This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Danish to English
  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Hjælp din kollega med at få succes!

English translation: gut feeling...

10:10 Apr 6, 2005
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Slogan (native English usage)
Danish term or phrase: Hjælp din kollega med at få succes!
A slogan in an internal company newsletter.

I want to say
'help a colleague to success'
because it sounds more correct.

But the customer of course asked why it shouldn't be
'help your colleague to success'.

I need a good explanation other than quoting usage on the internet such as: Help a friend; help a teenager; help a loved one; help a child.

Please tell me what you think as a native speaker, if you are one. Or give me a some good arguments.

If you agree with me, perhaps you can answer this: Why isn't it 'hjælp en kollega med at få succes?' in Danish?

- Mads G
Mads Grøftehauge
Local time: 03:42
English translation:gut feeling...
Explanation:
To me, 'help your colleague' would be a particular colleague, specified somewhere else in the text,

while 'help a colleague' would be any one of them, even 'a colleague or two' if appropriate.

But don't ask for a logical explanation!!
Selected response from:

Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 03:42
Grading comment
Thanks, Christine, for addressing my question.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3Help a colleague succeed
logan
3 +2gut feeling...
Christine Andersen
4Help your colleague achieve success!
Dziadzio


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Hjælp din kollega med at få succes!
Help a colleague succeed


Explanation:
Why not "help a colleague succeed"? or "Help a colleague achieve success"?

logan
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mari Noller: This sounds a lot better yes.
23 mins
agree  Suzanne Blangsted (X): or be successful
2 hrs
agree  Christine Andersen
7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Hjælp din kollega med at få succes!
gut feeling...


Explanation:
To me, 'help your colleague' would be a particular colleague, specified somewhere else in the text,

while 'help a colleague' would be any one of them, even 'a colleague or two' if appropriate.

But don't ask for a logical explanation!!

Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 03:42
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 39
Grading comment
Thanks, Christine, for addressing my question.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  logan: exactly!
6 mins
agree  Dan Schioenning Larsen: and the same goes for the Danish, in my opinion.
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Hjælp din kollega med at få succes!
Help your colleague achieve success!


Explanation:
When writing "Hjælp din kollega med at få success", emphasis is placed on the fact that it is a specific colleague you help - Not just any colleague, as expressed by writing:
"Help a colleague.."(generic).
So I see why your customer prefer "Help your colleague achieve success" - which is my proposal.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 53 mins (2005-04-06 16:03:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

.. or help your colleague succeed - as proposed by Logan.

Dziadzio
Local time: 03:42
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search