Hi again, could you please tell me what a signification investment is? I understand the combination significant investment. Is a signification investment a new buzz word or just a typo? Here is the context I’ve come across it:
“The market launch began with the first signification investment: a 12-megawatt peak (MWp) system for the production of polycrystalline silicon wafer-based solar cells.”
It sounded like a mistranslation to me, but I googled it anyway and found the website your quote comes from.
It’s a German company and I assume the English version is simply a translation of the original German text. In the German version the words “…mit der ersten bedeutenden Investition” are used.
My opinion: Bad translation, significant would be better.
Many thanks clarifying the investment question. Yes, you are right, I was referring to the English version of the Q-Cells website. What do you think of their presentation? I mean, what impression do they make on you when you read the English version of their web contents? Can you tell that it is the English version of a German text? Is there any difference American corporations present themselves online?
I haven’t read everything on the website, but generally speaking, the translation isn’t bad. It’s pretty direct and that led to some awkward spots.
Just a quick example:
In one place the German text is ‘so genannte Win-Win-Situationen’ and this is directly translated as ‘so-called win-win situations’. My point here is, I wouldn’t say “so-called” in English because that’s what it IS called in English. It’s only “so-called” in German. :lol:
The site has a very clean, uncluttered and organized look. I think an American site might have a bit more “razzle-dazzle” on it.
Yes, signification is a word. (Was there a mutiny in your Collins again? :lol:) It’s a noun and means ‘the act of indicating or signifying’.
Yes, you can ask if a word exists.
Your sentence was very good … just one small correction needed: Insignificant changes in a translation are often significant reasons for a misinterpretation.
The word significance also exists and is probably much more often used than signification. The meaning is also different. Significance is similar in meaning to importance.
But I guess Collins has told you that already. :lol:
