The Term "Zettelkasten" Does Not Mean What You Think It Does

FROM:
Scott P. Scheper
Downtown San Diego, CA

TO:
You (If this page I wrote About You is true).

START TIME:
Wednesday, 10:13 pm

Dear Friend,

OK, where did we leave off?

Oh, yes, I needed to tell you about a glaring issue in Niklas Luhmann's paper on the Zettelkasten. It's not an issue with Luhmann's writing, but his paper's most popular English translation.

OK, so why are we even discussing a translation error?

Trust me. I wouldn't be writing about this unless it was necessary. However, the translation error concerns the most important word. The word is... Zettel!

Yes, there's an issue with how Zettel is translated into the American English version of the paper.

See, the term zettel was translated to the English word "slip." This translation is a type of error known as a * "faux ami."* Assuming you're not a linguistic nerd (like I secretly yearn to be), you probably aren't familiar with that term. Or perhaps you are, and regardless you could probably guess. A faux ami is when a word of similar form but the dissimilar meaning is paired.[1]

In the most popular translation of Luhmann's paper, "slip" falls into such a category. This translation is certainly not a member of the faux ami hall of fame. However, it's less fitting than the translation I will introduce soon. But before I do, I want you to understand even why it was translated to "slip" in the first place.

The reason "slip" is sometimes translated from "zettel" is because some translation dictionaries include multiple entries. And older entries for zettel define it as a "slip of paper." One such English-German dictionary consists of this entry.[2] However, "slip of paper" doesn't appear to be the preferred entry (or main entry).

The most widely used translation source, and arguably the best among all,[3] does not hold "slip" as the correct translation for zettel.[4] This source prefers the term "note" as the translation for zettel.

Great, but we're only getting started. We ain't done yet. No, Sah!

Although * "note"* is more fitting than "slip," it is not perfect. The reason centers on the original definition of "zettel." Recall, the definition was a "slip of paper,"; not its slang usage of "slip."[2:1] Hence, the appropriate translation wouldn't necessarily be "note" because it's too broad. A "note" could be anything——even a metaphorical thing, like "I'm making a mental note of how much of a linguistic nerd Scott is." A "slip of paper" isn't used in such a way. You can't say, "I'm making a slip of paper of how much of a linguistic genius Scott is." Therefore, it's not a perfect translation.

Yet, a "note of paper" doesn't work perfectly either. It's a mouthful. "Zettel" is a single concise word. In the context Luhmann was using it, the purest definition is "slip of paper." We need to find an English translation for such a concept——without it being a mouthful!

If we look into the etymology of "zettel," we find something odd. The term traces back to the same root of the English word, schedule.[5]. Yes, I know, schedule?!

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