaway


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
gifts as a form of bribery, graft, under-the-table 'perks' etc.


Explanation:
sounds like gifts given to keep the machinery running smoothly or to get contracts, speed up bureaucracy, have people suddendly go blind to certain events, etc.
Was the only way to get things done at times under those systems. Hed friends in Bulgaria.

writeaway
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
This helped, thanks.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  11thmuse: Not good! It takes the typical cynical meaning out off the word. Just keep it like "gifts for important relations"
10 hrs
  -> this was 'brainstorming'-giving ideas to help someone find a solution-not a 'clean-cut' answer.do this a lot with pro translator colleagues behind the scenes.the idea behind it is more important than the words,which am certain were 100 % clear to asker
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
promotional gift / present


Explanation:
Johan, het moet me toch wel even van het hart. Mijn antwoord komt wel als mosterd na de maaltijd, maar je was wel wat snel met het geven van (nog wel 4) punten. Writeaway's answer was weliswaar niet slecht, maar wel wat overdreven voor deze vraag. De term komt gewoon in de Van Dale N-E voor als 'promotional gift / present'. In de zakenwereld zijn relatiegeschenken heel gewoon en hoeven niet negatief te zijn. Er zijn zelfs hele businessen die zich erin specialiseren, getuige de vele Google treffers: Resultaten 1 - 10 van circa 178.000 voor "promotional gift".

Marijke Mayer
Netherlands
Local time: 23:01
Native speaker of: Dutch

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Arsen Nazarian: fully agree, though late for points!
3 hrs
  -> Thank you. It is too late for points, but never mind; but the asker has the final say anyhow in awarding the points.

agree  Nora Kis-Pal: Fully agree!
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Ma'am.
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