waiter or waitress

English translation: Waiter

10:11 Nov 4, 2013
Finnish to English translations [PRO]
Food & Drink / How to get around using \
Finnish term or phrase: waiter or waitress
I'm translating a menu (Finnish-English) where there's a short sentence explaining that gluten-free food is also available, the customer just has to ask their waiter or waitress. It seems a bit awkward to say "your waiter or waitress". The translation agency person suggests using "the wait staff" instead, which to me sounds just as awkward. Is it better or can anyone think of a better way of putting it?
Taina Pemberton
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:22
English translation:Waiter
Explanation:
No menu in the UK will have "ask your water or waitress" and wait-staff is just absolutely out. Just use waiter, unless of course all the waiters in the restaurant are female...

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Note added at 17 mins (2013-11-04 10:29:44 GMT)
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If you really wanted to avoid waiter/waitress, you could always say "ask the staff"

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Note added at 26 mins (2013-11-04 10:38:20 GMT)
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Please use staff, not wait staff. The only staff obvious to be consulted are the waiters.
Selected response from:

Hannele Marttila
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:22
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Waiter
Hannele Marttila
4 -1server
Desmond O'Rourke


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Waiter


Explanation:
No menu in the UK will have "ask your water or waitress" and wait-staff is just absolutely out. Just use waiter, unless of course all the waiters in the restaurant are female...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2013-11-04 10:29:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If you really wanted to avoid waiter/waitress, you could always say "ask the staff"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2013-11-04 10:38:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Please use staff, not wait staff. The only staff obvious to be consulted are the waiters.

Hannele Marttila
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:22
Native speaker of: Native in FinnishFinnish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Spencer Allman: just watier I would say
23 hrs
  -> Ask the staff, ask your waiter
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
server


Explanation:
Waiters/waitresses are aptly called servers. They serve your food.

Desmond O'Rourke
United States
Local time: 19:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Hannele Marttila: Never so in the UK.... maybe in the States?
19 hrs
  -> Yes, server is the common term in the US... it is gender neutral

neutral  Spencer Allman: Not in the UK Desmond
7 days
  -> Good to know!
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