Logging worker vs. Lumberjack

English translation: formal vs. informal

12:56 Dec 22, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Forestry / Wood / Timber
English term or phrase: Logging worker vs. Lumberjack
In a list of accupation that I'm translating into Finnish.

What difference is there between 'Logging worker' and 'Lumberjack'?
Timo Lehtilä
Finland
Local time: 17:13
Selected answer:formal vs. informal
Explanation:
IMO, "logging worker" is a modern formal definition of a person employed in the wood cutting industry, whereas "lumberjack" is more of an informal thing. You'd refer to your buddy, a logging worker, as a lumberjack. Lumberjacks can be part of a bedtime story you read to your children. And, of course, "lumberjack" may have a historical connotation to it as you'd call a wood cutter from 100 years a go a lubberjack, never a logging worker.
Selected response from:

Roman Bardachev
Canada
Local time: 09:13
Grading comment
This obviously is true. I am translating a list of occupations, actually a list of different categories of occupations. It will be translated into many languages and will evidently be used on a job-brokering site. You could expect that when 'logging worker' and 'lumberjack' are represented as different categories of occupations, there should also be some actual difference between them. Now, many translators try in futile to find some difference. The text might be originally written in the Netherlands. Maybe there are some Dutch words having different meanings and the list-writers have tried to reflect that meaning-difference by using English words 'logging worker' and 'lumberjack'.

Thanks to all of you, and Merry Cristmas.

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +2formal vs. informal
Roman Bardachev
3[cutting & transporting] vs [cutting, transporting and preparing at the sawmill]
William [Bill] Gray


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
logging worker vs. lumberjack
[cutting & transporting] vs [cutting, transporting and preparing at the sawmill]


Explanation:
This is the understanding I have from the dictionaries. See the web link for further information, numbers 51 and 52.






    Reference: http://www.aces.edu/N4HFI/Forestry_Bowl/Forestry_Bowl_HTML.h...
William [Bill] Gray
Norway
Local time: 16:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
logging worker vs. lumberjack
formal vs. informal


Explanation:
IMO, "logging worker" is a modern formal definition of a person employed in the wood cutting industry, whereas "lumberjack" is more of an informal thing. You'd refer to your buddy, a logging worker, as a lumberjack. Lumberjacks can be part of a bedtime story you read to your children. And, of course, "lumberjack" may have a historical connotation to it as you'd call a wood cutter from 100 years a go a lubberjack, never a logging worker.

Roman Bardachev
Canada
Local time: 09:13
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
This obviously is true. I am translating a list of occupations, actually a list of different categories of occupations. It will be translated into many languages and will evidently be used on a job-brokering site. You could expect that when 'logging worker' and 'lumberjack' are represented as different categories of occupations, there should also be some actual difference between them. Now, many translators try in futile to find some difference. The text might be originally written in the Netherlands. Maybe there are some Dutch words having different meanings and the list-writers have tried to reflect that meaning-difference by using English words 'logging worker' and 'lumberjack'.

Thanks to all of you, and Merry Cristmas.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: Lumberjack is now archaic. That's why I was hoping the asker would give us some additional info. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumberjack
39 mins
  -> True, true... Thank you, Kim

agree  Alexandra Tussing
9 hrs
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