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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

produkterna har blivit sågade

English translation: edge / cutting edge

10:14 Oct 31, 2008
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Swedish term or phrase: produkterna har blivit sågade
Det här är reklam för en sågtillverkare. Texten lyder så här:

Att ta i trä är bra, särskilt om man är vidskeplig. Men att såga i trä är ännu bättre. Med en bensindriven motorsåg klarar du det mesta – skogsarbete, vedkapning och det där trädet som alltid stört utsikten. Motorsågarna har genom åren blivit ett viktigt kännemärke för XXX. Ett bevis för att kvalitet håller i längden. Även om produkterna alltid har blivit sågade.
A. Petrunova
Bulgaria
Local time: 11:59
English translation:edge / cutting edge
Explanation:
The Swedish is a weak play on words: to 'såga' is both the verb 'to saw' and a slang verb 'to criticise something strongly' (to pan it, to rubbish it - you can see these as verbs in wiktionary).
No English term that involves both criticism and saws comes to mind, and a 'direct' translation will at best fall completely flat.
A play on 'cutting edge' [first reference][first example sentence] would work.
So would a play on their saws 'having the edge' on their competitors [second reference - noun 'edge' definition four][second example sentence].
Re 'ta it trä', be aware that if it's UK English you'll need 'touch wood', but for US English you'll need 'knock on wood'.
Selected response from:

Charlotte Merton
Sweden
Local time: 10:59
Grading comment
Thank you very much for your help and comments!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2edge / cutting edge
Charlotte Merton


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


41 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
edge / cutting edge


Explanation:
The Swedish is a weak play on words: to 'såga' is both the verb 'to saw' and a slang verb 'to criticise something strongly' (to pan it, to rubbish it - you can see these as verbs in wiktionary).
No English term that involves both criticism and saws comes to mind, and a 'direct' translation will at best fall completely flat.
A play on 'cutting edge' [first reference][first example sentence] would work.
So would a play on their saws 'having the edge' on their competitors [second reference - noun 'edge' definition four][second example sentence].
Re 'ta it trä', be aware that if it's UK English you'll need 'touch wood', but for US English you'll need 'knock on wood'.

Example sentence(s):
  • Proof that quality lasts. Even at the cutting edge.
  • Proof that quality lasts. Products that always have the edge.

    Reference: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cutting_edge
    Reference: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/edge
Charlotte Merton
Sweden
Local time: 10:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you very much for your help and comments!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Katarina Lindve: it is clear that the client want to have a spectuacular ending and a humourous language så if you can find anything like cutting edge in bulgarian this is really good.
4 hrs
agree  Graham Timmins: brilliant! I only got as far as thinking ' what a weak pun!' but you take it to a new level!
2 days 2 hrs
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