UKC

I am a British translator working on a series of climbing texts from French to English.

I really want to ensure that the terminology I use is as clear and accurate as possible, and as such have been carrying out research in the field of climbing.

However, there are points when I feel myself going round in circles, and would like to check things over with some actual climbers!

The French term relais is frequently defined as comprising two anchor points, used to provide protection to climbers.

Sometimes I find this referred to as a belay station and other times as as rappel station. As it can be used both on the way up and coming back down, is there a more neutral way to refer to it?

I wondering whether anchor station would be appropriate in all circumstances.

Thanks for your help and any further insight!

Thomas

Personally I'd just refer to it as a belay, regardless of direction. "I'm not sure where the next belay is..." if I'm a little lost on the way up. "I'm not sure where the next belay is..." if I'm nearly out of rope abseiling on the way down! I'd also understand anyone saying anchor too, but wouldn't ever add station on to the end.

British English - belay

US English -rappel 

In ascent it would be a belay (or sometimes a stance). Rappel or abseil points would be for descent. Obviously you can retreat (normally by abseil) from a belay / stance in the event of an accident / storm etc

So much of this depends on context, I think if you want to be totally accurate, you may want to get a climber to check the final text, or excerpts of it.

As someone else has said the term "anchor station" is never used. Climbers would say "the anchors". Eg I'm at the anchors or I can see the anchors. 

Hi Thomas, 

I translate climbing texts from French to English and would be happy to review some terminology if that would help you. Feel free to email me through my profile.

Natalie

Although not in common parlance among British climbers I'd say your suggestion of "anchor station" is unambiguous and would describe the situation whether for use when climbing in ascent or rappelling in descent. Please note I've used the term "rappelling" (from French) because you did so I assume you understand it - British climbers are more likely to use the synonymous "abseiling" (from German) often abbreviated to "abbing". Rappel is in more common usage in Europe and USA.

In my experience British climbers use the term "belay" as a noun to describe the place one stops between pitches (often a ledge) and to describe the actual point(s) of attachment to the rock. It is also used as a verb describing the act of attaching oneself to the rock and the act of safeguarding one's partner, as in  "I'll belay you". Thus one can arrive at the belay (the ledge), belay (tie in) to the belay (anchors) then belay (safeguard) your partner up the pitch using a belay device! Thus you can see how justified your question was. 

To sum up: British climbers would most commonly simply use the word "belay" in place of the French "relais", which French guide book writers often translate to "station". 

There is a difference. An equipped (bolted) belay may have two bolts with just standard hangers. An equipped (bolted) abseil point would have bolts connected in some way to rings to facilitate pulling the rope. Are you sure there is no distinction in French between these cases? It is often important to know where you can expect to abseil without leaving your own gear behind. 

I am also a French to English translator and a climber. Feel free to message me if you need more help

You have all overwhelmed me with your help. This is all very useful. I may well come back to those of you who kindly offered me to contact them.

Worth considering is that terminology is quite different in Britain compared to the US. The answers you get here will obviously mostly be the British terminology. 

If it makes a difference, UK climbers wouldn't use 'anchor station'. We normally use belay or abseil station/abseil point.

Abseil station implies something pre-existing, that the climbers have not necessarily set up themseves. Abseil point implies the place where people expect to be able to lower themselves from, on the rope. A belay is anywhere you can attach yourself to the rock, normally so that your partner can follow you up whilst you protect them.

'A belay' or 'the belay' in the UK normally refers to the place where climbers expect to place their own gear to protect themselves. When UK climbers are climbing on the continent, they often encounte 'bolted belays' - where drilled, fixed gear provides protection. Sometimes, "peg belays" where pitons are placed. But, "to belay" as a verb can mean to attach yourself to the rock or to hold the rope of the lead climber using either a device or (mostly in the past) a special grip in order to use friction to catch them should them fall off.

Another word that might work well for 'relais' is 'stance'. It's a little old fashioned in the UK, but only a little - and is still current. As it, "where is the stance?" (where can I attach myself to the rock in order to belay up my partner) or "she took a stance on a small ledge just below a roof" or "once safely at the stance, he produced a pouch of tobacco from one pocket and a pipe from the other".

I was also going to suggest 'stance' but see someone has already doen that while I was being distracted by the phone.

One suggestion might be to have a look at Histoire de l'alpinisme by Roger Frison-Roche & Sylvain Jouty and its English translation A History Of Mountain Climbing (translation by Deke Dusinberre) - or any other pair of French & English editions of the same book

To sum up the discussion so far:

• British English commonly uses the shortened term belay for this concept (including when on the way down)
• stance is still also acceptable
• Although many say that something with anchor is not widely used, it would seem to be understood (and Martin's endorsement gained six points!)
• Others have indicated that there is a difference between a station for abseiling and a station for belaying
• abseil is used in British English where American English would use rappel

Very well understood and summarised, I reckon.

