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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Kaffeekasse

English translation:

Thank-You Box

Added to glossary by Stephen Sadie
Oct 21, 2005 08:41
18 yrs ago
German term

Kaffeekasse

German to English Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I am looking for this term in a hospital ward surroundings:
may ideas so far:
kitty (i am a bit uncertain)
tip box (i feel better for restaurants, hairdressers etc.)

TYFYHIA
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 Thank-You Box
4 +9 Coffee Fund
4 +7 kitty
4 +2 Support for JJ's anwser
4 +1 gratuities
3 +1 Rephrase it
3 petty cash (box)
3 coffee and cake pot
3 -1 petty cash
2 Don't translate

Discussion

Lancashireman Oct 22, 2005:
How could you say that, Steve? Moderators! Help!
(Rather ironic in view of the current favourite answer to your next question http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1165601 )
Stephen Sadie (asker) Oct 22, 2005:
@andrew: fishing for points?
Francis Lee (X) Oct 21, 2005:
So your customer has asked you for this one single term? Perhaps it's accompanying a graphic element in a PPT presentation? That's what I mean; there is always a context, after all ;-)
James Johnson Oct 21, 2005:
best of luck stephen, sad to be going home now. this question was fun :)
Stephen Sadie (asker) Oct 21, 2005:
@francis: there is NO CONTEXT as already explained above, it's merely what is on the jar, pot or whatever! Sorry i do not wish to invent a sentence and it's not my job to do so...
Francis Lee (X) Oct 21, 2005:
What I mean is: do you really need a one-on-one translation? Knowing the entire sentence could enable us to come with something that at least gets the message across.
Stephen Sadie (asker) Oct 21, 2005:
@francis lee: frank please read my answer regarding the context!
Francis Lee (X) Oct 21, 2005:
The first thing I'd ask is what the exact context is, i.e. what's the complete sentence? There is no direct translation ...
James Johnson Oct 21, 2005:
asolutely stephen :) I was just sceptical as to whether "coffee" is also used in this way in english. If so, then hilary's answer is probably right. I've lived abroad too long :(
Stephen Sadie (asker) Oct 21, 2005:
@james: the trnslation option using coffee only takes that delicious brown stuff as a generic term (if i decide to select it)
Stephen Sadie (asker) Oct 21, 2005:
Yes, Hilary for those hard-working underpaid nurses and sorry Ian I have no context as it is just what is written on the jar
Hilary Davies Shelby Oct 21, 2005:
Well, is it for the staff? Really like a tips jar? In a hospital?
James Johnson Oct 21, 2005:
well, i don't think that kaffeekasse actually has anything to do with coffee. it might have it's origins along those lines. but the contents can be used for anything the employees want. cake, tea, silly wallpaper or a night out bowling.
IanW (X) Oct 21, 2005:
Stephen, do you have a full sentence for us? I think this would help to solve the issue.
Stephen Sadie (asker) Oct 21, 2005:
This is thought-provoking, thanks so far...how about a solution like "Coffee Fund Jar" or even "For the Staff"
Nick Somers (X) Oct 21, 2005:
Agree with the iffiness on "kitty", which I'd understand as something the staff themselves contribute to. Coffee fund is good but gives no indication of the thank-you aspect so context is vital!!
Nicole Schnell Oct 21, 2005:
Tipping in a German hospital? Hmmm...
James Johnson Oct 21, 2005:
if you don't like kitty, you could always just use something like "thank-you box" i am sure everyone would understand
Terence Ajbro Oct 21, 2005:
In Denmark workplaces have a "kaffekasse" which is used to pay for the coffee (sometimes biscuits too) the employees drink.
Stephen Sadie (asker) Oct 21, 2005:
I am sure that petty cash is wrong, sorry! The term is used for the cash used for buying coffee for visitors, taking guests to lunch etc. I need the term for money put in the Kaffeekasse by patients / their relatives as a "thank-you". I believe Ian is closest so far and am still not sure about the kitty!
IanW (X) Oct 21, 2005:
Am I right in thinking that this refers to the piggy bank you often see in hairdressers', doctor's surgeries etc. for tip-like donations from customers - could anyone confirm this? Does this exist in the UK? If not, I don't think "kitty" would work.
Louise Mawbey Oct 21, 2005:
Stephen could you provide a bit more context as there is some confusion about what is paid into the "box". Could you clarify whether this is used to make donations/ tips
Daniel Bird Oct 21, 2005:
His Stephen - kitty sounds quite good at this stage, but we'd have to know who pays into it to be certain

