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9th ProZ.com Translation Contest: "Business" » English to Finnish

Competition in this pair is now closed.

Source text in English

I remember reading once that some fellows use language to conceal thought, but it's been my experience that a good many more use it instead of thought.

A businessman's conversation should be regulated by fewer and simpler rules than any other function of the human animal. They are:

Have something to say.

Say it.

Stop talking.

Beginning before you know what you want to say and keeping on after you have said it lands a merchant in a lawsuit or the poorhouse, and the first is a short cut to the second. I maintain a legal department here, and it costs a lot of money, but it's to keep me from going to law.

It's all right when you are calling on a girl or talking with friends after dinner to run a conversation like a Sunday-school excursion, with stops to pick flowers; but in the office your sentences should be the shortest distance possible between periods. Cut out the introduction and the peroration, and stop before you get to secondly. You've got to preach short sermons to catch sinners; and deacons won't believe they need long ones themselves. Give fools the first and women the last word. The meat's always in the middle of the sandwich. Of course, a light butter on either side of it doesn't do any harm if it's intended for a man who likes butter.

Remember, too, that it's easier to look wise than to talk wisdom. Say less than the other fellow and listen more than you talk; for when a man's listening he isn't telling on himself and he's flattering the fellow who is. Give most men a good listener and most women enough note-paper and they'll tell all they know. Money talks -- but not unless its owner has a loose tongue, and then its remarks are always offensive. Poverty talks, too, but nobody wants to hear what it has to say.

The winning entry has been announced in this pair.

There were 4 entries submitted in this pair during the submission phase. The winning entry was determined based on finals round voting by peers.

Competition in this pair is now closed.


Entries (4 total) Expand all entries

Entry #8930
KatjaSan
KatjaSan
Finland
Winner
Voting points1st2nd3rd
287 x400
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 9 "like" tags
  • 2 users agreed with "likes" (4 total agrees)
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (2 total disagrees)
+1
vain muutama ohjenuora, joiden sisältö on yksinkertaisempi kuin minkään muun ihmistoiminnan säännöt.
Flows well
mikalaari
-1
+2
2
Jos kauppamies puhuu ennen kuin tietää mitä haluaa sanoa tai jatkaa sanottuaan kaiken, hän päätyy käräjille tai vaivaistaloon.
Flows well
Timo Lehtilä
Eikä ensin mainitusta ole yleensä kovin pitkä matka toiseen.
Flows well
mikalaari
lainopillinen osasto, eikä sen ylläpito ole halpaa touhua.
Flows well
mikalaari
Unohda esi- ja jälkipuheet ja lopeta ennen kuin olet toissijaisissa asioissa.
Flows well
mikalaari
-1
+1
1
Lyhyt saarna pitää syntiset hereillä, eikä lukkari usko tarvitsevansa pitkiä puheita.
Good term selection
Timo Lehtilä
Keskellä se täyte lihapiirakassakin on, ja pari nakkia voi toki pistää kaupan päälle jos vain tietää kuulijan niistä pitävän.
Flows well
mikalaari
Pidä myös mielessä, että on helpompi näyttää kuin kuulostaa viisaalta.
Flows well
mikalaari
Suurin osa miehistä kertoo kaiken tietämänsä, kun vain saa hyvän kuuntelijan. Naiset tekevät saman saatuaan käsiinsä kynän ja paperia.
Flows well
mikalaari
Entry #10183
Voting points1st2nd3rd
121 x44 x20
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 2 "like" tags
paljon useammat
Good term selection
mikalaari
On aivan sopivaa neitokaisen luona pistäytyessä tai ystävien kanssa päivällisen jälkeen jutellessa kuljetella keskustelua kuin pyhäkouluretkeä, kukkia poimimaan pysähdellen
Flows well
Accurately​ translate​d
mikalaari
Entry #8714
Voting points1st2nd3rd
112 x41 x21 x1
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 2 "like" tags
ihmisolennon
Good term selection
mikalaari
Keksi jotakin sanottavaa.
Good term selection
mikalaari
Entry #9110
Voting points1st2nd3rd
0000
Entry tagging:
  • No "like" tags