duftneutral

English translation: neutral/subtle fragrance

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:duftneutral
English translation:neutral/subtle fragrance
Entered by: Julia Burgess

13:11 Oct 18, 2017
German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Cosmetics, Beauty / descriptions of beauty/household products
German term or phrase: duftneutral
Context: list of product characteristics. In this case: hand sanitiser gels (UK-EN).

Is it acceptable to say "fragrance-free" (defined by Oxford as "not containing perfume")? Or is it better/more accurate to say "(with a) neutral scent"?

Complicated by the fact that, in one location, I have: "duftneutral (leichter Citrusduft)". If it has a lemon fragrance, it can't be fragrance-free, can it? Is there an official definition of these terms for advertising/trading standards purposes? (And where does "unscented" fit in?!)

TIA!
Julia Burgess
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:23
fragrance free/neutral fragrance
Explanation:
A lot of products that are supposedly fragrance free still have a slight scent if you sniff them from up close.
However, "duftneutral (leichter Citrusduft)" is a contradiction in terms, at least in English. In this case, I would ignore "duftneutral", put "slight citrus fragrance" and add a translator's note explaining why.
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions - Alison's references in the Discussion Box in particular were very helpful on the distinction between duftneutral and duftstofffrei. To keep as close to the DE as possible - without adding or taking away too much meaning - I'm opting for "neutral fragrance" (ta Phil). ElliCom offered some inspiration in the Discussion Box, too: "subtle fragrance" would be a good alternative.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1fragrance free/neutral fragrance
philgoddard
4 +1free of harsh fragrances
Herbmione Granger


Discussion entries: 17





  

Answers


38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
fragrance free/neutral fragrance


Explanation:
A lot of products that are supposedly fragrance free still have a slight scent if you sniff them from up close.
However, "duftneutral (leichter Citrusduft)" is a contradiction in terms, at least in English. In this case, I would ignore "duftneutral", put "slight citrus fragrance" and add a translator's note explaining why.


    Reference: http://www.dict.cc/german-english/duftneutral.html
philgoddard
United States
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions - Alison's references in the Discussion Box in particular were very helpful on the distinction between duftneutral and duftstofffrei. To keep as close to the DE as possible - without adding or taking away too much meaning - I'm opting for "neutral fragrance" (ta Phil). ElliCom offered some inspiration in the Discussion Box, too: "subtle fragrance" would be a good alternative.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  gangels (X)
1 hr

neutral  Eleanore Strauss: please see my comment... agree with your indication of contradiction, but it is definitely not fragrance free... and at least in the USA that would be against the law
6 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
free of harsh fragrances


Explanation:
http://www.femmesil.com/ingredients/
"Femmesil is free of harsh fragrances, dyes and preservatives."

Herbmione Granger
Germany
Local time: 17:23
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Also a good option - thank you for your input :)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lancashireman: This is all about herbal chemistry, so I would have thought you 'met the criteria'.
2 hrs
  -> I did not "report interest in the subject matter," therefore I must not have interest in the subject matter.// Update: I must not have had interest in the subject matter.
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