# Punto di riferimento



## sam1978

*Punto di riferimento*
If I'm writing about a web site, can i translate it with "benchmark" or anything else?


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## k_georgiadis

Can you write a short paragraph in Italian that puts "punto di riferimento" in context? Bernchmark could clearly be one of the possibilities. It could also be, quite simply, "reference point."


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## Jujujules

For example how would you translate:
"L’obiettivo del sito è quello di diventare un punto di riferimento"?


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## Paulfromitaly

Jujujules said:


> For example how would you translate:
> "L’obiettivo del sito è quello di diventare un punto di riferimento"?



The website goal is to become a touchstone.


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## housecameron

In alternativa provo a proporre:

_Our mission/this website's mission is to become an online reference point for ..._


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## soulrebel

What about "milestone"...?


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## Steeldoor

Come di dice "punto di riferimento" in inglese?
Questo è il contesto:
"Quella persona è stata il mio vero punto di riferimento"
Io direi:
"That person was my real reference point"


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## SteveD

Or you could say, "...my point of reference."

Another possibility is, "That person was my role model."


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## TrentinaNE

I'm not sure what it means for a person to be a "reference point."  If it means someone you seek to emulate then, as SteveD suggested, _role model_ is a better word choice.  

Elisabetta


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## zinona

Come posso tradurre: "In virtù del fatto che sono una fonte di guadagno economico, possono diventare punti di riferimento per l'intera famiglia"
My attempt: "By virtue of the fact that they are a source of gains, they may become benchmarks for the entire family"
Grazie in anticipo


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## london calling

zinona said:


> By virtue of the fact that they are a source of income, they can become points of reference for the entire family"


 
Ciao!
Secondo me "benchmark" è un po' troppo specifico. Userei "points of reference".


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## Salbina

Hi everybody, I would like to revive this thread, because, as Steeldoor two years ago (oh my!), I'm trying to say that "Quella persona è un punto di riferimento per me", but I don't mean that I would like to emulate him.

Instead, I would like to convey the meaning that he's a "reference point" because I know he's always there and is very competent and helpful, so if I have doubts or I need explanations or whatever (the context is professional, not personal) I know I can rely upon him.

Thank you!


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## london calling

I agree with SteveD, Salbina : point of reference.


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## Salbina

Thank you london_calling, I read your answer after I had already written "valuable reference", hopefully that won't sound too awkward... 

Ciao, Salbina


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## TrentinaNE

Maybe this is an AE/BE difference, but I don't recall hearing "point of reference" used to describe persons, only things.  See the WR definition here.  In AE, "point of reference" means something used as an anchor for comparisons, not a person that can be relied upon.  

I think "valuable reference" works better here, but I'm struggling to think how I would express this in AE!

Elizabeth


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## jepsonclough

Maybe we are trying to be too literal here.  What about "this person is someone I can always turn to for ...."

I agree with Elizabeth that a "point of reference" is a thing, not a person.


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## london calling

TrentinaNE said:


> Maybe this is an AE/BE difference, but I don't recall hearing "point of reference" used to describe persons, only things. See the WR definition here. In AE, "point of reference" means something used as an anchor for comparisons, not a person that can be relied upon.
> 
> I think "valuable reference" works better here, but I'm struggling to think how I would express this in AE!


Thinking about it, you might well be right (sorry for misleading you, Salbina)!  , although here, God is described as a "stable point of reference" and here Christ is someone's point of reference,  but as you say it doesn't mean they're "reliable", it's more in the sense of role model (which is not what Salbina means).

And I think JC's got the right idea: we would probably express "punto di riferimento" (person) in a sentence rather than in a set expression, "someone I can rely on, count on...".


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## SpookyT

london calling said:


> And I think JC's got the right idea: we would probably express "punto di riferimento" (person) in a sentence rather than in a set expression, "someone I can rely on, count on...".


 
Could such a person be described as someone's _home base_, too?

(Weird question I know  It just popped up in my mind out of thin air!)


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## jepsonclough

Not in BE and I don't think so in AE either.


