Spanish terminology

[kev54]

OK, this one has me foxed (not that difficult, I admit). I'm trying to book a campsite in Spain (Burgos) that doesn't seem to have an English-language version. The booking section asks if I'm booking for Coche Cama or Autobus (there are other options but I can translate those). I thought the translation for motorhome is autocaravana. I emailed the site in my best Spanish and they replied "no need to book, just turn up" - which is not quite what I asked, and I'm looking around Easter so I think I probably do need to book. Any help on what I should tick?

 

[Littlewheels]

Coche = Car
Cama = Bed
Autobus is as stated a Bus, a Motorhome is normally referred to as Autocaravanas in Spanish.
Not really much help.. email an image of MH if in doubt.

 

[Mike123]

This came out of wiki -

“The sleeping car or sleeping car (also known by the wagon-lit Gallicism) is a passenger car that is capable of accommodating all its passengers in some type of bed, with the main purpose of making night trips with more comfort.”

 

[daventess]

Not an actual answer I'm afraid, but according to ChatGPT :

"Coche cama" is not the Spanish term for motorhome. The Spanish term for motorhome is "autocaravana" or "casa rodante".
"casa rodante" can also refer to a trailer, especially a recreational vehicle (RV) type of trailer that can be used as a mobile home or for recreational purposes. But it is also used as a synonym for "autocaravana", which is the more commonly used term for a motorhome in Spanish.

 

[kev54]

This came out of wiki -

“The sleeping car or sleeping car (also known by the wagon-lit Gallicism) is a passenger car that is capable of accommodating all its passengers in some type of bed, with the main purpose of making night trips with more comfort.”

Thanks - sleeping-car / wagon-lit is a term more used for trains

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[Mike123]

Thanks - sleeping-car / wagon-lit is a term more used for trains

Correct, when I looked at the full details - not relevant

 

[philann]

If it is camping Fuentes Blanc then probably no need to book if only for a couple of nights. There always seem to be vans coming and going as it is a favourite overnight stop to/from Santander or Bilbao. Nice site, easy walk into Burgos and decent bar/restaurant.

 

[kev54]

Not an actual answer I'm afraid, but according to ChatGPT :

"Coche cama" is not the Spanish term f'or motorhome. The Spanish term for motorhome is "autocaravana" or "casa rodante".
"casa rodante" can also refer to a trailer, especially a recreational vehicle (RV) type of trailer that can be used as a mobile home or for recreational purposes. But it is also used as a synonym for "autocaravana", which is the more commonly used term for a motorhome in Spanish.

Thanks - I have plenty of computer translation service, even an old-fashioned, paper dictionary - with all of that - just wondering if professionals (ie campsite website owners) had a different take on the meanings.

 

[kev54]

Coche = Car
Cama = Bed
Autobus is as stated a Bus, a Motorhome is normally referred to as Autocaravanas in Spanish.
Not really much help.. email an image of MH if in doubt.

yup

 

[kev54]

If it is camping Fuentes Blanc then probably no need to book if only for a couple of nights. There always seem to be vans coming and going as it is a favourite overnight stop to/from Santander or Bilbao. Nice site, easy walk into Burgos and decent bar/restaurant.

Thanks philann, that's the place. Good to know, but I'm just stumped by the tick-boxes!

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[EuroTrotters]

Coche = Car
Cama = Bed
Autobus is as stated a Bus, a Motorhome is normally referred to as Autocaravanas in Spanish.
Not really much help.. email an image of MH if in doubt.

But they and we often use "Motorcaravana"

 

[EuroTrotters]

OK, this one has me foxed (not that difficult, I admit). I'm trying to book a campsite in Spain (Burgos) that doesn't seem to have an English-language version. The booking section asks if I'm booking for Coche Cama or Autobus (there are other options but I can translate those). I thought the translation for motorhome is autocaravana. I emailed the site in my best Spanish and they replied "no need to book, just turn up" - which is not quite what I asked, and I'm looking around Easter so I think I probably do need to book. Any help on what I should tick?

View attachment 712287

Makes no sense to me

 

[EuroTrotters]

tiendas de campaña = Tent

Parcela is parcel or in this case, your plot/pitch
Coche = Car
Motocicleta = Motorcycle
Coche Cama = Campervan

So I assume They are using Autobus as Motorhome

 

[kev54]

Makes no sense to me View attachment 712426

I think I’ll book in as a small shop and try selling fish and chips

 

[jumar]

Looks like they are using old software for the site booking.....Coche Cama is still used in some instances....it's greatly been replaced with Autocaravana
During Easter most Spanish migrate to various coastlines....leaving the interior fairly quiet....however Easter festivities near or in Burgos could attract some visitors...Good luck....Burgos is wonderful..and a shortish walk from the site..

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[Littlewheels]

But they and we often use "Motorcaravana"

Spanglish. Never heard it myself.

 

[kev54]

Looks like they are using old software for the site booking.....Coche Cama is still used in some instances....it's greatly been replaced with Autocaravan..
During Easter most Spanish migrate to various coastlines....leaving the interior fairly quiet....however Easter festivities near or in Burgos could attract some visitors...Good luck....Burgos is wonderful..and a shortish walk from the site..