Can understand why you've been going in circles, climbing terms can very confusing (belay is a noun and a verb?!?!) and each one probably has 2 or 3 other interchangeable terms which may or may not be acceptable, and may vary depending on whether you're American or British, going up or down and if you're wearing underpants or not.

The guys who have offered to help know their stuff, you'll have it all in no time.

On the way down, you might shout up the rope: "I'm just building a belay!" then "ok, the rope's free now!" But, if you were searching for a place to abseil down you wouldn't say: "where's the belay?" You'd be more likely to say: "where's the best place to abseil?" (nothing pre-fixed),  "where's the ab-station?" (some rope or bolts, etc. already in place) or... "can you find an anchor anywhere?"

"Anchor" is used to mean an attachment to the rock and, by association, the ensemble of several attachments to the rock and the place where you will find these. It's more often used where attachments are pre-placed, e.g. drilled bolts. E.g. "At the anchor, clip into the chains directly so that you can untie from the rope." So... 'anchor' is used. But, I've never heard 'anchor station' used. It sounds like a mixing up of 'anchor' and 'abseil station'.

p.s. I feel like you're sticking 'station' in where it doesn't belong, because in your mind it's a ready translation for relais. But, you know how difficult English people like to be when it comes to... pretty much everything.

Sounds like you have your answer. Could I throw in the question, is there a French word for off-width? I've only heard French people use the word same word (i.e. off-width) so maybe it's the exact same. 

Was much amused years ago when a French speaking friend of mine found he only knew climbing slang terms in English and when he spoke to his fellow countrymen he realised he couldn't describe the climbing holds to them in his native language. 

My UK-based Spanish friend has the same problem. He learnt to climb whilst in the UK and has no idea what to call things at the climbing wall back in Spain. More positively, it seems UK climbing has a little bit of cachet there (as in... "none of those English can climb, but man are they crazy fkrs doing it without bolts!"), so everyone was keen to adopt him as a climbing partner in the hope of learning our exotic methods.

'La renfougne' is the technique for climbing offwidths/chimneys, I suppose thrutching/chimneying is our verb to describe it, or backstepping. I've mostly seen people use off-width as the term for the style of climb itself.

The reason you are going round in circles is because different people use different terminology and what is most commonly used can depend on whether you are going up or down at the time.

The following assumes we are talking about bolts (usually 2, sometimes 1 or 3).

"the anchor" would be the most commonly used word for the relais for me and people I climb with, but "the belay" is sometimes also used.

For single-pitch sport climbs, it is often called "the lower-off".

when going down it can be called "ab/abseil/rap/rappel   point/station" with any combination being valid. "rap" and "ab" are more informal and so maybe not best suited for a publication. I think calling it a "station" is more common in American English than UK English (I would always say "point").

You will likely also find that people use "the chains" to mean "the lower-off". And there are all sorts of strange curly pieces of metal at the top of single-pitch sport climbs which are designed to make it easier to put your rope through them, "the horns" or "the pig's tail" are just two examples of a no doubt expansive list of terms climbers might use when at a crag equipped with this kind of metalwork.

For your book, I would suggest "the anchor" is the simplest term to use.

I have to say, although "anchor station" is not an English term, I would know exactly what it meant when I read it. I have never done any multi-pitch sport (as far as I recall), but if I read "anchor station", I would head to it pretty sure I would be able to abseil from it or belay from it with without any faff.

Although "belay" has so many meanings to the point of ambiguity, I would be surprised to see "stance" in a sport climbing guide as it does seem like a traditional term. Thus, it might require equipping myself in some manner. 

it literally translates as a 'relay' does it not? which just means a change over point whether you are going up or down. But i believe when it is used in french guide books it refers to belays (which may or may not be used as absail points on the way back down as well). often there can be an independent absail line and i dont think 'relais' is used in that instance.

anyway, as you are translating french guidebooks, they presumably refer to france (or at least europe), where practically every belay station is equipped, so as an english translation it would be suitable to use 'anchor'. In the UK most belay stations are not equipped, so we would say 'stance', but that is probably not relevant to you.

Encyclopaedic dictionary of mountaineering, 1968 by Peter Crew has a section on foreign vs English nomenclature, as may Alan Blackshaw's Mountaineering, 1965. Old but probably still useful.

https://atleb.tripod.com/ordbok/the_climbing_dictionary.htm  This Climbing Dictionary is an online from English resource for several languages.     Another is http://www.gdargaud.net/Climbing/Lex_En.html

I suspect you'll find several more if you google.

I think there are some nuances where words don't have an exact translation.