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Feldweg

English translation: farm road

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Feldweg
English translation:farm road
Entered by: British Diana

17:56 Jun 8, 2013
German to English translations [PRO]
Science - Agriculture / Word for a certain type of road typical of agricultural Germany
German term or phrase: Feldweg
Just recently I started teaching English to some employees of a small model farm (Zuchtstation) near where I live. It belongs to a largish firm which breeds crops worldwide. Luckily for me (as I am pretty ignorant on agriculture/biology) I do not need to teach them any specialised vocabulary. However, in our last small-talk session we were discussing how to get around road blocks due to the flooding of the river Main. One of my students said that it was quite easy to avoid a long diversion, one only had to use a certain Feldweg which would cut through the fields of sugar-beets to get to the farm.

I felt very stupid not knowing how to express this simple word in English! "Country lane" conjures up quite the wrong image, somehow. It's a modern straight strip of concrete with crops growing on either side. So farm track or cart track also sounded too "rustic" and 19th century-like. The concrete or tarmac also means that it isn't a dirt road. Yet if I say "minor road" this would surely imply it was a public highway, but German "Feldwege" (and certainly this one) are usually not open to normal traffic.

. I'm beginning to wonder if there is no easy equivalent?
Has anyone got a good idea for this preferably in British English? Thanks a lot!
British Diana
Germany
Local time: 23:24
farm road
Explanation:
Farm road is a well known term in English.

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-08 19:34:52 GMT)
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When you Google "farm road" it appears on a few pages, and within the context "farm road" is suitable whether it is tarred like in this case, or not. The fact that it is a road that leads to a farm and cuts through fields of sugar-beets also makes it more suitable. A dirt road or dirt track can be anywhere and not necessarily on a farm.
Selected response from:

Clarien Kurzepa
Local time: 23:24
Grading comment
I'm going for this, with the aside that it is a service road. My students will find it easy to pronounce, spell and remember, too, which is important in the context. Thanks to you all for your help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5farm road
Clarien Kurzepa
3 +4asphalt/tarred farm track
Wendy Streitparth
4 +2field road
John Speese
5 +1Agricultural road
Lise van der Eyk (X)
3 +1country road
gangels (X)
3lane through the fields
Cilian O'Tuama
3dirt path
Michael Martin, MA
Summary of reference entries provided
Ländliche Wege
Clive Phillips

Discussion entries: 14





  

Answers


21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
asphalt/tarred farm track


Explanation:
that is what they are in the area I live in

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 23:24
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 65
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Wendy. Has definitely possibilities...


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Charles Stanford: I'd go with this - or metalled if it's chips with a tar coating (try Googling "metalled track"...) but a Feldweg is more likely to be made out of those slabs of concrete like you get on old airstrips - so maybe "concrete farm track" would work better
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Charles. I agree that in the UK they are more likely to be concrete, but in Germany Macadam is more common.
neutral  writeaway: ones I saw in Gemany (near Freiburg-Br) were just hardened dirt tracks.
6 hrs
  -> But they could still be described as farm tracks, whether its tarred, dirt or concrete as Diana suggested.
agree  Lancashireman: To get round the problem of asphalt/tar/concrete, you could say 'permanent farm track' http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/yorkshirewalker/details/centenary...
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Andrew - nice foretaste of my upcoming holiday!
agree  Ramey Rieger (X): This comes the closest, just skip the surface adjectives. Rain AGAIN!
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ramey. You're right, the adjectives are superfluous.
agree  Daniel Gray: Agree with the above.
19 hrs
  -> Thanks, Daniel
neutral  David Moore (X): It does however depend - if its use is public, it would be called a 'field road' (or 'byway') in the UK.
1 day 13 hrs
  -> ;This should be clear by now: see Diana's link
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
field road


Explanation:
Simply entering "field road" in Google immediately gives you pictures, including one through a canola field that is paved, and a couple of others that aren't. And googling the German term gives you similar pictures of both paved and unpaved ones. Don't know about British English since I'm an American, but it may be the same thing.

John Speese
United States
Local time: 17:24
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 96
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, John. This is new to me, possibly because I'm British


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: field road is used in the UK too.
5 hrs
neutral  Lancashireman: no it's not
6 hrs
agree  David Moore (X): @ Andrew: yes it is - I've used them, and they are signposted all over Northants, where I used to live.
1 day 13 hrs
neutral  Cilian O'Tuama: so David knows them, anyone else?
2 days 4 hrs
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44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
country road


Explanation:
it's called in the US. Could also be a trample path, but that's something generally negotiable in single file only.

PS: There's even a C&W song by that name: Country road, country road

gangels (X)
Local time: 15:24
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 16
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, gangels, but with "country road" I miss the aspect that the Feldweg has only limited access and is prohibited for normal traffic.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Steffen Walter: Asker specified UK usage.
30 mins
agree  lindaellen (X)
16 hrs
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22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
farm road


Explanation:
Farm road is a well known term in English.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-08 19:34:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

When you Google "farm road" it appears on a few pages, and within the context "farm road" is suitable whether it is tarred like in this case, or not. The fact that it is a road that leads to a farm and cuts through fields of sugar-beets also makes it more suitable. A dirt road or dirt track can be anywhere and not necessarily on a farm.


