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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

Translations (abbreviation)

English answer:

transl. (general context), xlns (technical context)

Added to glossary by Ken Cox
Jul 15, 2005 19:41
18 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term

Translations

Non-PRO English Tech/Engineering Telecom(munications)
How do you write "translations" in an abbreviated form?
Responses
3 +1 xlns
4 +6 TRANSL
4 +4 TLNs
3 +2 trans

Discussion

Tony M Jul 16, 2005:
In a technical sense, this is better; why didn't you say that in the first place?!
Non-ProZ.com (asker) Jul 16, 2005:
'Technical' Abbreviation for Translations = xlns or XLNS In my field of work, I'll use 'xlns'. I work w/many former landline/telco folk and this would likely be a familiar term. Now, you may ask yourself, 'why didn't she just ask them'? And I'll admit I didn't ask them for fear of sounding stupid &/or trivial. I do want to thank all of you for suggestions and answers. ~Deborah

Responses

+1
2 hrs
Selected

xlns

Another option; please see my comnent to Nick's suggestion.
Peer comment(s):
agree Nick Lingris : 'Cause I promised, and I find it original and Xmasy. However, on second thoughts, I find tln and tlns but not xln(s) connected to translation(s). Hmmm!
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This was exactly the 1 that I was looking for. You see-I wasn't sure if it even existed. I work in wireless telecommunications (technical field) & many years ago I came across an abbreviation for 'translations' that I thought was rather good, but for the life of me-I couldn't remember what it was! Don't you hate when that happens?! "
+4
14 mins

TLNs

This is how *I* would write it.
Peer comment(s):
agree Kim Metzger : I don't think there's a standard abbreviation. But why the caps?
29 mins
tlns, sure. Just liked the caps there to make my plural stand out. And no, you're right, Kim, there is no standard abbreviation. I like tlns because it uses the smallest number of basic consonants.
neutral Ken Cox : With Kim: doubt very much that there's any commonly used abbreviation. Another possibiitly is 'xlns' ('x' is often used as an abbreviation of 'trans'), but in any case recommend explaining the abbreviation if its meaning isn't obvious from the context.
1 hr
I agree with all three parts of your comment and will vote for xlns if you put it up.
agree Vicky Papaprodromou
5 hrs
Thanks, Vicky.
agree jennifer newsome (X)
5 hrs
Thanks, Jennifer.
agree Saiwai Translation Services
11 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
10 hrs

trans

I think it's dangerous and pointless to try and invent an abbreviation, since it will almost inevitably need to be explained at some point.

I think merely shortening the word like this is the safest way, and you'll find oodles of examples of this all over the place in literature etc.

In technical fields, 'x' is often used as an abbreviation for 'trans...' --- in particular, xfmr for transformer, but I don't think this usage is particularly well-known in other fields.

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Note added at 14 hrs 0 min (2005-07-16 09:41:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oxford gives the following:

trans. transaction · transfer(red) · transit · transitive · transitory · TRANSLATE(D) · TRANSLATION · TRANSLATOR · transparent · transport(ation) · Printing transpose · transposition · transverse

transl. translate(d) · translation · translator

...and also, interestingly enough:

tltr = translator

(TLN and xln are not listed)
Peer comment(s):
agree giogi
2 hrs
Thanks, Giovanna!
agree Sinziana Paltineanu (X) : http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?String=off&Acronym...
2 hrs
Thanks, Dragaica! That's very helpful.
Something went wrong...
+6
12 hrs

TRANSL

#

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs 47 mins (2005-07-16 08:28:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?String=off&Acronym...

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Note added at 12 hrs 49 mins (2005-07-16 08:31:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

preferred, in my opinion, to TRANS which also stands for \"transitive\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs 19 mins (2005-07-16 11:00:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

according to Webster`s dictionary \"transl.\" stands only for
1. translated
2. translation
3. translator
as for \"trans.\", 1. transaction; 2.transfer; 3. transferred; 4. transformer; 5. transit; 6. transitive; 7&8&9 as I wrote above for transl. 10. transparent; 11. transportation; 12. transpose; 13. transverse.
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M : If space permits, a good alternative, endorsed by Oxford. Contextually, probably little likelihood of confusion I suspect... // Indeed, all input is very helpful!
1 hr
indeed...but this in this context, when we talk about abbreviations, it is worth mentioning it... I suppose. Thanks, Dusty!
agree giogi
1 hr
Thank-you, Giovanna!
agree Mark Nathan
2 hrs
thank you, Mark
agree Nick Lingris : In my dictionary of abbreviations this is the only abbreviation of 'translation' that does not correspond to anything else.
2 hrs
thank you, Nick!
agree Alfa Trans (X)
4 hrs
thank you
agree silfilla
4 hrs
thanks
Something went wrong...
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