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  3. Medical: Dentistry

a query about a word probably translated from Serbian

English translation: Universit of..., Faculty of...

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Serbian term or phrase:a query about a word probably translated from Serbian
English translation:Universit of..., Faculty of...
Entered by: Mark Daniels

18:18 Feb 19, 2007
Serbian to English translations [PRO]
Medical: Dentistry
Serbian term or phrase: a query about a word probably translated from Serbian
I'm editing English written by (a) non-native speaker(s) of -possibly- Serbian. The text is about education in Montenegro, and they refer to teh fact that there is just 1 university in Monetnegro, but then go on to refer to 'faculties'. They refer to 'faculty' as if it was a kind of 'third level education' centre, but in English, faculty is just a PART of a university, i.e. faculties exist within universities not independently of them

Definition:
A faculty is a division of a university (e.g. a Faculty of Science or Faculty of Medicine).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faculty_(University_Division)

Would this be a translation error, in that there is a word in Serbian that is similar to 'faculty' that means a 'third-level school'? That is, 'faculty' is a false friend?

TIA:-)
Lia Fail (X)
Spain
Local time: 00:47
Universit of..., Faculty of...
Explanation:
Good question - faculties in Serbia ARE also a subdivision of the university, but they seem to operate with a higher degree of independence, and people often use the word "faculty" where in English we would use "University".

For example, I studied Serbian at Nottingham University, but can hardly remember which faculty it was (Modern Languages, I think) and would never say "I studied at the Faculty of Modern Languages in Nottingham".

However, in Serbian you will usually hear "I studied at the Faculty of Philosophy in Podgorica", and the word "university" is not used.

Maybe someone can elaborate on why this is?

I would normally translate this more in line with the English usage: "I studied at the University of..., at the Faculty of...", something like that.
Selected response from:

Mark Daniels
Local time: 00:47
Grading comment
Thanks to EVERYBODY:-) The comments have been very useful, Marks, Pavle's explanation re the geographical location of faculties, and other people's agrees, which makes it all crystal clear:-)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +7Universit of..., Faculty of...
Mark Daniels


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Universit of..., Faculty of...


Explanation:
Good question - faculties in Serbia ARE also a subdivision of the university, but they seem to operate with a higher degree of independence, and people often use the word "faculty" where in English we would use "University".

For example, I studied Serbian at Nottingham University, but can hardly remember which faculty it was (Modern Languages, I think) and would never say "I studied at the Faculty of Modern Languages in Nottingham".

However, in Serbian you will usually hear "I studied at the Faculty of Philosophy in Podgorica", and the word "university" is not used.

Maybe someone can elaborate on why this is?

I would normally translate this more in line with the English usage: "I studied at the University of..., at the Faculty of...", something like that.

Mark Daniels
Local time: 00:47
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks to EVERYBODY:-) The comments have been very useful, Marks, Pavle's explanation re the geographical location of faculties, and other people's agrees, which makes it all crystal clear:-)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Almir Comor MITI: spot on... in english, the uni is more important; in serbian, it's the faculty/school
18 mins
  -> Right, I think "school" might be more an American usage
agree  Pavle Perencevic: Also, universities in Serbia/Montenegro differ from British or U.S. universities in that they don't have campuses. The faculties are located in buildings scattered around town, often miles apart from each other.
24 mins
  -> Agreed - that may be partly what gives them that "independence"
agree  Branka Stankovic McCarthy: Great explanation Mark.
27 mins
  -> Thanks, I wasn't sure if I knew where I was going with that :)
agree  Veronica Prpic Uhing: We do use: I studied at Faculty of, University of.., but for foreign -I studied at School of .., University of .. Translator's role is not nostrification
44 mins
  -> thanks
agree  Sherefedin MUSTAFA
47 mins
  -> thanks
agree  Kristina Kolic: Absolutely!
2 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  Iva Pajvancic
3 hrs
  -> thanks
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