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Names for ME/CFS in languages other than English

Discussion in 'Diagnostic Criteria and Naming Discussions' started by Hutan, Jun 16, 2022.

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  1. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    29,374
    Location:
    Aotearoa New Zealand
    I've recently come across the problem of a name for ME/CFS in the Maori language seemingly being created by a translator to be the equivalent of 'chronic fatigue' but using an uncommon word for 'chronic' that can also mean loitering and shirking. (discussed here News from Aotearoa/New Zealand and the Pacific Islands)

    It's made me think that some names for ME/CFS that exist in other languages might be similarly contrived and problematic. And there's probably a good lesson here for ME/CFS organisations in some other countries with indigenous languages - engage with expert users of the language who understand the disease to agree on a standard (helpful) name, before someone, probably someone tasked with the job who has no idea about the illness, makes something up.

    I thought it would be useful to have a thread to record names for ME/CFS in other languages so that we can consider how they came to be and if they are appropriate.
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2022
    Hutan, Jun 16, 2022
    #1
    Midnattsol, Mithriel, MeSci and 10 others like this.
  2. Saz94

    Saz94 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,632
    Location:
    UK
    French
    L'encéphalomyélite myalgique/syndrome de fatigue chronique (EM/SFC)

    Spanish
    Encefalomielitis miálgica/síndrome de fatiga crónica (EM/SFC)

    Italian
    Encefalomielite Mialgica/Sindrome da Fatica Cronica ME/CFS
     
    Saz94, Jun 17, 2022
    #2
    alktipping, Midnattsol, Mithriel and 5 others like this.
  3. Obermann

    Obermann Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    128
    Location:
    Stockholm
    Swedish
    Myalgisk encefalomyelit/Kroniskt trötthetssyndrom (both the English acronym ME/CFS and the Swedish ME/KTS are used).

    Note that "trötthet" in Swedish is weaker than English fatigue and may also be translated as "tiredness".
     
    Obermann, Jun 17, 2022
    #3
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  4. Ravn

    Ravn Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    2,181
    Location:
    Aotearoa New Zealand
    In Denmark the patient organisations seem to prefer ME or myalgisk encephalomyelitis.

    The media, doctors and health authorities typically use kronisk træthedssyndrom.

    Træthed sits sort of in the middle of the fatigue scale of Danish vocab. It depends on the context but is often a little closer to tiredness than fatigue.

    søvnighed - sleepiness, tiredness; træthed - tiredness, fatigue; udmattelse - fatigue, exhaustion

    The Norwegians have at least gone for the stronger version: kronisk utmattelsessyndrom.

    Edit: spelling
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2022
    Ravn, Jun 17, 2022
    #4
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  5. Midnattsol

    Midnattsol Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    3,778
    Like Ravn says, the Norwegian term is "kronisk utmattelsessyndrom" which is nearly a word-for-word translation from English. Fatigue can be used in Norwegian, and is worse/more pathological than "utmattelse" but at least to me it would have sounded weird with "kronisk fatiguesyndrom", especially as many are not familiar with the term "fatigue". We don't have a Norwegian translation for SEID (which I've seen used at the hospital in Bergen, which is also where Fluge/Mella/Tronstad/Sommerfelt is located).
     
    Midnattsol, Jun 17, 2022
    #5
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  6. rvallee

    rvallee Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    13,661
    Location:
    Canada
    I think it's the same in France, but here in Quebec/French Canada ME is almost never used, always "fatigue chronique". Which is a terrible name since in French fatigue is commonly used to mean both normal sleepiness and everyday weariness. It frankly makes most discussions pointless, the meaning that is communicated with the terms is too removed from reality. Extremely frustrating and self-defeating.

    I don't think I ever used the word fatigue, or if so very few times. My GP is who made me first aware that this is a thing and I completely dismissed it for years because the name is comically inadequate, and seeing that CBT is a treatment really emphasizes the point.

    The description is about as accurate as a stick figure drawing by someone who can't draw is a portrait. It's a case study in the misuse of language, how toxic it can be, even with the best of intentions, but especially so with the worst.
     
    rvallee, Jun 17, 2022
    #6
    Mithriel, MeSci, Ravn and 7 others like this.

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