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Meier
Jan 21, 2007 14:06
17 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term

Schiff - Boot

German to English Tech/Engineering Ships, Sailing, Maritime General
This probably sounds strange, but I have a text that uses the word "Schiffe" in places where I would automatically call it a boat. I know we Americans are used to super-sizes that aren't typical in Europe, but...these are vessels approx. 10.5 m in length. According to European regulations, does anyone know at what length a boat becomes a ship?
Proposed translations (English)
5 +3 Boat
3 +5 ship
3 +2 comment
Change log

Jan 21, 2007 14:18: writeaway changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"

Jan 21, 2007 16:31: NGK changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Jan 21, 2007 16:32: NGK changed "Field" from "Other" to "Tech/Engineering" , "Field (specific)" from "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters" to "Ships, Sailing, Maritime"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (1): Francis Lee (X)

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Discussion

Susan Zimmer (asker) Jan 22, 2007:
oh, so sorry, got caught up in other things....well, I'm sticking with boat, seems we all agree on that. The idea of a "ship" on these small lakes just doesn't work in my mind. The context, as said, is a boat charter company in a German lake region. Throughout the text, the company switches back and forth between "Boote" and "Schiffe". Mark's info on the lengths of boats is what I was looking for. My research about "Motorbootschein" and "Segelschein" only showed that for the most part, the discussion is about "Boote", not "Schiffe". I did find on Wikipedia a reference to weight classes in distinguishing the difference, and the reference to any size boat in warfare as being called "ship". Plus I found a note saying that many private skippers in Germany like to refer to their boats as "Schiffe", just to make them stand out more...Thank you everyone!!! Edith, I know you came up with boat first, but I was looking for verfication on at what point a boat becomes a ship. But I did find your explanation interesting. Thanks so much!
Francis Lee (X) Jan 22, 2007:
Hello-oo ...
Francis Lee (X) Jan 21, 2007:
This American would probably say "boat" - but what's the context/readership for this translation and what has your own research turned up?
Edith Kelly Jan 21, 2007:
My answer is boat - I changed it as this is 100% obvious after you posted your first note - was not obvious from your original question ... Context is really important.
Susan Zimmer (asker) Jan 21, 2007:
I mean, of course, "in accordance with"...sorry
Susan Zimmer (asker) Jan 21, 2007:
Maybe just in accordance to German regulations. I believe for boating licenses there are size limits to a boat.....
Susan Zimmer (asker) Jan 21, 2007:
No, this is a marketing text for a boat charter company.
Ken Cox Jan 21, 2007:
Is the term being used in context in which European regulations (if there are any relevant regulations) would apply?

Proposed translations

+3
47 mins
Selected

Boat

I don't know European regulations, but when I was a Royal Navy Cadet we had to take a proficiency exam and under British regulations a boat is under 40 feet in length and a ship is over 40 feet so if they are 10.5m then in the UK at least they would be boats. Assuming of course that they are non-military because if they are military then they are vessels !
Obviously if it's a simple general tourist text then you don't have to be so technical, but I understand your desire for accuracy !

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2007-01-21 16:27:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I agree with you that I would tend to call a 50 foot yacht a boat as well, but technically it actually is a ship!

As in everything, there is widespread popular useage, often based on misconception or misunderstanding, and then there is what is technically correct. Only you can judge the right one to use given the nature of your text. Good luck
Note from asker:
Thanks, Mark! writeaway, the question was actually at which length does a boat become a ship in Europe. So Mark's answer is very helpful....Growing up, we had a 38 foot sail boat, I would never have called it, or our neighbor's 50 foot yacht, a ship...
Peer comment(s):
agree writeaway : I just saw the word 'boat'. sorry. but the length won't make much difference since boat would be the term in any case.
1 min
Thanks for changing !
agree yeswhere : definitely boat
4 hrs
thanks
agree jhp (X)
8 hrs
thanks
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks!"
+5
9 mins

ship

Das Wort Boot wird eigentlich nur für kleine "Schiffe" verwendet, Ruderboot, Fischerboot. Wenn man Schiff liest, kann das alles sein, was etwas größer als ein Boot ist. Man kann also getrost dem Gefühl folgen. IMO gibt es da keine europäische Regelung.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2007-01-21 14:16:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

also aufgrund der Anmerkung. Use the word "boat" in your context. The German "Schiffe" is ok for a boat charter company.
Note from asker:
Hi, are you guys agreeing to Edith's first answer "ship" or her second answer "boat"?
Peer comment(s):
agree writeaway : with boat
5 mins
agree Narasimhan Raghavan
19 mins
agree Inga Jakobi : boat!
1 hr
agree David Moore (X) : boat...
1 hr
agree Kim Metzger : Edith wrote: Use the word "boat" in your context.
1 hr
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

comment

I'd say 'boat' in your case. I doubt that any vessel for personal use would ever be called a ship -- you have sailboats, motor boats, fishing boats, tour boats, diving boats, etc, and big boats for personal use are usually called yachts.

FWIW, the Oxford dictionary defines a ship as 'a large boat for transporting people or goods by sea. a spaceship. an aircraft' and a boat as 'a small vessel for travelling over water, propelled by oars, sails, or an engine'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-01-21 16:00:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Make that 'private or personal use'.
Peer comment(s):
agree writeaway : absolutely. size doesn't matter ;-) (after all, as we Americans all know, the US tv series was "Love Boat", not "Love Ship".
12 mins
Yes, the distinction can be subtle. You also have cruise ships, but my take is that 'Love Boat' is much friendlier and more innocuous than 'love ship' (which sounds like a euphemism for a floating brothel).).
agree Diana Loos : In my experience British usage always calls everything a boat that floats on the sea - whether it's a dinghy, a cross-channel ferry or an ocean liner ... When I used to go sailing we were taught that a ship is "a three-master cross-rigged on all masts! -
16 mins
Something went wrong...
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