transistor radio q: chita-kon, kemi-con, suchi-kon

[steve henderson]

I'm working on a components table for a transistor radio from the
50's. In the table, there are several of the following entries:

チタコン
ケミコン
スチコン

While I have little experience with electronics, I assume that コン
refers to 'condenser.' With regards to the beginning parts of the
abbreviations, my best guess is that チタ is 'titanium,' ケミ
is 'chemical' and スチ is 'stainless steel'. In other words, the
English for these three would be 'titanium condenser', 'chemical
condenser' and 'stainless steel condenser'.

Does anyone know whether I'm on the right trail or not?

SH

[James Sparks]

steve henderson wrote:
> チタコン
> ケミコン
> スチコン
>
> While I have little experience with electronics, I assume that コン
> refers to 'condenser.'

NO! It's a capacitor (although the Japanese is indeed コンデンサ). A
condenser is used in refrigerators (among other things).

> my best guess is that チタ is 'titanium,' ケミ
> is 'chemical' and スチ is 'stainless steel'. In other words, the
> English for these three would be 'titanium condenser', 'chemical
> condenser' and 'stainless steel condenser'.
>
> Does anyone know whether I'm on the right trail or not?

Right trail, but you may have strayed a bit.

1. 酸化チタン磁器コンデンサー（通称チタコン）

2. アルミ電解コンデンサ
通称、ケミコンと呼ばれています。

3. スチロールコンデンサ
俗にスチコンと称される。スチロール樹脂はCDケース等にも使用されるポ
ピュラーなプラスチック。

James Sparks

[James Sparks]

I wrote:
> 3. スチロールコンデンサ
> 俗にスチコンと称される。

I suppose I should add that this is not styrol, but styrene, or better
yet, polystyrene. This material used to be used for capacitors.

James Sparks

[steve henderson]

James Sparks のメッセージ:

> NO! It's a capacitor (although the Japanese is indeed コンデンサ). A
> condenser is used in refrigerators (among other things).

Aww, so コンデンサ is capacitor, not condenser. Thanks!

> 1. 酸化チタン磁器コンデンサー（通称チタコン）
>
> 2. アルミ電解コンデンサ
> 通称、ケミコンと呼ばれています。
>
> 3. スチロールコンデンサ
> 俗にスチコンと称される。スチロール樹脂はCDケース等にも使用されるポ
> ピュラーなプラスチック。

So the, would the appropriate English be, in order, 'titanium oxide
porcelain capacitor', 'aluminum electrolytic capacitor' and
'polystyrene capacitor' ?

[R Freeman]

> James Sparks のメッセージ:
> > NO! It's a capacitor (although the Japanese is indeed コンデンサ). A
> > condenser is used in refrigerators (among other things).

>Aww, so コンデンサ is capacitor, not condenser. Thanks!

I believe that "condenser" may not necessarily be incorrect. Although
"condensor" has fallen out of favour, in the 50s and 60s and
thereabouts, the word "condenser" was widely used when refering to what
we nowadays call a capacitor.
So...to keep the flavour of the period, condenser might be the right
choice.

Just my thoughts.

cheers,
Robert

[Manako Ihaya]

FWIW, I once interpreted at a deposition where コンデンサ was at issue. I
was instructed to translate that as capacitor, so it got pretty confusing
for me to have to replace each コンデンサ with capacitor and vice versa when
you rely so much on your audio memory when interpreting....!

--
Manako Ihaya (aka Monica)
ATA-Certified Japanese-English Translator
Lake Forest, California

[Frode Aleksandersen]

>> NO! It's a capacitor (although the Japanese is indeed コンデンサ). A
>> condenser is used in refrigerators (among other things).
>
> Aww, so コンデンサ is capacitor, not condenser. Thanks!

Condenser and capacitor are the same thing, but condenser has fallen out of
use in later years and has other meanings as well as James pointed out.

> So the, would the appropriate English be, in order, 'titanium oxide
> porcelain capacitor', 'aluminum electrolytic capacitor' and
> 'polystyrene capacitor' ?

'titanium oxide ceramic capacitor'. Others are fine.

/frode

[Minoru Mochizuki]

----- Original Message -----
From: "steve henderson" <schen...@w-link.net>
To: "Honyaku E<>J translation list" <hon...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 5:16 AM
Subject: Re: transistor radio q: chita-kon, kemi-con, suchi-kon

>

>> 1. 酸化チタン磁器コンデンサー（通称チタコン）
>>
>> 2. アルミ電解コンデンサ
>> 通称、ケミコンと呼ばれています。
>>
>> 3. スチロールコンデンサ
>> 俗にスチコンと称される。スチロール樹脂はCDケース等にも使用されるポ
>> ピュラーなプラスチック。
>
> So the, would the appropriate English be, in order, 'titanium oxide
> porcelain capacitor', 'aluminum electrolytic capacitor' and
> 'polystyrene capacitor' ?

As to the last item, スチロールコンデンサ, you may call it
"styrol capacitor" as other people do.

See: http://www.audiocaps.com/
or http://www8.plala.or.jp/KandR/sub_nyu_cap.html

The last one shows various types capacitors.

The original founder/inventor of the particular chemical substance
named it "styrol." See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene

By the way, スチコン, to some Japanese people in another
field means something totally different, so that one must be
careful in storing it in your own personal glossary. It means
"steam convection type oven" for cooking. See:
http://www.yonden.co.jp/chubo/steam/index.html

Minoru Mochizuki