Search Forum

Help needed: translation of notes.

Help needed: translation of notes. 11 years ago
Hello!

As some of you might know, I am looking after the Parfumo translation file for fragrance notes so all fragrance notes from the pyramids on Parfumo.de will be translated correctly to Parfumo International.

I have a question to the native English speakers:

The blossom of the linden-tree is 'Lindenblüte' in German which would be 'linden blossom' if translated literally. Now I see that the dictionaries give me the translation 'lime blossom' or 'lime tree blossom'.

I find this quite confusing as the linden tree has nothing to do with limes. So far, I have used the translation 'linden blossom', and I would like to keep it like that. Is this comprehensible? Or is this bad English and should be changed?

Currently, we have:

Lindenblüte - Linden blossom
französischer Lindenblüten-Akkord - French linden blossom accord
Lindenblüten-Absolue - Linden blossom absolute
französische Lindenblüte - French linden blossom
französisches Lindenblüten-Absolue - French linden blossom absolute
11 years ago
My native tongue is German, but I have lived in the U.S. a long time.

I would be confused by "lime" and am very comfortable with all of the above "linden" translations as they point to the linden tree and its blossoms.
11 years ago
Lime is just another name for Linden but I agree that it will be confused with the citrus fruit.

Linden Blossom is a 100% accurate description. Keep it as it is.
11 years ago
I vote for linden, too.

It's like narcissus for daffodil! Much more elegant.

Wink

Here's an article which distinguishes the trees bearing limes from linden trees:

ayalasmellyblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/lime-vs-l inden.html

Very confusing, but linden blossom is linden blossom, so maybe that's all that really matters.

Confused
Tilia 11 years ago
Ethymollogically, "lime" (as in lime tree) is an Old English word that means "lenient". It's also still kept in "limestone". It has nothing to do with the citrus. "linden" is a German loanword that entered the English lexicon later.

Sorry, I'm a quirky philologist, call it my "deformation professionelle" Very Happy
Re: Tilia 11 years ago
Girasole:
Ethymollogically, "lime" (as in lime tree) is an Old English word that means "lenient". It's also still kept in "limestone". It has nothing to do with the citrus. "linden" is a German loanword that entered the English lexicon later.

Sorry, I'm a quirky philologist, call it my "deformation professionelle" Very Happy

Very helpful! No apologies necessary!

C'est une belle "déformation professionnelle!"

Very Happy
11 years ago
Thank you all for your advice!
11 years ago
Dear Sir, To add to your confusion as a retired herbalist we refer to the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia in which the native tree of the British isles "Lime Flower" or Tilia cordata is commonly known as a lime flower tree. Not related to the citrus limes. A strange quirk of the English language. Also used as a tea for nervous tension (its a sedative),raised arterial pressure,hysteria, migraine,and feverish colds.I am lucky enough to have a 50 year old one in my back yard. Good luck, Howard Jarvis, Bud Parfums.
11 years ago
Howardjarvis:
Dear Sir, To add to your confusion as a retired herbalist we refer to the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia in which the native tree of the British isles "Lime Flower" or Tilia cordata is commonly known as a lime flower tree. Not related to the citrus limes. A strange quirk of the English language. Also used as a tea for nervous tension (its a sedative),raised arterial pressure,hysteria, migraine,and feverish colds.I am lucky enough to have a 50 year old one in my back yard. Good luck, Howard Jarvis, Bud Parfums.

Tilia cordata seems to be a sub-species of the linden tree! Howard, please use it in your next perfume, so we can add the Small-leaved lime or Winterlinde seperately to the database Wink
11 years ago
Anothee question: What is the most common English word for Impatiens glandulifera?

Policeman's Helmet, Bobby Tops, Copper Tops, Gnome's Hatstand, Himalayan Balsam, or Kiss-me-on-the-mountain?
impatiens 11 years ago
Hi Apicius, I'm re-living my "translate Oscar Wilde" trauma here :9
Impatiens smell? Really? The only Impatiens I know is what we call Fleißiges Lieschen or Noli me tangere. And that's "Touch me not" or "busy Lizzie" in English. (They are used in Bach flower therapy; guess what: against impatience) Very Happy
6 years ago
Spotted another one .. Very Happy
Süßholz is commonly known as liquorice, we use Glycyrrhiza.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquorice
www.britannica.com/plant/licorice

Edit:
Meanwhile I realised that liquorice denotes both, Süßholz and Lakritz, and see the problem that poses.
Not having majored in botany, thus consulting Wiki instead, it seems that the sweet, Lakritz, is referred to as liquorice confectionery. This isn't more elegant but would allow for a more understandable translation - not everyone is familiar with Latin. Wink
Thoughts?
6 years ago
Our note Damascus rose absolute ought to be Damask-rose absolute. Smile
www.britannica.com/plant/damask-rose
5 years ago
www.parfumo.com/Fragrance_Note/Oud_combodi
Edit: I can only find it in connection with the Arabic name used for Arabic fragrances "oudh al combodi" which seems to be a spelling variation for "Oud Cambodi".
Since we do not have a separate English entry for "Cambodian oud" (except for "Black Cambodian Oud"), I assume we're using the Arabic name for a reason, also for non-Arabic fragrances.
5 years ago
I changed it to cambodian oud. the way it is translated from the translator and I always thought it was translated to anyway.
5 years ago
I see, thanks for unifying the entry for this specific oud Smile
5 years ago
www.parfumo.com/Fragrance_Note/Roasted_cocos

I think roasted coconut may be better suited, the current one seems to illustrate coconut trees on fire.

Thanks for fixing Smile
Typo 5 years ago
Linnen Category 5 years ago
Linen, instead of Linnen....

www.parfumo.com/Fragrance_Notes/Linnen
4 years ago
Silverfire:
Linen, instead of Linnen....

www.parfumo.com/Fragrance_Notes/Linnen

Edit: It seems that both spellings are legit here Smile
Notify about new comments
Display posts from previous:
Forum Overview Parfumo Research Help needed: translation of notes.
Jump to