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Glossary entry

Swedish term or phrase:

ansvarig

English translation:

manager

Added to glossary by YankeeDude
Sep 27, 2012 06:47
11 yrs ago
5 viewers *
Swedish term

ansvarig

Swedish to English Bus/Financial Advertising / Public Relations
I'd like to hear from native English-speakers about a better translation of the Swedish title "ansvarig".

I just simply can't accept the translations "responsible, in charge, liable, accountable, answerable".

Suggestions?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 manager
4 -1 fall guy/fall gal
3 -1 supervisor or director

Discussion

Deane Goltermann Sep 28, 2012:
manager, responsible, and ... What a fun discussion we have here, and Jerry, seems like you're just getting going. One of my first projects, we had a team of language folks working on site where our Swe client always had the final say on terms. Of the many terms we discussed to death, 'ansvarig' was one of the more memorable. The conclusion? Context is king, once again. Example, 'Projektansvarig' vs 'Projektchef' both working together on the same project -- the customer had a US sub and used 'responsible' for non-HR titles, as in whenever someone was assigned to look after something (manage part of a project), but had a formal position as something else (senior programmer, senior consultant, etc.). I reacted to it too, but its the modern way. It can be manager, it can be responsible, and there are US companies that use the same differentiation, but there is no 'correct' answer. But 'in charge' and the others, are not titles like responsible. Good luck with your CVs!!
Catherine Brix Sep 27, 2012:
Executive? But George is right, and there's no shame in asking ;)
George Hopkins Sep 27, 2012:
Ask the client It might be a good idea to ask the client - which may result in an alteration of the source text to give greater clarity... Rule number one: don't guess.
JaneD Sep 27, 2012:
I think in the case you quote, it would be marknadsansvarig = marketing director and marknadschef = marketing manager, as the word "director" generally indicates a more responsible role than a manager. But it would depend on which role was superior in the company's structure!
YankeeDude (asker) Sep 27, 2012:
"ansvarig" AND "chef" The thing is, a company can have both a "marknadsansvarig" and a "marknadschef". Here's where I have my dilemma, the latter is naturally Marketing Manager, but the former is where I don't have a good answer. The same applies to the case of "ekonomiansvarig" and "ekonomichef".
YankeeDude (asker) Sep 27, 2012:
a little more to chew on... Granted "ansvarig" depends on a particular context, but in those cases I've seen translations in CVs and on web sites the title "responsible" or "in charge", well it just doesn't seem correct, just not palatable.
George Hopkins Sep 27, 2012:
ansvarig The word ansvarig is tagged on to the end of almost anything in order to avoid being precise, eg, ekonomiansvarig may refer to someone of rank, a person who is responsible, ie, manager. One should not draw the conclusion that all other persons who are engaged lack responsibility. It's simply something you can't translate without actually having a good picture of the context.

Proposed translations

+1
1 min
Selected

manager

...is what I usually use, but obviously it depends on the context.
Note from asker:
I too like manager, although this to me also connotes personnel responsibility.
Peer comment(s):
agree Helen Johnson : just det
1 hr
Tack Helen
agree Hugh Curtis
2 hrs
Thanks
disagree George Hopkins : Is förrådsansvarig a manager or simply the person in charge of part or all of the stores in a factory? There is no one-word answer to the one-word question; as you so rightly point out it's all a matter of context.
3 hrs
Well quite, but that wasn't the question was it? As I said, it depends on the context.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-1
8 hrs

fall guy/fall gal

The "-ansvarige" was first created in the publishing industry by "Tryckfrihetsförordningen (TF)" and "Yttrandefrihetsgrundlagen (YGL)"; the title was "ansvarig utgivare". It was, and is, the person who pays fines and/or goes to jail when things go pear-shaped.

For the very same reason one may today find both a "marknadsansvarig" and a "marknadschef" in a Swedish company.

In the good old days one picked up any bum in docks, made him "ansvarig", gave him a corner office and a secretary whose task it was to fill up the drinks cabinet and remove the empties.

I realize that you cannot write "fall guy".

The "ansvarige" is never a director.

I think your best solution is to write "xxxmanager (xxxansvarig)".

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Note added at 8 hrs (2012-09-27 15:35:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Clarification:
The "ansvarige" is, for legal reasons, never a director.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Yvonne Tapper-Gardzina : Det står inte ansvarige det står ansvarig. This makes a world of difference!
9 hrs
???
Something went wrong...
-1
5 hrs

supervisor or director

Beror lite på vilket sorts jobb det är eller i vilket sammanhang.

(Jag har bott i US i 30 år, och på mitt jobb är min chef min supervisor och över henne är en director).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2012-09-28 00:58:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It depends on how you are using the term ansvarig. If iit's in a title as for a job, or in a sentence describing this person is ansvarig for certain things.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2012-09-28 14:14:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

All I am saying is, if the word ansvarig is in he title, in my opinion you would pick a job title, but if it's in a sentence, you could use the word responsible.

To asker: No, not both of them, as they are in different levels of management. I think it all depends on what kind of company and job position you're talking about.
Note from asker:
Are you proposing that both your boss (your supervisor) AND her boss (director) would have the title "ansvarig" in Swedish?!
Peer comment(s):
disagree Sven Petersson : Never a "director"!
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
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