Thanks jumar for the local knowledge

 

[Littlewheels]

And they have a Mega market at the weekend that attracts hoards.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Spanglish. Never heard it myself.

Same argument I have with my Native Spanish speaker. Every time I say Autocaravana, he corrects me to Motorcaravana

 

[cyberyacht]

Just turn up as the man says. Worse case scenario, find an aire for the night.

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[jumar]

Same argument I have with my Native Spanish speaker. Every time I say Autocaravana, he corrects me to Motorcaravana

Then he is wrong....

 

[jumartoo]

More often than not the Spanish we know, or speak to, all call motorhomes (and caravans), caravanas!!!

 

[EuroTrotters]

Then he is wrong....

I shall correct him !

update next week

 

[EuroTrotters]

Spanglish. Never heard it myself.

Challenged my Spanish Teacher last week, he would not accept it was incorrect.

Instead, stating "Autocaravana" Sounded better.

I guess its like Refrigerator (Fridge)

In Spanish: refrigerador / frigorífico (nevera)

 

[Mike123]

Spanglish. Never heard it myself.

Sounds like a line from “only fools and horses” …..

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[EuroTrotters]

Sounds like a line from “only fools and horses” …..

Its very similar to Franglais
(Français où l'influence anglaise (lexique, syntaxe) est prédominante).

Brits often use their own terms like "Franglish"

 

[PaulOH]

A family who live nearby convert panel vans as campers - they have a seriously big MB project on the go at the moment and everything is a 'furgo'. I refer to my coachbuilt as a 'furgo' (Fiesta up to Transit type van) and it's accepted.

I did a correction/translation for the owner of a small 'furgo' site on the Costa Brava, which has a booking facility and an English option which was rather Spanglish. I just did it spontaneously because it was post-covid and wanted to help him out cos he's a good guy. He gratefully received it but I see this evening that the Spanglish remains.

The inaccuracy of translation is a bigger problem than you think. It creates a lot of uncertainty about details. People translate with all the good intentions in the world but if it's not correct or way off in choice of vocab or even in it's level of formality, it creates a barrier. I would never translate anything written into Catalan or Spanish without getting it checked by a native speaker - tho translation engines are getting really good these days - particularly if you have some knowledge of the language you are translating into!

 

[EuroTrotters]

A family who live nearby convert panel vans as campers - they have a seriously big MB project on the go at the moment and everything is a 'furgo'. I refer to my coachbuilt as a 'furgo' (Fiesta up to Transit type van) and it's accepted.

I did a correction/translation for the owner of a small 'furgo' site on the Costa Brava, which has a booking facility and an English option which was rather Spanglish. I just did it spontaneously because it was post-covid and wanted to help him out cos he's a good guy. He gratefully received it but I see this evening that the Spanglish remains.

The inaccuracy of translation is a bigger problem than you think. It creates a lot of uncertainty about details. People translate with all the good intentions in the world but if it's not correct or way off in choice of vocab or even in it's level of formality, it creates a barrier. I would never translate anything written into Catalan or Spanish without getting it checked by a native speaker - tho translation engines are getting really good these days - particularly if you have some knowledge of the language you are translating into!

I wonder why the Spanglish remains !.

?.

Yes, totally agree with you regarding translator apps or Google. They are much better. Until you come to grammar.

You don’t want to be sending a bill to a client to say the equivalent of “ you have paid” rather than “you haven’t paid”.

I recently built website with a Spanish language page. Luckily, there were few mistakes as I got it checked after it went live .

 

[Coolcats]

Thanks - I have plenty of computer translation service, even an old-fashioned, paper dictionary - with all of that - just wondering if professionals (ie campsite website owners) had a different take on the meanings.

Like your thinking, the translation services do leave something out, I translated a little English into polish for a slide presentation the polish guys chuckled as they knew it had not been translated correctly but appreciated I had gone to the effort of thinking of them.

ChatGPT Google translate etc I think deserves a little scepticism when using them rather than fact

I recall spinvox being heralded as the most accurate voice to text translators AI software, then it turned out to be translators in another country doing the bulk of the translation work

 

[PaulOH]

I recall spinvox being heralded as the most accurate voice to text translators AI software, then it turned out to be translators in another country doing the bulk of the translation work

No substitute for the native speaker IMHO. This is even when the locals question what you have suggested saying things like 'I have not never heard of this word in my live', and I say 'There's a good reason for that....'

Non-natives can sometimes be a bit too sensitive about corrections. A long time ago, I proofread and corrected an Argentinian neighbour's English translation of his business website. I did about 20 full pages of text and captions for next to nothing, thinking I could put it on my CV to help launch a career here in proofreading.

You may know that Argentinian Spanish style is even more 'exuberant' than the already convoluted regular Spanish. So I edited the flowery fluff out of the translation to clean it up - it was really OTT and sometimes hard to read in addition to a few grammar errors - not at all the functional, business style of a website.

He questioned almost every line and then rejected the correction, going live with his original, grammar errors and all. He said he wanted to be polite to people browsing his site and my correction was 'non-polite'.

Good luck to him