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## SpookyT

jepsonclough said:


> Not in BE and I don't think so in AE either.


 
Oh well... Thank you! Good to know what _not_ to say, hehe.


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## jepsonclough

SpookyT said:


> Oh well... Thank you! Good to know what _not_ to say, hehe.



Non ti sbagli!


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## francinella

Come posso tradurre 'punti di riferimento' inteso come persone-modello a cui aspirare?


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## Paulfromitaly

Tu come lo tradurresti?


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## francinella

Riguardo a 'punti di riferimento' non ho proprio idea. Proverei con 'models' o 'examples' to follow/to aim at. Ma credo non sia proprio esatto e una parola piu simile renderebbe di piu l'idea.


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## Blackman

Se fai una ricerca su WR con _modello_ troverai _role model_.


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## underhouse

Su internet ho trovato l'espressione "exemple for life" (e.g. "The younger children look to these players as an example for life...)


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## francinella

Great, so many posts!!! It has been helpful!!!


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## Clau84

Ciao! 
Sto descrivendo una persona, e vorrei dire che lui è un "punto di riferimento", userei point of reference, ma non so se in inglese quest'espressione può essere usata per descrivere una persona?

May I say "He is a point of reference" when describing a person?

Grazie mille!!


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## Paulfromitaly

Hai letto qui?

costituire un punto di riferimento
da più di 80 anni continua ad essere punto di riferimento
porsi come punto di riferimento
Punto di riferimento
punto di riferimento sul luogo


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## Lorena1970

Maybe "hi is a reference point"...?

Aspetta altre opinioni.


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## crikcrok89

Hi! how would you translate "sistema morale di riferimento" in English?
What do you think about "reference moral system"? Or is it better to say "referential moral system"?
Thanks


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## Teerex51

Hi back 
As a matter of personal preference I'd say _"a moral system of reference"_ but I would leave _"referential"_ alone.


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## crikcrok89

ok thank you!!


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## francinella

I think it would be odd using "reference point" or "point of reference" *in relation to a person*. So how would it be possible to convey this concept of "*punto di riferimento*" in English? I think that one option could be "role model", but it is not the exact translation...


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## alicip

Io direi così: "He is a milestone...".
Oppure: "He is a key figure..."


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## joanvillafane

Hi alicip - "key figure" - Yes.  
I've never heard "He is a milestone" and I notice it was a quote from the French Ambassador (unknown what language he was speaking at the time!)


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## alicip

joanvillafane said:


> Hi alicip - "key figure" - Yes.
> I've never heard "He is a milestone" and I notice it was a quote from the French Ambassador (unknown what language he was speaking at the time!)



Thank you. 
As for "he is/was a milestone", English people use it:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/...Pinter-will-not-be-outlived-by-his-plays.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/2600757.stm


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## JD75

Clau84 said:


> Ciao!
> Sto descrivendo una persona, e vorrei dire che lui è un "punto di riferimento", userei point of reference, ma non so se in inglese quest'espressione può essere usata per descrivere una persona?
> 
> May I say "He is a point of reference" when describing a person?
> 
> Grazie mille!!



It's been a few years since this thread was active, but it doesn't appear to me that the original question of how to translate "punto di riferimento" when it is used in reference to a person has ever been adequately answered. I'd like to put in my suggestion, in the hope that it will help someone else in future! 

I'm translating a document in which the character in a television series, set in a small Italian town, is described as, *"...il vero punto di riferimento per tutti." *

I agree that "point of reference" doesn't work for people in English. I therefore resorted to changing the phrase as follows: *"...XXX(name of character), who the others have all come to rely on."* I also considered, as an alternative: *"XXX(name of character), who the others all turn to when things get tough." *(You'll notice the text I'm translating is written in an informal register). 

I hope this will be helpful to other people here on WordReference in the future! I'd also be happy to hear other people's opinions on my translation, if you'd care to weigh in. Buon lavoro a tutti!