    Reference: http://www.dict.cc/?s=Feldweg
Clarien Kurzepa
Local time: 23:24
Native speaker of: Native in AfrikaansAfrikaans, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
I'm going for this, with the aside that it is a service road. My students will find it easy to pronounce, spell and remember, too, which is important in the context. Thanks to you all for your help!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Clarien, this Looks promising


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Edwin Miles: My first thought, too. This also suggests that it's a private road, unlike anything starting with just 'country'.
3 hrs
agree  Horst Huber (X): As it is not a dirt road, it might fit?
9 hrs
agree  franglish
13 hrs
agree  Usch Pilz: to the point, I think
15 hrs
neutral  David Moore (X): See above...(to Wendy).
1 day 13 hrs
agree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
1 day 18 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
lane through the fields


Explanation:
Hi Diana,
Isn't that what they mean?

"Boreen" would be the Irish equivalent, though I'm not sure how many other BE speakers would understand it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreen



Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 23:24
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 52
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Cilian. Pity the word "boreen" isn't common knowledge, it seems to have fewer connotations than "lane"

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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
dirt path


Explanation:
That's what I would use since it's common enough:

Example below:

"Taria and Link walked along the dirt path across the field in silence."

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Note added at 40 mins (2013-06-08 18:36:50 GMT)
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Steffen is right by saying that German "Feldwege" are not always paved. In fact, I would go as far as to assert that German "Feldwege" are never paved unless they're called "asphaltierter Feldweg". I actually missed that part in the description. Based on that, I'd just call it a "country lane". See below:

"agricultural landscape with a country lane across the fields, overlaid with a delicate warm texture"
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-18090165-agricultural...

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Note added at 46 mins (2013-06-08 18:42:27 GMT)
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Images of country lanes:

https://www.google.com/search?q="country lane"&bav=on.2,or.r...

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Note added at 10 hrs (2013-06-09 04:31:46 GMT)
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Thanks, Diana, for your input. You're right for the most part. But this is how I see it. I am sure the locals using the term "Feldweg" are aware that this is not the most accurate designation in the world. If you google "Feldweg", what comes up is an array of pathways similar to what you find when you google "country lane".
http://www.google.de/search?gs_rn=16&gs_ri=psy-ab&suggest=p&...
This is actually a recurring problem in translation. When a term is used sloppily in the source text, you're essentially left with two choices. Replicate that sloppiness or find a term that fits the description better than the original. There's no right answer that applies each time in my opinion. I occasionally go for the second option if I feel that the target text would otherwise be unintelligible. More often than not, though, I go for something that conjures up imagery comparable to the original term. In my opinion, we cannot be expected to provide translations that are more accurate than the original. An exception applies if the alternative is more problematic in the target language than the source term is in the original language. I concede that this may be true for country lane but it's probably a forgivable mistake given that Feldweg is clearly a misnomer to begin with.



    Reference: http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Kire/303342/
Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 17:24
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 36
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Michael! Do you think I could still use this for a straight road made of concrete or tarmac and meant for tractors etc,. ?

Asker: Michael, the photos of Country lanes that you provide just prove that my "Feldweg" is something quite different, as I mention.

Asker: Michael, thanks for your input. I indicate in my description that I need a term used in general conversation, so it can be as sloppy as the original, provided important elements are not lost. Please see my reply to Horst for this.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: In English, a dirt path is usually something people walk on, not drive on. Being 'common enough' doesn't make it right. Spoken English is very tolerant, written English, like all written languages, demands much more precision.
6 hrs
  -> I made the mistake of translating "Feldweg" without reading Diana's description carefully. In my haste, it didn't occur to me the way it is used here could be so far removed from its usual meaning..
neutral  Cilian O'Tuama: "it didn't occur to me the way" = German at work.
8 hrs
  -> Thanks but I disagree. I was hoping for more substantive comments..
neutral  David Moore (X): In UK English, a 'dirt path' would normally be understood as a footpath, rather than one you can drive on.
1 day 13 hrs
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Agricultural road


Explanation:
Might this link help (found it by looking up Feldweg and then clicking on the English version of the Wikipedia page)? Note photo!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_road

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Note added at 1 day13 hrs (2013-06-10 07:14:02 GMT)
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Yes, I was aware the article as such might not be trustworthy, but it reminded me of the term, which I had somewhere in the back of my head but couldn't at first recall:)

Lise van der Eyk (X)
Germany
Local time: 23:24
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Lise. The wiki article (stub) seems less than trustworthy


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Clive Phillips: I agree with the Asker that there is no easy equivalent, at least not in the UK. But 'agricultural service road' seems to be one of the nearest options.
3 hrs
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Reference comments


3 hrs
Reference: Ländliche Wege

Reference information:
"Das Netz der ländlichen Wege besteht im wesentlichen aus
Verbindungswegen, Feld- und Waldwegen sowie sonstigen
Wegen. Kennzeichnend für die ländlichen Wege ist, daß sie
im allgemeinen nur für den land- und forstwirtschaftlichen
Verkehr zugelassen sind, aber auch zum Viehtrieb, Radfahren
und Wandern genutzt werden können.
- Verbindungswege erschließen land- und forstwirtschaftliche
Betriebsstätten, Gehöftgruppen oder Weiler und
verbinden diese untereinander sowie mit dem übergeordneten
Straßennetz und benachbarten Ortschaften.
- Feldwege führen zu den angrenzenden Äckern und Weiden
und dienen der Bewirtschaftung der landwirtschaftlichen
Nutzflächen. Sind Feldwege entsprechend ihrer
ganzjährigen Verkehrsbeanspruchung befestigt, so sprechen
wir von Wirtschaftswegen. Unbefestigte Feldwege
werden als Grünwege bezeichnet."


    Reference: http://www.vdz-online.de/fileadmin/gruppen/vdz/3LiteraturRec...
Clive Phillips
United Kingdom
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thank you, Clive! Now all I need is an umbrella term for most of these "Wege".

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