Useful vocabulary

This table of approximate translations is provided for a variety of reasons such as

1. If you are a non-english speaker, it may help to clarify some terms
2. If you are an english-speaker it may help you read foreign guidebooks or cave descriptions/surveys
3. It was here on disc, and a shame to waste it :-)

It is somewhat remedial, and very biased towards mountaineering rather than caving at the moment. However, it is being put in "as is" in the hope that it will be more useful to Expo 1998 on the site than on my hard disc in the UK ! I'm afraid that your browser will need to do tables for it to be any use at all :-(

Note: the Infomatics Commission of the Union Internationale de Spéléologie has established a Cavers' Dictionary Working Group, which should eventually build something a lot more useful than this. The current version (November 1999) is edition 5, now covering seven languages. I'll be adding some terms from this as time goes by...

English	German	French	Spanish
Abseil	Abseilung	Rappel	Rappel
Aid	Hilfsmittel	Aide
Aiguille needle	Nadel, Spitze	Aiguille	Torre Rocosa, Campanario
Alluvium	Alluvium	Alluvion	Aluvión
Altitude .. of summit	[See]höhe Berghöhe	Altitude, Hauter Élévation de la Mont.	Altitud Altura de Nevado
Arete knife edge ..	Grat, Kamm	Arâte	Arista Cuchilla (Mex)
Around (other side)	Umher	Autour
Ascent alpine .. first .. 1st recorded	Beisteigung, Begehung Erstbesteigung Erst Berichtete Besteigung	Ascension .. alpine première .. .. enregistrée	Ascensión, Subida,Escalada .. alpina prímera .. .. registrada
Avalanche	Lawine	Avalanche	Alud, Avalancha(Arg.)
Belay (verb)	Sicherung Sichern	Relais Assurer	Asegurado ? Asegurar
Bergschrund	Bergschrund, Randkluft	Rimaye	Rimaya(Méx.)
Bivouac	Biwak	Bivouac	Vivac
Blocky	Block Geröll	Désintegrable
Buttress	Rippe, Pfeiler, Stutze	Pilier	Contrafuerte(Méx.) Escalón (Arg.)
Bypass (verb)	Umgehen	Dévier Contoureur	Desviar
Cable crossing	Kabel Übergang	Passage à cable	Oroya
Cairn	Steinmann	Cairn	Pirca
Camp base.. high ..	Lager, Biwak basis .. Hochlager	Camp .. de base .. d'altitude	Campamento .. base .. alto
Canyon			Cañon
Cave	Höhle	Grotte	Cueva
Chimney	Kamin	Cheminée
Chockstone	Klemmblock
Circa, about	Ungefähr	Environ, à peu pres	Cerca de, Hacia
Cirque	Kar, Mulde	Cirque	Circo
Climb (verb) .. up .. down	Klettern Besteigen Ansteigen Absteigen	Escalade Grimper, Escalader Grimper Descendre	Escalada Subir, Escalar Escalar Bajar
Climber alpinist	Bergsteiger	Grimpeur Alpiniste	Escalador Alpinista
Cloud	Wolke	Nuage
Col	Joch, Sattel, Scharte	Col	Collado, Cuello
Corner	Eck
Cornice	Wächte	Corniche	Cornisa
Couloir	Rinne	Couloir	Couloir
Crack finger-crack jam-crack off-width
Crest	Kamm	Crâte	Cresta
Crevasse	Gletscherspalte	Crevasse	Grieta
Cross (verb)	Kreuz Kreuzen	Croix Traverser	Cruz Atravesar
Descend	Absteigen	Descendre	Bajar, Descender
Descent	Abstieg	Descente	Bajada, Descenso
Detour (verb)	Umweg	Détour	Desviar
Dihedral	Verschneidung	Dièdre	Diedro
Direct	gerade	direct
Divide, Watershed	Scheide	Ligne de Partage des eaux	Divisoria
Doline	Dolina, Kunntal	Doline	Dolina, Hoya, Jou
Exposed	Ausgesetzt	Exposé	Expuesto
Exposure		Exposition
Face	Flanke, Wand	Face	Pared, Paredo
Fall, Peel, Lob
Firm (sound)	Fest	Solide	Sólido
Firn, névé	Firnfeld	Névé	Campo de Nieve
Fixed rope	Fixes Seil	Corde fixe	Cuerda fija, Cordino
Fluting	Rillenfirn, Geriefeltes Eis	Rimaye	Acanaladura
Fog	Nebel	Brouillard	Niebla
