Translating Labels, real gold and silk, real silk, real what?

Is it real or fake? One hundred per cent or a mix? If you are buying gold or silver or jewellery, it helps to recognize the words for real silver and gold, and gold plated, or silver plated.

When buying leather, such as jackets, bag, or shoes, it helps to recognize both the symbols for leather and synthetics, and the words used. I have seen PU leather, which pops up in a search for leather boots, but it is fake lather, or leather look.

Sometimes you want the alternative. You might prefer plated items because they are cheaper. Or synthetic rather than leather or fur because you don[t want to be cruel to animals. 

You might want to find out the difference between 925 silver, and alloys. Also polyester cotton, which to my mind saves ironing

 I bought a scarf, second hand, pre-loved, whatever you want to call it. I loved it.

It had the label 100%. But 100% what?

 It had three letters I could not understand, not just in a foreign language, but also in a foreign alphabet.

It felt soft. But not quite as soft as silk. I had hoped for silk. Was it a good modern imitation?

I tried googling lists of words for silk in all languages. It was not silk.

What was the language. It looked like Russian. I worked out from another Russian word that the first letter was L.   What was the E with the two dots? The e pronounced like ay. The last letter looking like an H was N.  Lane?  The French for wool is laine. The word was not Russian for wool.

I had invited a friend to lunch with me at a restaurant. I showed her the scarf. She suggested linen. That sounded like the letters L A for ay, N. But the scarf did not feel thick and heavy and tightly woven, like linen suits which are stiff, resembling denim jeans.

Linen.

However, a search for the Russian word for linen produced a match. So did copying the word as an image and asking for a translation.

Photograph by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

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German words with different meanings - ersatz?

German flag
 

Ersatz - means replacement in German - who knew! In English it means fake.

Useful websites

https://www.thelocal.de/20210517/eight-german-words-used-in-english-but-with-different-meanings/

About the Author

About Angela The Author

The Author - Quick Quotations

Angela Lansbury B A Hons  is the author of ten books by regular publishers, plus another ten self-published books. 

About Angela The Speaker & Trainer

Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages to Toastmasters clubs and businesses.

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Vice President  Public Relations, Immediate Past President.

Former Area Director S3. Club Coach for Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club.

Also Member of: TCA Toastmasters Club; Singapore Online Dynamic; Harrovians UK

The recent meeting of BHA included Garen Tee on using story telling in business, on bha.learncool.sg . Also an educational on using Powerpoint for posters.

Next BHA meetings, (subject to revision)

1 (Saturday, May 15th, was 2 pm Singapore time, postponed because of national speaking contest.) 

After Vesak day and Hari Raya: 

Postponed to Saturday May 29th, 2021, at 2pm. Login to bha.learncool.sg earlier.

2 Next June meetings 1st Wednesday evening June 2nd at 7 pm Singapore time. 

3 Third Saturday afternoon, June 19th, Singapore time.  Thanks to the old team and Inauguration of New Team. 

Special speech with slides about teamwork in sport and Toastmasters International and life, by the President of West Coast Toastmasters Club who often help BHA with workshops and invite us to give speeches at their club.

Inauguration of new committee by incoming Area Director of S.

About Angela The Blogger 

Angela has several blogs on speeches, comedy and song writing and organizing, writing intermittently, but writes almost daily on these three:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

See next post on sculptor Tom Harvey.

Please share links to your favourite posts. 

The information on Toastmasters is updated regularly.

Buying jewellery, websites and walking

Gold of 18 carat, or 8 carat, rolled gold or gold plated, gold on silver, white gold, jade, pearl, freshwater pearl, diamond or cubic zirconia, real amethyst or synthetic, leather or imitation leather, opal or a p a l i t e? You might want to spend less and be quite happy. You might prefer not to have real fur or real leather. But do you know what you are being offered? Faux is French for false or fake.

I looked at some pretty jewellery on eBay. Then I reflected on the term o p  a l i t e . What is it? Obviously not opal. Is it a slice of opal rather than a whole stone? No, it appears to be synthetic. If you just want something pretty to wear whilst travelling (leaving your more expensive jewellery elsewhere) then it might suit you. But at least be aware what you are buying. In a shop you can decide if the colours are vibrant, or garish, drained out, or subtle. On line you have to be more careful. Here from the website below is a detailed guide.

In a shop, especially when travelling, you may have to make a quick decision. At least you can investigate in advance if you like buying opals from Australia, or amethyst from Asia.

If you are able to tell the difference and discuss it with the jewellery seller, you may get a straightforward answer. The seller may be quite happy to admit that you are looking at a 'fake' or synthetic gem if there's a chance of getting you to spend more on a real gemstone. The jewellery might happily say, "This is very cheap because it is just o p a l i t e. Very good value if you just want costume jewellery. But if you are prepared to pay more, I have this one for you which is real opal as you can see ..."

My view is that websites such as eBay should require the seller to publish a link, or they should make a pop-up to a link.

http://www.jewelledweb.com/2014/12/13/dont-get-fooled-opalite/

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Get a receipt which states whether you have real jade, amber, opal or synthetic stone

I love elephants, national symbol of Thailand and probably some other places. Jade in stronger colours is more prized than the paler wishy-washy colours. In Asia, Singapore, and countries such as Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia, like London shops and markets, you often see trinkets and Jewellery with stones. I like green jade, green, orange and yellow amber, and multicoloured opals.
    At a trip to Hay-on-Wye in Wales, I went into a jewellery shop which had second hand jewellery in the window including opals in silver. I bought a bracelet at what I thought was a good price. I asked for a receipt. When I received the receipt, I was disappointed to see that although the silver was listed as 925, not silver plate, I had just been sold synthetic opals.  
   Watch out for stalls, even those which have a proper shop elsewhere, if they don't want to give you a receipt. I carry my own receipt book. For insurance purposes, you need a receipt. To guard against loss and theft. Once I had my bag stolen in Spain. It was a leather bag and had nothing of great value, I thought. But the replacement cost of everything from a swimsuit at £40, to a lipstick at £10, a diary at £5, soon added up to well over £100.
    So, to avoid regrets and worries later, for peace of mind when buying jewellery with stones of jade, amber, or opal, check you are getting the real stone and not a coloured synthetic. Synthetics can be cheaper, and look very effective. You might prefer costume jewellery when travelling. So it's often just as good. But for a special gift, or if you are buying as an investment, just ask the seller causally,      
    Which pieces are synthetic with silver plate and which are real stones and 925 silver or sterling silver. I usually ask about the real silver or the quality of gold and silver first, then about the gemstones. I try to be friendly with the seller and explain what I want. It could be, 'I don't mind synthetics. I just want something as a souvenir, a cheap gift.' Or it could be, 'I want metal and stones of value for mother's birthday, but also just a synthetic for when I'm travelling'. If you are buying a proper stone for lots of money, the shop in Asia might give you a synthetic stone piece as a gift in addition.
    The seller wants a happy customer, a returning customer, and recommendations, and more business. Ask, chat, say what you want, ask what you are getting. Why not - keep everybody informed and happy.