Proposed translations

+4
3 hrs
Selected

Thank-You Box

Adding another answer since it's too different to be an addendum to my previous one. This might be a better "tips" alternative.
Peer comment(s):
agree Gillian Scheibelein : I sat staring at a thank-you box for over an hour while waiting for my sister to finish her chemotherapy. Whilst waiting, I decided I would come back and give a donation if it worked. It didn't.
4 hrs
I'm very sorry to hear that, Gillian. Thank you for the Agree.
agree Lancashireman
8 hrs
agree Nicole Schnell : The most charming solution and doesn't touch highly political matters
20 hrs
agree conny
3 days 4 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This proved a tough question & there were good thought-provoking proposals. Hilary's answer is succint & conveys the meaning so that it is universally understood. Thanks a lot to all contributors."
2 mins

petty cash (box)

--
Peer comment(s):
neutral IanW (X) : Would the public be able to put donations in the "petty cash box"? / No, what I mean is that the "petty cash" would be kept in a cupboard or drawer somewhere, rather than where visitors can see it and put money into it
6 mins
maybe "small" cash then?
neutral Louise Mawbey : agree with Ian, petty cash is not for donations etc./ because of Stephen mentioning "tip box"/ Its for grateful patients who want to donate a small amount for the staff to stock up with coffee and biscuits etc. - just a gesture of thanks
8 mins
Why would there be a "tip box" in a hospital? Are they underfunded in Germany?
agree Nicole Schnell : This is going to be interesting. I agree with you anyway.
17 mins
neutral Francis Lee (X) : oh yes, I can assure you that nurses are far from well-paid in Germany; you don't see lawyers peering hopefully into a Kaffeekasse
3 hrs
disagree Steven Sidore : have to agree with the dissenters, petty cash is something else (small cash amounts accounted for in the bookkeeping for sundry, immediate tasks. In all cases it comes from the business itself, not from the visitors).
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
-1
3 mins

petty cash

How I would call it.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Terence Ajbro : nicht "schnell" genug! :-)
2 mins
two o'clock in the morning... :-))
disagree Steven Sidore : same as above.
3 hrs
neutral Francis Lee (X) : So can you tell us exactly why you would call it this?
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
+7
7 mins

kitty

well, when i worked in england, we had a "kitty" in the department for beer and coffee money.

petty cash is quite official and goes through the accounts like anything else.
Peer comment(s):
agree BirgitBerlin
3 mins
agree Louise Mawbey
4 mins
agree Languageman : This is used widely in BE, not just poker by any means. I think "tea kitty" is actually the best equivalent for the UK, since thats what most folk drink here.
4 mins
neutral Terence Ajbro : not a word we use in the Black Country
7 mins
agree Hilary Davies Shelby : i'd use "kitty" - definitely common among students, house-sharers, interest groups, etc.
10 mins
agree BrigitteHilgner : When I worked in London, "kitty" as the term used.
15 mins
neutral IanW (X) : Yes, but the money is put into a "kitty" by the staff themselves, isn't it? This is not the case here and I feel "kitty" would be misleading.
19 mins
we used to get a few golden handshakes from suppliers, very naughty of course, but the money went into the kitty :)
neutral Steven Sidore : kitty strikes me as more of a collegial, shared thing, not an enforced coffee fund.
3 hrs
agree Francis Lee (X) : If, as Stepehen has said, this is all about the label on the thing (no explanations as to contributors etc.), then this has to be it
4 hrs
agree TonyTK : Tea kitty - natch.
5 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
52 mins

gratuities

Used also in restaurants and one could imagine in such places as hospitals. I am not very familiar with the tea / coffee solution.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 45 mins (2005-10-21 10:27:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Otherwise I could imagine

money tin / pot / jar / ...
Peer comment(s):
agree Nick Somers (X) : Might work if it's a label on the box that's required. Possibly a bit in your face.
15 mins
Maybe the added suggestion does the trick :-)
Something went wrong...
+1
6 mins