Foresummit	Vorgipfel	Sommet devant Antécima	Antecima
Gendarme	Felsnadel	Gendarme	Gendarme
Glacier hanging .. .. tongue	Gletscher Hänge-.. ..-Zunge	Glacier .. suspendu Langue de ..	Glaciar .. suspendido Lengua de ..
Group	Gruppe, Mannschaft	Groupe	Cadena, Sistema, Nudo, Grupo
Gully, Ravine	Schlucht		Canal, Cañada
Hail	Hagel	Grâle	Pedrisco
Handhold			Griff
Hole	Loch	Trou
Horn	Horn	Corne	Cuerno
Ice Cap	Eiskappe	Calotte Glacière	Calota
Icefall	Eisbruch	Barre des sèracs	Caida de Hielo
Icefield	Eisfeld	Glacier	Campo de Hielo
Ice plateau	Eis Plateau	Plateau Glacière	Pampa (mesa) de Hielo
Junction (route turns off)	Abzweigung
Knife edge rib			Cuchilla (Méx)
Landslide Mudflow/slide	Erdrutsch	Glissement de terrain Coulée de Boue	Huayaco, Derrumbe Aluvión, Huayaco
Lay away
Layback
Ledge	Felsvorsprung, brett ?	plateforme rocheuse	plataforma
Lesser	Niedriger	Moins	Menor
Limestone .. pavement	Kalk Karren	calcaire Lapies	piedra caliza Lapiaz
Loose (Chossy)	Locker	Friable	Flojo (Peru)
Main	Haupt	Principal	Principal
Mantleshelf
Massif	Gebirgsmassiv, Gruppe	Massif	Macizo
Mist	Nebel	Brouillard	Neblina
Moraine	Moräne	Moraine	Morrena
Mountaineer	Bergsteiger	Alpiniste	Alpinista, Pyreneista Alpiniste
Mud	Schlamm, Morast	Boue	Barro, Lodo
Muddy	schlammig, schmutzig	Boueux, Fangeux	Fangoso
Muleteer	Eseltreiber,Saumer	Mûletier	Arriero
Needle	Nadel	Aiguille	Aguja, Cuerno
On the way	Auf dem Weg	En route
Overhang roof ..	Überhang	Surplomb	Sobre-calgando Techo
Pass, Saddle	Pass, Sattel	Col	Abra, Portachuelo, Collado
Peak (minor)	Gipfel, Berg, Spitze Vorgipfel	Pic, Cime, Sommet Pic secondaire	Pico, Cumbre, Cima, Cresta Pico menor, Punta
Pendulum		Pendule
Pillar	Pfeiler
Pinnacle, needle	Spitze, Felsturm	Gendarme	Pináculo, Aguja, Diente, Campanerio
Pitch (climbing)	Seillänge	Longueur	Cordada
Pitch (shaft)	Schacht	Puits	Pozo
Plain	Ebene	Plaine	Pampa
Plateau	Hochebene. Plateau	Plateau	Altiplano
Point	Punkt	Point	Punta
Porter	Träger	Porteur	Portador
Pothole	Schacht	Gouffre	Pozo, Sotano(Mex)
Rake
Reconnaissance	Erkunden	Reconnaissance	Reconocimiento
Return trip	Rückweg	(Aller-) Retour	Viaje de Vuelte
Rib	Rippe	Côte
Ridge	Grat, Kamm	Arâte	Arista
River dry/intermittent	Fluß	Rivière	Río Arroyo
Rock	Fels	Rocher	Roca
Rockfall	Steinschlag	Chute des Rochers, .. des Pierres	Caida de Piedra
Roof (overhang)			Techo
Rope	Seil	Corde	Soga, Cuerda
Route approximate .. new .. normal .. probable .. unknown .. Variant	Führe, Weg aproximativer .. Neubegehung Normalweg vermutlicher .. Unbekannterweg Variante	Voie, Route .. approximative nouvelle .. .. normal .. probable .. inconnue Variante	Ruta .. aproximada .. nueva .. normal .. probable .. desconocida Variación
Scoop
Scree	Schutt, Geröll	Eboulis	Talud
Serac	Serac, Eisturm	Sérac	Sérac
Sink			Sumidero
Slab
Sleet	Graupeln	Pluie Gelante	Agua Nieve
Snow Breakable Crust Crust Fluted .. Frozen .. Granular, Firn .. New .. Powder .. Sastrugi, Skavla Slush Sun softened .. Unbreakable crust Wind Slab	Schnee Bruchharsch Harsch Rillenförmig Gefroren Firn Neuschnee Eiszapfen Pulverschnee Windrippung Sulz .. Schnee Brett	Neige Neige Croûteuse Croûte .. Flûté .. Gelé .. Granulée .. Fraîche Penitente .. Poudreuse Slush de .. .. Ramollé Croûte Solide Plaque à Vent	Nieve Costra Frágil Costra Acanalado ? .. Congelado, Helado Neviza .. Nueva Penitente .. Pulverulenta Sástrugi .. Pastosa Costra Irrompile
Snowline permanent ..	Schneegrenze Ewigen Schnees	Limite des Neiges Limite des Neiges Perpetuelles	Linea de Nieve Limite de las Nieves Eternas
