[jwi]

Based on an older list with French climbing terms I posted six years ago here, updated and corrected to the best of my knowledge I have made a spreadsheet and added a column for spanish climbing vocab.

As before, the list does not include terms like slack or take, nor words like camming device or haul-line, or any words used by mountain climbers. Rather it is a compendium of words to communicate beta at a sport climbing crag. I.e. words that you will actually use when talking to French or Spanish climbers.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iZRZb7JcBBitXiPvlIlVADHFiW4REpQc9d3uFpUUvhw/edit?usp=sharing

I think anyone with the link should be able to comment and download.

[Wood FT]

Excellent! Thank you.

[Muenchener]

Would you like a "Nenn die Griffe" column auf Deutsch?

[jwi]

Would you like a "Nenn die Griffe" column auf Deutsch?

Das wäre großartig! (or something similar) I think I need your email adress I think

[Ru]

You need à cheval in there.



but also,

[jwi]

I know à cheval, of course, but what is it in English? and in Spanish?

[andy popp]

In English it's à cheval.

[moose]

 

I know à cheval, of course, but what is it in English? and in Spanish?

The English for 'a cheval' is 'a cheval'.  The Victorian English alpinists refused to use the technique on grounds of possible lewdness.  They wished to avoid the risk of passing ladies swooning unnecessarily (the potential hip thrusting and trouser splitting was too horrible to contemplate).  The naming was thus left to the louche likes of the French.

As an aside, I think it's funny that the French have a different term than the English for "gaston"; Mr Rebuffat - a prophet has no honour in his home country!

[jwi]

I seem to remember reading that the shoulder-press is called Gaston in English to mock Mr. Rébuffat's deficient crack climbing technique.

A figure of four is called Yaniro in french because of how Tony solved Coucha. Lolotte is named after Laurent "Lolo" Jacobs.

[Muenchener]

As an aside, I think it's funny that the French have a different term than the English for "gaston"; Mr Rebuffat - a prophet has no honour in his home country!

I also find it mildly amusing that the Germans are apparently the only continental Europeans who don't think Hans Dülfer invented laybacking. That the Spanish appear to mistakenly think he was Bavarian is understandable.

[Muenchener]

Filled most of the Deutsch column in, need to have a think / ask mates about a few of the remaining ones

[cheque]

This is cool. Useful for translating foreign route names in some cases.

I’ve always thought it was strange how there’s no English term for abseil (I think “rope down” is what they’d say in the Whymper-era books but I don’t think anyone would recognise that term today) but in the states they adopted the French “rappel” while we settled on the German word, in spelling if not pronunciation.

Not sure if your English column’s meant to be US or British jwi but we say “bridge” instead of “stem” in the UK. You could almost have two separate columns for either side of the Atlantic really.

[knollchri]

I've filled in most of the remaining entries, and made some further comments on the German column. The only thing missing is the inside flag, since I am not 100% sure what the English term refers to precisely (is it also the back-step or really only if one foot goes through the inside for balance?)

[Muenchener]

I've filled in most of the remaining entries, and made some further comments on the German column.

From your username I'm guessing you might be a native speaker? Delighted to have my attempt completed/corrected.

The only thing missing is the inside flag, since I am not 100% sure what the English term refers to precisely (is it also the back-step or really only if one foot goes through the inside for balance?)

The latter, foot through. I'm not sure I've ever heard it explicitly referred to in German either. Köstermeyer refers to "vorne scheren" in the Peak Performance technique chapter

[Muenchener]

As before, the list does not include terms like slack or take

Oops, the German column does now. Apologies for not reading/adhering to the rules.

I use the term "take" a lot when communicating at sport climbing crags 

[jwi]

I've filled in most of the remaining entries, and made some further comments on the German column. The only thing missing is the inside flag, since I am not 100% sure what the English term refers to precisely (is it also the back-step or really only if one foot goes through the inside for balance?)

Cancan in a pretty idiosyncratic French term. I am not surprised if there is no direct equivalent in German. In English and Spanish you will have to explain the move with a phrase. I have included most words I have actually heard at the crag when shouting beta. Cancan is common enough (barely) that I included it.

[cheque]

Isn’t cancan “bicycle” in English?

[jwi]

Isn’t cancan “bicycle” in English?

no?

[knollchri]

From your username I'm guessing you might be a native speaker? Delighted to have my attempt completed/corrected.

Yes, good guess; I'm actually from Austria. Glad if I can help.

The latter, foot through. I'm not sure I've ever heard it explicitly referred to in German either. Köstermeyer refers to "vorne scheren" in the Peak Performance technique chapter

Thanks for the explanation. I'd probably say 'vorne durchscheren' then. But, to be honest, I have never actually heard that term while climbing.

[CrimpyMcCrimpface]

Nice list, I've added some comments. Funny to see the use by spaniards of Chapa / Chapar when I just know it from a song about wobbling your bum about yt/ watch?v=cOWMByXN33w

[SA Chris]

I now know that expo actually means dangerous, not exposed, as I've always thought. Good to know.

[Hamfunk]

Nice thread! I've added some comment on the spanish stuff, although there may be discrepancies between Spanish Spanish and Chilean Spanish.

I may have missed them but worth adding:
belay (verb)
rope (noun)
Commands such as:
safe (at the top of a route)
ready to be lowered / lowering

[Hamfunk]

Double post because i missed the edit window.....

Anyway i've just read the OP again and noticed its meant to focus on sport beta vocab only, feel free to ignore my reply above!

[jwi]

The spanish column has been checked by a friend who is a mountainguide in Catalonia (but his native language is Castellano). Where there are second opinions I will try to double check with some other native speaking climbers.

[kelvin]

The spanish column has been checked by a friend who is a mountainguide in Catalonia (but his native language is Castellano). Where there are second opinions I will try to double check with some other native speaking climbers.

I ran it passed a Spanish mate, he says it's there about but he blends Catalan into his climbing speak usually.
I'll have a look on my laptop later but I did a Catalan conversion when I was over there for a long trip - if I still have it, I'll let you have it.