DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:53:31 -0400
Reply-To: ILPI <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: ILPI <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Subject: SUMMARY: Spanish translation of term "MSDS"
Comments: cc: support**At_Symbol_Here**ilpi.com
I'd like to thank everyone for the public and
non-public responses to this question.
The general consensus is that "hojas" is a much
better word that "pliegos" in this instance. As
far as the entire phrase goes, there a few
similar wordings; see below.
Here is my original post followed by the public
and non-public responses I received. I will pass
this information along to the manufacturer with a
recommendation that they update their binders.
Thanks VERY much, once again, to everyone for
their efforts.
Best wishes,
Rob Toreki
Original post:
At 6:02 PM -0400 6/18/07, ILPI wrote:
>We are distributors of bilingual MSDS binders
>(among other products). The front of the binders
>say MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS in English, and
>PLIEGOS DE DATOS SOBRE SEGURIDAD DE MATERIALES
>in Spanish.
>
>A Spanish-speaking (potential) client called
>today and said he did not recognize the word
>"Pliegos" which, from a web search, I determined
>is a valid Spanish term for "sheets". He
>seemed concerned that his hundreds of
>Spanish-speaking employees (they are a farming
>company) wouldn't understand it either. The
>word "hojas" might be a better match.
>
>Not to rely on foreign translation on the web,
>but a search on the exact term PLIEGO DE DATOS
>SOBRE SEGURIDAD DE MATERIALES returns only one
>match at Google whereas the same term with HOJA
>substituted for PLIEGO returns 706.
>
>I've already sent an inquiry to the
>manufacturer. I've also asked the client to run
>the word pliegos by some of his employees.
>
>My question for the list is this - are there any
>native Spanish speakers here who can comment on
>the nuances of "hojas" versus "pliegos" and
>whether or not the latter term is likely to be
>recognized correctly by non-professionals who
>read/speak (Mexican dialects of) Spanish.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responses in chronological order. I have
withheld names from responses received via
private email.
I will add my own response/summary/assessment first:
RESPONSE 0
After posting my question, I remembered that we
have an English translation of the Mexican MSDS
regulation, NOM-018-STPS-2000, posted on our
comprehensive MSDS web site. See the
link/discussion in our MSDS FAQ section
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/faq/parte.html#other for
that. Correlating that translation back to the
original documents available on the Mexican
government web site, MSDS corresponds to "Hojas
De Datos De Seguridad"; see
http://trabajoyps.jalisco.gob.mx/nom/nomorg018stps00.pdf
I also found MSDS's from Mexican manufacturers
that use "Hojas De Datos De Seguridad De
Materiales", for example
http://www.grupoidesa.com/Hojas/msds-deg.pdf
In concert with the helpful replies from the list
members, I'd say these two wordings are the best
"short" and "long" versions of the phrase.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 1
>The ACS Committee on Chemical Safety translated SACL to Spanish. You will
>find "Material Safety Data Sheets" translated as "Hojas de Seguridad" in
>SACL. The document was reviewed by many different Spanish speakers. Your
>translation looks like a direct translation to Spanish. Having taken 7 years
>of Spanish classes, I can tell you many terms are not directly translated.
>Lo paso bien tells a Spanish speaker you had a good time but is directly
>translated to I passed it well.
>
>Our Spanish SACL is available online at:
>http://membership.acs.org/c/ccs/pubs/SACL_Spanish.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 2
>AAfter working on safety issues several years in my country Mexico I can say
>that the most adequate translation of MSDS is "hoja de datos de seguridad de
>los materiales".
>We use the world "pliegos" for a kind of documents that are written down big
>and fold sheets. I am sure that for workers would be better to understand
>and use the word "hojas" instead of pliegos.
>In addition, the occupational regulations in my country name MSDS as "hojas
>de datos de seguridad". Therefore. if you use this terminology you will be
>in according with regulations.
>I hope this could be useful for you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 3
>This is a great question in the greater sense of what is the correct
>colloquial term in any language. Also the specification of the dialect (my
>neighbor is Argentinean and often comments on the different usage in
>"Spanish").
>
>Since you originated the issue, I think it a great contribution for you to
>suggest to the Division leadership for the CHAS website to be a location to
>accumulate these terms in all the languages of the world. A great service
>from the ACS, and one with lots of curiosity factor!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 4
At 8:56 PM -0400 6/18/07, Eng. Winston R. Esteves wrote:
>My native language is Spanish and I'll take "Hojas" over "Pliegos" 100% of
>the time. We refer to MSDSs as "Hojas de Datos de Seguridad de Materiales".
>That is what we use as translation in all of our trainings.
>
>Winston R. Esteves
>PE, DEE, QEP, CHMM
>Environmental Consulting Associates
>Phone 787-790-7931
>Fax 787-790-7989
>Cell 787-644-5684
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 5
>Hi. I am spanish speaking and I think the term
>"Hojas de Datos sobre Seguridad de Materiales"
>is more adecuated for us spanish speakers,
>although "pliegos" is used too, depending of the
>country.
>
>I understand what is a MSDS, but the translation
>is difficult, since it would seem in spanish
>that the safety is refered to the materials and
>not to the people working with them. The class I
>took in spanish about safety was called "Hygiene
>y Seguridad Industrial".
>
>Then a better approach could be "Hojas de Datos
>para Hygiene y Seguridad" , or "Hojas de Datos
>sobre Materiales".
>I hope I did not confuse you more, but spanish is really tricky.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 6
At 7:49 AM -0500 6/19/07, Medina, Javier wrote:
>My native language is also Spanish and hojas is a better used of the
>word in this context. Pliego would be utilized better in the printing
>and publishing industry. Rob Toreki, if you need any further assistance
>with chemical name and/or toxicological name translation just e-mail me
>directly.
>
>Javier Medina
>Chemist/CHO
>Office 915-587-3688
>Javier.medina**At_Symbol_Here**elpaso.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 7
At 9:19 AM -0400 6/19/07, antonio rodriguez wrote:
>Like Winston Esteves, I prefer the word "hojas"
>instead of "pliego," but both may be used.
>
>In Puerto Rico, I am used to the term "pliego"
>always in reference to "bid documents", seldom
>in other uses, most of them in legal circles.
>
>You may have a wider perspective if you look at
>synonims for both words, from which you will see
>the versatility of the word "hoja" and the
>limited but perhaps more precise meaning of the
>word "pliego". Please note that I added a single
>English word. within brackets, to convey the
>main meaning of each list.
>
>Diccionario de sinÛnimos y antÛnimos © 2005 Espasa-Calpe S.A., Madrid:
>
>hoja
> a.. hojuela, pÈtalo, br·ctea, fronda, verde [leaf]
> b.. plancha, l·mina, placa, chapa [sheet]
> c.. folio, cuartilla, p·gina, pliego, plana,
>carilla, impreso, op˙sculo, escrito [page]
> d.. hierro, acero, filo, espada, cuchilla, pu"al, navaja, sable [blade]
>
>
>Diccionario de sinÛnimos y antÛnimos © 2005 Espasa-Calpe S.A., Madrid:
>
>pliego
> a.. folio, hoja, papel, cuadernillo, documento, nota, formulario [document]
>
>
>A. Rodriguez, PhD, PE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE 8
At 9:28 AM -0400 6/19/07, Nabil Bissada wrote:
>http://www.msds-mexico.com/
(which translates MSDS as Hoja de datos de seguridad).
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