snipa

11:56 Apr 11, 2014 

Dean, thank you for the pre-lunch break laugh!

Sven: Yes, that's two Swedish websites, thanks to you too. I was, however, already aware of how the boat looks like and this has really nothing to do with what I wrote. Nevertheless, I am certain that the asker has gotten enough information now to be able to judge which fits best in the context. Happy weekend to all!

11:49 Apr 11, 2014 

Here's another reference for our consideration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snipe_hunt). ;-)

Here we have a Navy man making some suggestions -- general and specific and there is some good reading in it all. My inclination is to not argue about it too much with him.

But it would be fun to see the original context, that is likely not possible. But the Swe term asked is indeed rather general (with all its variations) and several suggestions provide terms that are equally 'general' and understood. Seems boat type designations vary quite widely for seemingly similar vehicles.

11:40 Apr 11, 2014 

Please see http://www.anderssons-trabatar.se/varvet/snipa1.htm

One of the key characteristics of the "snipa" is that it is "spetsgattad", kindly see http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spetsgattad

11:30 Apr 11, 2014 

Before I disagreed with your suggestion I did a filtered search from both US and the UK. Most results then refer to "Cyber Snipa", which is not what we are after. There are a couple of images linked to Wikipedia and other such pages, probably added by Scandinavians, and the few actual boat references does specify that it is a Scandinavian clinker-style boat. So, if the knowledgeable people are mostly Scandinavians, would we not be better off not translating the text at all?
Also, I fail to see how defining something in the lines of "a snipa-style boat" would convey the wrong message to anyone, but perhaps I am one of the ignorant people you mention.

11:18 Apr 11, 2014 

A Gig is a fast boat used for racing or fast ferrying between ships (the USN even have motorised versions for their Captains and Admirals).
A Snipa is general purpose workboat.

10:59 Apr 11, 2014 

A gig can be fitted with a sail, so what's the translation problem?

10:47 Apr 11, 2014 

I agree with Martin's and Deane's earlier entries on audience.
I don't like 'faering' as it is but a transcription of the Norwegian and will leave all but deep specialists unenlightened.
I disagree with 'Gig' as this is usually a fast rowing or sailing boat, see http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/american_englis...

I feel we need an explanation like "snipa -a small Norwegian rowing/sailing boat", or for a wholly general readership, 'Dinghy' - see my answer.

10:30 Apr 11, 2014 

I was agreeing with you and discussing the 'disagree' comment to my suggestion at the same time! ;-)

09:27 Apr 11, 2014 

Ah, I was more referring to Sven suggesting "snipa" and saying it need not be translated. Personally I would prefer something such as "faering" together with an explanation as it, due to mentioned historical reasons, has a better sound in English than "snipa". The latter makes me think of a ghetto-speaking video gamer. Ish.

09:14 Apr 11, 2014 

But my reference to the term 'faering' is an indication of how the word is used in Eng as opposed to its actual usage in Norwegian. If the Eng has taken a Norwegian identification designation (four oared) and generalized it to mean 'Norse boat type with oars that can be fitted with a sail' (as the reference seems to indicate), then linguistically, using 'faering' in Eng is correct, even if it is incorrect in Norwegian (or Swedish). There are, indeed, more than a few such words in the Eng language (or British Isles dialects) for well-known historical reasons.

But if your audience is not boating enthusiasts, some explanation as Martin suggests, will be necessary in any case.

08:49 Apr 11, 2014 

So, my couple of cents. I would not simply throw in random non-standard Swedish word in an English text, unless you want to confuse readers massively. You could get around this by writing something in the lines of "a snipa-style boat" or some such thing, which might be a better option in the view of things as a gig (as far as I know) is only for rowing while a snipa can also have a sail. Also, from what images shows me a gig seems to be longer than your average snipa.

06:09 Apr 11, 2014 

-- it's a snipa.

18:15 Apr 10, 2014 

For us landlubbers that's entirely correct, but some people really know their stuff. Who's your audience? EU bureaucrats or boat folk? You might want to make a distinction in the building type the norse boats use this clinker technique, which boat people will understand, but not us others...