Hi! I have what might seem like an unusual question. I'm translating a Dutch novel in which Freemasonry features prominently. It's very positive about Freemasonry. The Freemasons in Leiden where it is set even have it on the front page of their website: https://www.vrijmetselaars-leiden.nl/ I'm often stumped by how to translate certain terms from Dutch to English. Usually, careful online research reveals a suitable word or phrase. But I can't find an alternative for this one. Would you be kind enough to help me? it's really important to me that the language I use will seem right to any Freemasons who might read this book. In Dutch, the lodge room or temple room is referred to as the 'werkplaats' or 'workplace'. Obviously, I've spent a lot of time trying to find a word that matches it in English, but I've not been able to come up with one. I'd assumed that it was specific to Dutch Freemasonry (as some of the texts used at meetings and in rituals are also very different) but the author has put this word into the mouth of an American Freemason at the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. So now I'm wondering if there perhaps IS an equivalent in English. Would you perhaps know what it is? And if not, what would your preferred name for this room be? Also, weirdly, I can't find a good, common name of the room where you might have a small bar serving alcohol and coffee. I'm sure lodges have different names for this, but what would you call it? Refreshment Lounge, like the name of one of the boards on this site?
I dont know about dutch english. I usually speak frenh. The lodge is the "pave mosaic" and all the edifice by extension. The workplace seem the same in french"atelier" the place or the room where is the communication. The place apart for agape, feception before or after the work call "salle humide" shall be humid room in english. I hope that will help
Maybe not in your Lodge. Many do have a place for a drinks either before or after Lodge. Some call it a Craftsmans Club. Most just call it The Bar. Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
At our masonic hall we have the lodge temples upstairs and the bar and dining facilities downstairs. No alcohol allowed in the temples, but downstairs it's fair game. Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk
Bwhahahahaa ! Many of our Masonic Buildings have a wet bar... as someone else said, no such thing in your Lodge..
So this is where they have their masonic meeting (not dinner) ? I would think Lodge Room would be the best translation ("quarry" might be another - but it is too esoteric and not widely used).
Oh! Quarry! That might be suitable actually. Thanks. The idea is to give the flavour of the Dutch while making it recognisable to anyone familiar with Freemasonry in English. I might end up just going with 'workroom' or similar and adding that it's what the Dutch call it. But I wanted to make sure that there's really, truly not a phrase I've missed somehow that would be more suitable.
"Werkplaats" is a term often used to avoid the word "tempel", but the latter term is used often as well. It would translate to something like "working place", but I too doubt an English speaking person could make sense of that. Are there English synonyms for "temple" anyone? As for "voorhof", it's not just the bar. It is actually the place where Masons gather before entering the "werkplaats", the place where the Master of Ceremonies calls the people present to "dress Masonically" (put on apron and gloves), where the order of entering the temple is formed, etc. The place before the temple so to say, perhaps "court" or "forecourt"? Also it is the place where in most lodges "pieces of architecture" (lectures) are held which are not held in the temple, so without formal opening, closing, no suits, aprons, etc. This is mostly a continental European Masonic activity, but you can imagine that it is a room with a pedestal, tables or chairs, etc. Incidentally, because many buildings don't have the room for an extra dining room, this "voorhof" also serves as dining room or (when there is no diner), the 'place of refreshment' mockingly called "the seventh grade" by many. There are buildings which have a separate bar.
That's because too many jurisdictions think we are Puritans, not Freemasons. Transmitted via R5 astromech using Tapatalk Galactic
