4 ms·

“Technology is propulsion.” Chinese characters written on the wall of factory workshop.

ZeroGravitas 5y ago
Reminds me of https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/vorsprung-durch-technik.html https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/vorsprung-durch-technik....
- Melkman 5y ago
  Strange that that article states "There's no single English word which is an exact equivalent of 'vorsprung'". Vorsprung is lead. Durch is harder in my opinion. Can be translate as "by" or "because of". So the translations would be "lead by technology" or "in the lead because of technology"
  - hackerbee 5y ago
    "Lead through technology"
    - noja 5y ago
      Don't you find "through" a bit clunky, how about via? Also "Lead" can be misread as a metal, how about Leading?
      - dublin 5y ago
        Oh, so like you pronounce "leading" in stained glass or typesetting, then? ;-)
        noja 5y ago
        No, but I often find people are more likely to read "lead" as the metal. Not really for "leading".
    - k__ 5y ago
      Advantage by technology?
    - bigbizisverywyz 5y ago
      I always thought it meant 'leap forward through the use of technology'.
  - rrobukef 5y ago
    "Leading with technology"
  - y4mi 5y ago
    Vorsprung is anything that is slightly ahead, so you're wrong there. It applies to a lot more than you seem to think. It's frequently used in describing smallish platforms on mountains, buildings as well for example. The German term for "to lead" would be "führen".
    - jameshart 5y ago
      In the ‘small platform that sticks out’ sense the English equivalent would be ‘projection’ (interesting that that comes from a Latin root of ‘something that is thrown forward’, while the German word is more ‘something that jumps forward’), but in the context of the phrase the other meanings of that word would dominate. There’s definitely a sense of ‘getting a head start’, ‘being at an advantage’ to Vorsprung that is hard to capture in a single English word. Perhaps one way to translate it would be: Privilege through technology
      - mrlonglong 5y ago
        My late father who was German used to say it meant progress through technology.
        jameshart 5y ago
        It’s a commonly offered translation but there’s a sense in which it doesn’t capture the same nuance. If Audi wanted to say ‘progress through technology’, why isn’t the slogan ‘Bewegung durch Technik’? Bewegung very much has the sense of ‘progress’, but also has a double sense of ‘movement’, both in the sense of physical movement as well as a social movement. All of which are strong connotations the English word ‘progress’ captures. And would be a good slogan for a car company, too. But that isn’t the word they chose, so progress is a slightly unsatisfactory translation.
        mrlonglong 5y ago
        It could also be 'Forward through technology'
  - layer8 5y ago
    It means being ahead (of at least some of the competition, presumably) due to (better) technology.
- samstave 5y ago
  I wish I had a pic of the plaque wall at intel HQ, SC5 -- there are a bunch of plaques from partners... and several of them have Engrish phrases thanking Intel for best to the future we go hand in hand for great cause and somesuch other awesome things.

Reminds me of https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/vorsprung-durch-technik.html https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/vorsprung-durch-technik....

Melkman 5y ago
Strange that that article states "There's no single English word which is an exact equivalent of 'vorsprung'". Vorsprung is lead. Durch is harder in my opinion. Can be translate as "by" or "because of". So the translations would be "lead by technology" or "in the lead because of technology"
- hackerbee 5y ago
  "Lead through technology"
  - noja 5y ago
    Don't you find "through" a bit clunky, how about via? Also "Lead" can be misread as a metal, how about Leading?
    - dublin 5y ago
      Oh, so like you pronounce "leading" in stained glass or typesetting, then? ;-)
      - noja 5y ago
        No, but I often find people are more likely to read "lead" as the metal. Not really for "leading".
  - k__ 5y ago
    Advantage by technology?
  - bigbizisverywyz 5y ago
    I always thought it meant 'leap forward through the use of technology'.
- rrobukef 5y ago
  "Leading with technology"
- y4mi 5y ago
  Vorsprung is anything that is slightly ahead, so you're wrong there. It applies to a lot more than you seem to think. It's frequently used in describing smallish platforms on mountains, buildings as well for example. The German term for "to lead" would be "führen".
  - jameshart 5y ago
    In the ‘small platform that sticks out’ sense the English equivalent would be ‘projection’ (interesting that that comes from a Latin root of ‘something that is thrown forward’, while the German word is more ‘something that jumps forward’), but in the context of the phrase the other meanings of that word would dominate. There’s definitely a sense of ‘getting a head start’, ‘being at an advantage’ to Vorsprung that is hard to capture in a single English word. Perhaps one way to translate it would be: Privilege through technology
    - mrlonglong 5y ago
      My late father who was German used to say it meant progress through technology.
      - jameshart 5y ago
        It’s a commonly offered translation but there’s a sense in which it doesn’t capture the same nuance. If Audi wanted to say ‘progress through technology’, why isn’t the slogan ‘Bewegung durch Technik’? Bewegung very much has the sense of ‘progress’, but also has a double sense of ‘movement’, both in the sense of physical movement as well as a social movement. All of which are strong connotations the English word ‘progress’ captures. And would be a good slogan for a car company, too. But that isn’t the word they chose, so progress is a slightly unsatisfactory translation.
        mrlonglong 5y ago
        It could also be 'Forward through technology'
- layer8 5y ago
  It means being ahead (of at least some of the competition, presumably) due to (better) technology.
samstave 5y ago
I wish I had a pic of the plaque wall at intel HQ, SC5 -- there are a bunch of plaques from partners... and several of them have Engrish phrases thanking Intel for best to the future we go hand in hand for great cause and somesuch other awesome things.