While reading about origami, I suddenly realized I don't know how "reverse
fold" is interpreted in English. More specifically, the word "reverse" has (at
least) two translations into the Danish language:
- "omvendt", a noun meaning opposite, i.e. the result of the move is the
opposite of what it was.
- "omvende" (or the shorter "vende"), a verb meaning to make something go the
other way (eventually resulting in something being opposite), i.e. the move
actively makes the fold become opposite of what is was.
Maybe in English you melt the two meanings together. However, when translating
literally I need to choose one.
Any thoughts?
The translator of Harbin's Origami 1 opted for "omvendt fold", but most other
origami books in Danish either avoids calling it anything, or use "knæk" or
more often one of the specific terms "inderknæk" or "yderknæk" for inside and
outside reverse folds, respectively. "Knæk" would mean bend, crack, fold,
crease. Usually, the Danish word "fold" would be used (as in English it is both
a verb and a noun), but a "knæk" is more forceful and drastic, and hence seems
useful for this situation.
Regards,
Hans
Hans Dybkjær
Site: papirfoldning.dk
Society: foldning.dk
