ibz Jan 3, 2013:

guillemets Oh, that's just because this is the correct way to use them in Switzerland (German speaking part). It's not correct in English, of course. Sorry if I got you confused - force of habit ;-)

DELANE (asker) Jan 3, 2013:

ibz, many thanks, it's very clear what to use now. Another observation about your reply: you prefer the inverse guillemets...something which a few (a minority) of publishing houses employ. Why do you prefer them, I'd like to know?

ibz Jan 3, 2013:

It's a grammatical question: You either have to write «riskieren, über den See zu fahren und einzubrechen» (two «zu-Infinitive») or «risikieren, über den See zu fahren, und einbrechen». The commas are needed because of the so-called «erweiterter zu-Infinitiv». As to the different meaning of the two sentences: I would say that the first option (zu fahren und einzubrechen) implies that this person might not actually crash through the ice (it's just a risk), while the second option (zu fahren, und einbrechen) means that the driver definitely does get wet ;-)

DELANE (asker) Jan 3, 2013:

Danke, ich habe vertyppt...the comma was intended to be there.

The other comma which comes at "[...] fahren, und einbrechen" I'm attempting to understand a little better. Does its presence perhaps help to imply the level of calculated risk the drivers have in mind? In other words, without it, the event occurs every year and the author's tone is a bit more cynical, implying that drivers would more knowingly drive across the ice, with an awareness of the risk. With the comma, it sounds as if the event happens, without adequate consideration having been taken by the driver. There is a distinction. I believe the latter, is what was intended.

ibz Jan 3, 2013:

comma If you put it like that you also need a comma after «riskieren» ...

DELANE (asker) Jan 3, 2013:

This arrangement, with regard to comma placement and word change, seems sensical:
"[...] wo jedes Jahr ein paar improvisierte Straßen über die dick zugefrorenen Seen des Nordens angelegt werden, um den Weg abzukürzen. Monate später, wenn das Eis wieder dünner wird, würde wohl jemand riskieren über den See zu fahren, und einbrechen"

Renate Radziwill-Rall Jan 2, 2013:

Petra, Irrtum "...wenn das Eis wieder dünner wird, würde wohl jemand riskieren, über den See zu fahren und einbrechen"
Bei meinem Verständnis und meiner Satzkonstruktion wäre es "niemand" (würde es riskieren).... also "einzubrechen".
Wenn man das ganze aber umdreht und sagen will, dass sicher "jemand" (ein Dummkopf) auf dünnem Eis fahren will, dann je nach Konstruktion ohne "zu", auch das "würde" ist falsch

Petra51 Jan 2, 2013:

Yes, Delane, it should be "angelegt".
There also has to be a comma after "über den See zu fahren": "riskieren, über den See zu fahren, und einbrechen." (The suggestion below, "einzubrechen", is wrong, because "einbrechen" is not part of the "riskieren"/"take a gamble"-structure.)

DELANE (asker) Jan 2, 2013:

Valuing the feedback. So "angelegt" is with all certainty correct, and "anlegt" simply an error, intended to be "angelegt"?

LegalTrans D Jan 2, 2013:

mit ibz *

ibz Jan 2, 2013:

niemand / jemand Ich verstehe das Original so, dass jedes Jahr, wenn das Eis dünner wird, irgendeiner Kopf und Kragen risikiert und dennoch über den See fährt, bis er schliesslich einbricht. Formulieren liesse sich das aber sicher noch schöner.

Renate Radziwill-Rall Jan 2, 2013:

yes, but "jemand" is a countersense here

DELANE (asker) Jan 2, 2013:

"Niemand" is most certainly not what is given in the original.

Renate Radziwill-Rall Jan 2, 2013:

should be "einzubrechen"

Renate Radziwill-Rall Jan 2, 2013:

jemand is wrong here, should be "niemand"

DELANE (asker) Jan 2, 2013:

I am reviewing the translator's work. It is not my own.

DELANE (asker) Jan 2, 2013:

A longer snippet, to be 100% certain:
"Als ich mit dem Schreiben dieser Zeilen begann, war ich gerade in New York und musste auf einmal an den frischen weißen Schnee denken, der eben in Helsinki gefallen war, und das erste dünne Eis. Mir fielen Geschichten über den kalten Winter in Finnland ein, wo jedes Jahr ein paar improvisierte Straßen über die dick zugefrorenen Seen des Nordens anlegt werden, um den Weg abzukürzen. Monate später, wenn das Eis wieder dünner wird, würde wohl jemand riskieren, über den See zu fahren und einbrechen"

Im Original:
"When I sat down to write these notes in rainy New York City, thinking of the fresh white snow which had just fallen in Helsinki and the early thin ice, I remembered stories of Finland’s cold winter, where every year short-cut roads are improvised across the thickly frozen north lakes. Months later as the ice begins to thin, someone will take the gamble to drive across the lake and crash through."

Renate Radziwill-Rall Jan 2, 2013:

this text you are working on is a very clumsy translation already, I am sure

LegalTrans D Jan 2, 2013:

angelegt This ought to be "angelegt", Delane.