Spire	Spitze, Turm	Pointe	Aguja
Spur	Rippe	Éperon	Espolón
Stance	Standplatz ?
Steep	steil	raide, escarpe	escarpado, abrupto
Stone	Stein	Pierre	Piedra
Stonefall	Steinschlag	Chutes des Pierres
Talus	Schuttkegel	Talus	Talud
Thread (runner)
Thunderstorm lightning thunder	Gewitter Blitz Donner	Orage Foudre, éclairs Tonnerre
Torque (verb)
Traverse (verb)	Überschreitung	Traverser	Atravesar
Unclimbed peak	Unbestiegener Gipfel	Cime Vierge	Cima Virgen
Verglas	Glasseis, Verglasst	Verglas
Vertical	Senkrecht
via, by way of	Über	Via	Por La Via
Wall	Wand	Mur
Waterfall	Wasserfall	Chute d'eau, Cascade	Cascada, Salto, Catarata, Chorera
Weather .. forecast good.. bad..	Wetter Wetterbericht Wettervorhersage	Temps bulletin météorologique previsions mét..s, Météo beau .. mauvais ..
Wedge, jam (verb)	Klemmen
Wind, windy	Wind, windig	Vente, venteux
Equipment :
Altimeter	Aneroid	Altimetre
Ascender	Steigbugel, Steigklemme	Ascendeur, Bloqueur, Jumar	Bloqueador
Bolt	Bolzen	Spit, Piton Gollo	Spit (à expansion)
Bolt/anchor/hanger	Bohrhaken	Amarrage	Anclaje
Boots	Bergschuhe	Chaussures de Montagne	Zapatos de Escalada
Carabiner	Karabiner	Mousqueton	Mosqueton
Chalk
Chalkbag
Climbing skins		peau de phoque
Compass	Kompass	boussole, compas	brujula (?)
Crampons	Steigeisen	Crampons	Grampones
Etrier	Trittleiter	Étrier
Hammer rock .. ice .. north wall ..	Hammer Fels.. Eis.. Pickel-..	Marteau .. de Rocher .. à glace Piolet-marteau	Martillo
Harness (seat) full body ..	Klettersitzgurt Kombiklettergurt	Baudrier (cuissard) .. complet	Arnes (de Cintura) .. completo
Head Torch	Stirnlampe	Lampe frontale	Linterna frontal
Helmet	Kopfschutz	Casque	Casca
Ice Piton	Eishaken	Piton à glace
Ice Screw	Eisschraube	Piton à vis
Ice Axe	Eispickel	Piolet	Piolet
Map	Karte	Carte	Mapa
Nut	Nute	Picoin
Nut-key
Piton, Peg	Haken	Piton	Clavija
Prussik sling	Reepschnur, Prusik-Schlinge	Anneau à prussik
Rope climbing .. fixed .. rappel ..	Seil Kletterseil Fixes .. Abseil Seil	Corde .. d'escalade .. fixe Corde de rappel	Cuerda, Soga Soga, Cuerda Cordino, Cuerda fija
Ski-Bindings (touring)	(Touren)Bindung Tourenbindung	Fixations (de randonnée alpine)	Fijacions (para esqui de montana)
Ski-brakes	Skistopper	Frein-ski	Freno-esqui
Ski-crampon	Harscheisen	Couteau à glace	Cuchillo para hielo
Sling	Schlinge	Anneau de Corde
Snowshovel	Schaufel	Pelle de Neige	Pala de Nieve
Directions
Left	links	à gauche	izquierda
Right	rechts	à droite	derecho
North	Norden	Nord	Norte
East	Osten	Est	Este
South	Suden	Sud	Sur
West	Westen	Ouest	Oeste
Up	(hinauf)	en montant
Down	hinab	en bas
Upstream	stromaufwarts	à mont	Rio arriba
Downstream	flußabwarts	à val	Rio

Acknowledgements:

The idea came from the guidebook "Yuraq Janka" by J F Rickers. Additional information derived from varied sources, including Petzl catalogue, Editions Eclat Peru guidebook, personal experience, deductions from the Totes Gebirge climbing guide and a lot of head-scratching and dictionary bashing whilst reading caving publications in a variety of languages.

If you need a much more detailed vocabulary for climbing and mountaineering, I can do no better than recommend "Alpines Wörterbuch", by Rudolf Weiss, published by Bergverlag Rudolf Rother Gmbh, München, ISBN 3-7633-8062-0. This has four sections, Deutsch->Englisch,Französisch,Italienisch; English->German,French,Italian; Français->Allemand,Anglais,Italien and Italiano->Tedesco,Inglese,Francese.