Rephrase it

I'd forget "kitty" (used primarily for poker) or
tip box (inappropriate) here, Stephen. If possible - and if it's in a sentence - I'd rephrase it, e.g. "I put a coin in the piggy bank which is used to buy coffee, tea, milk etc."


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2005-10-21 08:56:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Maybe I'm wrong about "kitty" but I still don't think it's appropriate here

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 48 mins (2005-10-21 11:30:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As it's just something written on the box, I'd just say "Coffee and supplies" and leave it at that. If you need to add a cultural explanation, then do so, but if not, that should do the trick.
Peer comment(s):
agree Francis Lee (X) : yup - rephrase and mention e.g. a "piggy bank"
1 hr
Something went wrong...
+9
20 mins

Coffee Fund

If it's just a jar/box where patients, visitors, etc, put money to buy coffee, it might have a label on it that says something like this. I'd use "kitty" myself, but I'm putting this out there since there seems to be mixed feeling about it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 40 mins (2005-10-21 12:22:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Post-clarification from Stephen: - "Nurses' Coffee Fund"
Peer comment(s):
agree Louise Mawbey : good idea
3 mins
agree IanW (X) : I think "coffee fund jar" or "coffee fund box" might do the trick
7 mins
agree Nick Somers (X) : Might work, depending on context. Not kitty.
43 mins
agree E Perret
1 hr
agree Ian M-H (X) : not "kitty"
1 hr
agree Jonathan MacKerron
1 hr
agree franglish
2 hrs
neutral Francis Lee (X) : but it's not really about coffee; could be misleading for non-Germanics
2 hrs
agree Steven Sidore : This is exactly what we called it in our office (Scrooge of an office manager we had, too...)
3 hrs
agree Rebecca Garber
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

coffee and cake pot

MORE CONTEXT regards the term within the particular sentence would no doubt help, i.e. that it comprises tips/contributions from patients/visitors. There is no equivalent in the English-speaking world, as far as I know.
Anyway, in itself it amounts to cash spent jointly by staff, in many cases indeed for trips to the local coffee shop. And I can assure you (as can my partner/nurse!) that it's more about the cake than the coffee (which they can drink while at work anyway).

But a vaguer term might be more applicable, depending on your readership.
Something went wrong...
+2
5 hrs

Support for JJ's anwser

Sorry, it has to be teat kitty - if it's in the UK.

Next time you visit someone in a hospital ward in the UK, ask the sister if they've got a tea kitty - she'll know what you mean right away.

Try asking her if they've got a "coffee fund" or a "piggy bank". It'd be worth at least a bloody nose in a Glasgow hospital ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-10-21 13:59:13 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Ooops! Make that \"tea kitty\". Talk about a Freudian slip.
Peer comment(s):
agree Francis Lee (X) : or worse (re: Glasgow) ... http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,1596079,00.html
1 hr
Ah, the great Irvine Welsh - but how frightening (and I'm off to Scotland to see the All Blacks in November ...)
agree James Johnson : hehe, it's a shame you can't edit those answers isn't it :P Thanks for the heads up mate
1 hr
It's just as well I'm proud of my fixations, I suppose.
Something went wrong...
11 hrs

Don't translate

(It never ceases to amaze me how often this answer seems to walk off with the four points)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 6 hrs 37 mins (2005-10-24 15:19:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

While 'Ruhrpott' = 'Ruhrpott' there is hope for this answer yet!
Peer comment(s):
neutral Hilary Davies Shelby : I must try that next time I can't think of anything ;-P
2 mins
Here we go again! http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1174635
Something went wrong...
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