Jul 29, 2009 15:01
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
français term

on ne regrette jamais d’avoir travaillé son service

français vers anglais Autre Marketing / recherche de marché sports metaphors
This is for a manufacturer of displays for sports arenas etc. There is an obvious pun here on service (the work sort and the racket sort) which they want to keep and they also want to retain the notion of having worked (hard) on it.

I came up with ‘we never regret serving’ but they (with some justification) don't feel that it quite makes it as the hard work aspect is lost.

Being an engineer, I'm probably being too literal. They have shown willing to accept something more creative even if it isn't a literal translation.
Change log

Jul 29, 2009 15:12: Terry Richards changed "Field (specific)" from "Sports / forme physique / loisirs" to "Marketing / recherche de marché"

Discussion

jmleger Jul 29, 2009:
Intelligible, yes, but is it what you want? I am sure "service" would be understood, but it would be flagged as foreign in the US. Check Google. If you want to keep everybody happy you have to move away from "serve" and "service" IMHO.
Terry Richards (asker) Jul 29, 2009:
UK But it wouldn't hurt if it was comprehensible to US readers too.
jmleger Jul 29, 2009:
UK or States? I should have asked if that was intended for the UK or the other side of the pond. I am no tennis player, and i don't know much about sports outside of rugby and judo, but here in the US we use "serve".
Terry Richards (asker) Jul 29, 2009:
That's a thought I still don't like "service" used on its own as it jars on my ears and probably on those of other readers. There's nothing worse than a pun that doesn't quite make it.<br><br>I might be able to do something with "service game" though. "Game" is often used as a colloquial term for "business" (the fashion game...) so I might be able to work a double pun in there.
James Calder Jul 29, 2009:
service "Service" is perfectly acceptable in tennis circles Terry, hence "service winners", "service break", "work on my service game" etc. It's a touch more formal than "serve" maybe but it's still valid, especially for your pun.
Terry Richards (asker) Jul 29, 2009:
Service / serve Thanks to those that have replied so far but there is a problem when "service" is used as a noun. It's fine for the work aspect but the sports equivalent is "serve" so you loose the pun.
Terry Richards (asker) Jul 29, 2009:
Yes Thanks Jocelyne. Change made.
Jocelyne S Jul 29, 2009:
Marketing Hi Terry, You might consider changing the general field of this question to Marketing (keep Sport as the specific field - or vice versa) in order to get additional ideas from some of the real marketing "proz" out there.

Proposed translations

+4
6 minutes
Selected

We find it pays off to work hard on your service

We've always been happy to work hard on our service.
Polishing our service has never been a chore for us.

Any number of ways you could go with this Terry.
Hope these are of some use.

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Note added at 8 mins (2009-07-29 15:10:12 GMT)
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Alternatively:
Practice makes for a perfect service

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Note added at 41 mins (2009-07-29 15:43:31 GMT)
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We always work hard on our service game. Something like that maybe?
Peer comment(s):

agree Catherine Gilsenan : Nice one.
8 minutes
thx Catherine
agree Emma Paulay : Or "it always pays to improve your service". I agree with you comment on service in the discussion box too.
1 heure
Nice Emma, slicker than my effort.
agree whither has fle : yes, because of the pun. Cheers.
2 heures
Thanks whither
neutral Anne-Marie Grant (X) : Emma's suggestion would work well
4 heures
I agree Anne-Marie - mine's a bit clunky in comparison.
agree Nektaria Notaridou
14 jours
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "It was more your discussion entry than the answer that set me on the right track. Thanks to all that answered."
5 minutes

We do not/never regret the hard work we put into our services

Either 'do not' or 'never' of course.
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16 minutes

you never regret working hard at serving

Service and serve are the two English words which translate "service". I suggestoing with "serving" which covers both concepts with one word. Qui dit mieux?
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+2
23 minutes

We practice hard, we serve like pros

Another suggestion. 'Serve' is not ideal but if your client want to keep the idea...
Peer comment(s):

agree Anne-Marie Grant (X)
4 heures
Merci, Anne-Marie!
agree George C.
19 heures
Merci, Solarstone!
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26 minutes

you never regret practicing serving

working in sport is called practice. :)
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11 minutes

We aim to please and are pleased to target (aim at) your goal.

just a suggestion...

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Note added at 58 mins (2009-07-29 16:00:44 GMT)
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He, I am a very keen 70nyear old tennis player still playing singles... and yes: to serve is to bring the ball into play. I did not know that you referred to tennis.
This being so, my suggestion is then: One never regrets practicing one's service!

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+1
1 heure

Work hard; serve like a pro!

just a creative thought!
Peer comment(s):

agree Anne-Marie Grant (X)
2 heures
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2 heures

You never go wrong working on your "serving" game

Hello,

First of all, I don't think "we" is a good translation here for "One" or more informally, "you."

It's to be funny as they are talking about serving their customers well with the notion of practicing one's serving game in tennis.

I hope this helps.
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3 heures

Serving you efficiently is always worth for us

Serving you (efficiently)/ To serve you efficiently= implies hard work, personlized, quality service
something that is always worth for us = something we never regret
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+1
55 minutes

Always striving for the perfect serve

This is fun!

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-07-29 16:28:45 GMT)
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I can imagine a sign this corny nestling very comfortably between 'Look busy, the boss is coming' and 'You don't have to be mad to work here, but if you are it helps'.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2009-07-29 19:29:56 GMT)
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Always striving for perfect service

Always striving to serve with perfection

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Note added at 7 hrs (2009-07-29 22:58:33 GMT)
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Scrap that last option, it's dreadful.
Peer comment(s):

agree Sheila Wilson : Yukky but good marketing speak
5 heures
Thanks, Sheila. 100% yukkiness - guaranteed.
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13 heures

You'll never regret a good serve! (or) You'll never regret good service

I actually like all the others a lot - I think they convey the meaning. I'm just adding these two suggestions.
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16 heures

We work hard to serve an ace every time

I'm not happy with this but it might kick-start a better idea!

Given the serve vs. service problem, I thought "serving an ace" might offer a different angle - an ace served in tennis and ace (= the best) service.

Not brilliant but who knows where it might lead (straight into the net?)!
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17 heures

A Top Service - Game, Set & Match Everytime

No great conviction, but something similar crops up in the article in the web ref below.
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+1
21 heures

when we serve you win

they didn't want a literal translation? well... maybe this will do.
Peer comment(s):

agree Anne-Marie Grant (X) : Snappy - as long as they're not desperate to keep the hard work aspect. I like this one.
1 heure
Thanks!
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