Recently I found in and checked out from our public library a copy of THE DRILLING by Norbert Klups (I also see that it is offered by a seller of remaindered books at $34.95). The book was originally published in German, and the English language version has a severe defect in that the translator was obviously unfamiliar with the terminology used for firearms, and uses literal translations of the German terminology. This leads to many areas that are quite confusing and almost incomprehensible, particularly in the sections describing the mechanical features of different Drilling actions. A couple of examples: The part of a multi-barreled gun between the barrels that's called a "rib" in English is called "Schien" in German, which also means "rail" in other contexts, and "rail" is the term the translator uses throughout. Also, the term "Baskule" is sometimes used in German for the frame of a break-open gun. The English equivalent "bascule" is never, to my knowledge, used in the context of firearms, but that doesn't stop our translator from so using it. He is also unaware that the term ".22 lfB (lang fuer Buechse)"should become ".22 Long Rifle" or ".22 LR" in English, and retains the German abbreviation. These examples are only the tip of the iceberg.

On a positive note, the sections on ammunition for Drillings and on their care and maintenance are fairly intelligible, and the book is beautifully illustrated with dozens of clear color photographs.

In summary, the book is worth looking at if you can find a library copy, and might be worth purchasing at the remaindered price for the pictures alone, but the text is pretty hopeless.

Bob,

Thx for the report.

A shame about the bad translation; in the original German language version it is the ultimate Drilling book.

Bob,

Sad but true on the translation. Still as Gerry said it's still a very useful book.

Worse is the translation of his double rifle book. That was so bad I returned to Amazon...

You're right about the Double Rifle book; our library has it too. One more example to point out the silliness of the translation: the primary meaning of the German word "Blatt" is "leaf", as in the leaf of a tree, but it can also mean blade, as in a blade of grass, and in hunting literature at least, refers to the shoulder blade, or just the shoulder area in general. In places where the original text obviously refers to shoulder shots, our translator dutifully records them as "leaf shots". Now this shouldn't have made sense even to an effete academic type, but he apparently couldn't be bothered to check further than his German-English dictionary.

I think its quite difficult to translate a book for hunters in German language to the Englisch language- for the German hunters have an own language.

Examples, the animal's ears

rabitts have "Löffel"
roedeer have "lauscher"
Boars have "Teller"
Dogs habe "Behang"

Dogs tail "Rute"
If dog longhaired Rute is "befedert"

Or another Example a marmot family

The boss "Bär" (bear)
Female "Katze" (cat)
Kit "Affe" (monkey)

Young boars with strips - Frösche (frogs)

And so you have hundreds of words unknown to the rest, not hunting population.


Burkhard

It was probably translated on a computer program.

English to German and vice versa is difficult with a computer because of the ammount of slang words in both languages.

At least German is only spoken in a few nations. Spanish to English and vice versa is really wierd with all the different Spanish varients from South America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Spain.

I learned Spanish in Spain from people in Andalucia. So I guess I speak Andalusian Spanish or Andaluz, which is about as different as the Mexican Spanish as can be, as I am finding out living in America after so long.

Then I meet a girl from Puerto Rico, and she grew up in Miami. Well she tells me I don't speak Spanish at all. That the words I tell her don't make sense.

So I recon a Computer or a Woman translated that thing. At least something that would make things more difficult!

...computer, for sure...

I once saw a computer that translated "hydraulic ram" into German as "water goat"...

This is pretty much the way this book was translated into English. I still like the book, but I don't agree with the author on all points and think his bias showed a bit.