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## rrose17

Another, possibly only a North American term, could be 
_...XX is everyone's go-to guy._


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## JD75

rrose17 said:


> Another, possibly only a North American term, could be
> _...XX is everyone's go-to guy._



Very true, rrose17. I don't know if it's used outside the U.S. and Canada, but it's a great translation for "punto di riferimento" in an informal context (provided the person is a guy). If the person in question were a woman, I suppose you could say, "_...everyone's go-to-gal_". What do you think?


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## rrose17

JD75 said:


> Very true, rrose17. I don't know if it's used outside the U.S. and Canada, but it's a great translation for "punto di riferimento" in an informal context (provided the person is a guy). If the person in question were a woman, I suppose you could say, "_...everyone's go-to-gal_". What do you think?


Sounds good to me.


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## JD75

JD75 said:


> Very true, rrose17. I don't know if it's used outside the U.S. and Canada, but it's a great translation for "punto di riferimento" in an informal context (provided the person is a guy). If the person in question were a woman, I suppose you could say, "_...everyone's go-to-gal_". What do you think?





rrose17 said:


> Sounds good to me.



Come to think of it, I've heard the phrase "go-to person" used even in business settings (e.g. "Mr. X is be the go-to person for questions regarding company intranet protocols."), although I'd hesitate to use it in formal documents of any kind.


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## giacinta

I agree that "point of reference" doesn't work for people in English. I therefore resorted to changing the phrase as follows: *"...XXX(name of character), who the others have all come to rely on." I also considered, as an alternative: "XXX(name of character), who the others all turn to when things get tough." (You'll notice the text I'm translating is written in an informal register). 

Sorry to be pedantic but I would replace "who" for "whom" whenever it appears in your sentence!*


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## Martolins

Hi!

And what if the "punto di riferimento" is a vip? I think the sentence (which is about U2's story) will make it clearer:

"Da allora la loro storia musicale e artistica è stata lunga, e li ha portati ancora oggi a essere un punto di riferimento non solo nel rock, ma anche come opinion leaders, affiancati in innumerevoli occasioni ai potenti della terra"

My try was:

"Since then, their musical and artistic story was long, and they still are a reference point not only as rock stars, but also as opinion leaders who, on a number of occasions, appeared next to the world’s most powerful people"

Thanks


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## King Crimson

Forse si potrebbe usare _leading figure_, però cambierei un po' la frase:
_They have since had a long (and successful) musical and artistic career / history, which brought them to become not only a leading figure in rock (music) but also recognized opinion leaders_...

EDIT:
anche _They have since enjoyed a long..._


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## Martolins

Grazie mille, King Crimson!
Anche per le altre modifiche, rendono molto più fluida (e inglese) la frase


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## bibiga

housecameron said:


> this website's mission is to become an online reference point for ...


Ma si dice point of reference or reference point? Qual'è meglio usare?


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## ohbice

*NUOVA DOMANDA*
Buongiorno a tutti del forum.
Sono sempre alle prese con una macchina per la preparazione di bevande calde. In particolare sto spiegando agli utenti che per allineare l'albero di un motofrullatore con la ventolina (to align the motorwhipper shaft with the impeller) si deve fare attenzione a un punto inciso sulla ventolina che rappresenta il riferimento spaziale. Quindi si tratta letteralmente di un "*punto di riferimento*".
La frase da tradurre è "*Disporre la ventolina in modo tale che il punto *(il riferimento, il punto indicatore) *sia rivolto verso l'alto*". 
Il mio tentativo di traduzione è il seguente: "*Put the impeller so that the indicator point is up*".
Qui sotto c'è la foto della famosa ventolina (ho evidenziato in rosso il punto indicatore, il punto di riferimento che, appunto, deve essere rivolto verso l'alto affinché l'allineamento con l'albero sia corretto):


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## rrose17

Impeller? I never heard of it but will take your word for it. Put is not the right word here.
_Turn/Rotate the impeller so that the indicator points up_.


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## Benzene

_Another suggestion could be "rotate the impeller with the engraved tip pointing upwards".

Bye,
*Benzene*_


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