Habib Shariati Aug 17, 2009:

According to Wikipedia Barter: Bartering is a medium in which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods and/or services without a common unit of exchange (without the use of money). which as you can clearly guess is پایاپای and this is not to me but it is a clear cut scientific definition not to mention that it is used in more than a dozen different dictionaries that I've checked but there are other instances like for example offsetting error which again as the above term is used in bus and financial contexts and are also used as اشتباه متقابل.
we should not forget that one of the ethical codes that we have to follow as pro freelancers is to follow consistency as both a professional and an ethical code, unless we have got sth new to offer which this is not the case here, because they have been created and are in usage:
thank for offering your own opinions which were useful for clarifying the matter
wish you all the best

Saeid Hasani Aug 17, 2009:

the explications set forth by the esteemed colleagues are correct, and even the equivalents mentioned by Mr. EMAMI, I would like to add that تهاتر is a well-matured financial term in Farsi especially in Business Administration. It does not reflect the denotation and connotation of barter as it is in English.
regards,

Ryan Emami Aug 17, 2009:

I think پایاپای and متقابل can be used anywhere to refer to any counteraction. The only difference between them is that پایاپای is pure Persian while متقابل is an Arabic word.

Hosein H (asker) Aug 17, 2009:

barter and offset "پایاپای" in Persian:
</br>معاوضه جنس با جنس بطور برابر که پولی به یکدیگر ندهند. (Correct me if I'm wrong)
</br></br>"Barter" in English: Barter is a type of trade that doesn't use any medium of exchange, in which goods or services are exchanged for other goods and/or services. (Source: Wikipedia)
</br></br>Having the exact definitions, I think the term "پایاپای" may only be used as the translation of barter and not offsetting.
</br></br>*with all respects*

Ryan Emami Aug 17, 2009:

barter and offset "Barter", to me, is usually used to refer to the special type of deal defined in law as an exchange of goods or services in return for other goods or services whereas "offset" is a verb meaning to counteract, balance, or make up for something, which could be debts, goods, or even a setting in a machine. And here, "offsetting" is used to refer to those "receipts" that would counteract some other sums. Also, many dictionaries -- Narcis, Babylon, Aryanpour, Bateni, etc. -- have "پایاپای" as an entry for both "barter" and "offset." Hope the matter is clarified.

Habib Shariati Aug 17, 2009:

I am glad been of help Mine suggestions were just to prepare a knowledge based ground to offer more opportunities to one of my dear colleagues, although we should not base our decisions on agreements but as an asker on the appropriateness of the terms on the context we are translating, wishing you all the best and success.

Hosein H (asker) Aug 17, 2009:

barter is different from offsetting Although i would want to mention the reason behind my first choice, That answer had 1 peer agreement, that is why I picked it.

Hosein H (asker) Aug 17, 2009:

barter is different from offsetting Thank you for your kind details. I edited that.

Habib Shariati Aug 17, 2009:

barter is different from offsetting پایاپای in business context is barter while offsetting is used as متقابل then should we use and change all those past usages??!!...<br><br>With all due thanks for all of you who offered your useful suggestions as well.