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number figures
that seems like math gone mad
Jun 5, 2014 14:42
9 yrs ago
29 viewers *
English term

takeover vs. handover

English Tech/Engineering Linguistics
Contract for supply, installation, run - say - a machine.
Works are finished, and it's time to takeover or handover this machine by a contracting party, the purchaser (?).
Thanks a lot, indeed!
Responses
4 +1 handover
4 +8 contractor hands over to client/handover meeting

Discussion

George BuLah (X) (asker) Jun 9, 2014:
PAS, you are the last, non-native Hope for me. Deeply appreciated :))
PAS Jun 9, 2014:
phrasally speaking Yes, Tony, qute correct. Hitting on somebody is not the same as hitting them over the head ;-)
Tony M Jun 9, 2014:
@ PAS What is also very important in EN phrasal verbs is the specific 'preposition' used — so 'to take on' and 'to take over' are totally different in meaning; and even 'to take on' itself can have different meanings according to context, like 'to take someone on for the summer period' = to hire them, or 'to take on an almost impossible task' = to assume responsibility for.
PAS Jun 9, 2014:
Take over to operate In my work, my English colleagues (so, a "native" invention) coined the phrase "take on for use".
What this meant, in a very specific situation, was that the contractor received some equipment to operate and maintain, but the equipment remained the property of the employer.
The point I'm trying to make is that sometimes there will be specific contractual situations which cannot be described using a particular commonly recognized word or term.
Adrian Liszewski Jun 9, 2014:
Hi all, I have the reasons to believe that this question originated from my question in PL-EN pair. In my text the author of the text of the contract (the contracting authority = the purchaser) formed the polish term of "handover" to mean literally "takeover to operation" - which in my understanding was to mean that the purchaser takes the equipment from the contractor and puts it to operation, but the author wanted to integrate this two actions/terms into one. This event was closely related to the final acceptance of the equipment, but it was not at the same time (some protocols and documentation changed hands between these two events). Your opinions/answers helped me to understand that english can reflect almost everything that one is able to express in polish, except for the special "linguistic inventions" of the author, in which case the translator should avoid being too literal and translate the meaning*. [*] = which is also a good principle to follow in all TR work. THANK YOU!
George BuLah (X) (asker) Jun 6, 2014:
Thank you very much All ... for your answers and attempts to understand my awkwardly worded context!
All answers perfectly capture this my context, thus I would like to thank again:
Gallagy - for the brilliant explanation and patience to convince me so carefully.
Tony M - for his so useful answer, and who has perfectly guessed what I have been talking about.
My special thanks go to Armorel who has disappeared, but who has friendly explained my awkwardness so that I catched immediately (forget-me-nots for you! :).
I would also like to thank very much PAS who bravely struggles for a hope... I could have taken over, accordingly :).
Finally - would like to thank all for your time to support/comment the answers!
PAS Jun 6, 2014:
Right Like I said - I was thinking (probably unwittingly) in line with FIDIC, which specifically uses the term takeover in the sense that I have written.
B D Finch Jun 6, 2014:
@PAS I have accepted a great many handovers, of housing developments rather than machines, and no it is not correct to say "If you accept a handover, you simply acknowledge that work was performed correctly." On accepting handover, I was taking possession of the site on behalf of my employer. From the moment I signed for handover, we were responsible for insurance, security, taxes, safety etc. and had the right to sell or let the premises.
PAS Jun 6, 2014:
Take/ accept I understand this, and I understand the (American) meaning of "takeover/ take over".
However, I see a difference between "accepting a handover" and "taking over the responsibility and ownership" by the Employer - this is based on FIDIC terminology and this is where I was coming from.
If you accept a handover, you simply acknowledge that work was performed correctly.
Taking over something is a transfer of responsibility, ownership etc. from Contractor to Employer.
At that point, the Contractor ceases to be responsible for whatever he did and the product becomes an asset of the Employer.
B D Finch Jun 5, 2014:
@PAS In your example, the purchaser takes over (acceptable, though not the ideal way of putting it) various roles and responsibilities, but it is still not right to say they "take over" the machine. They accept handover of the machine.
George BuLah (X) (asker) Jun 5, 2014:
PAS,
In a nutshell... thank you very much! :)
PAS Jun 5, 2014:
not clear ...who the "contracting party" and "purchaser" are.

One solution:
Contractor supplies, installs and operates the machine then hands it over to the purchaser (employer?).
At the same time, the purchaser/ employer takes over (ownership, responsibility, operation) of the machine.

Responses

+1
16 mins
Selected

handover

Your question is extremely unclear, but I think what you are asking is what we call that operation where the customer takes over the ownernship of the [project] from the supplier — and that is called 'handover'; though obviously, if we separate it out and specify the suplier and the customer, then we would use a phrasal verb 'to hand over' — or, exceptionally, the phrasal verb 'to take over'.

But the noun 'takeover' cannot normally really be used, since that is already used for the specific business situation where one company takes over some other company, cf. expressions like 'hostile takeover bid' etc.
Note from asker:
I do appreciate your so deep contribution, and the situation has suddenly become extremely clear :) to me. Many thanks again!
Peer comment(s):
agree B D Finch
5 mins
Thanks, B! :-)
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "With my sincere thanks and appreciation for both answers and all significant contributions ! "
+8
13 mins

contractor hands over to client/handover meeting

http://www.viauc.com/horsens/programmes/fulldegree/construct...

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Note added at 15 mins (2014-06-05 14:57:58 GMT)
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the hand-over takes place after defects have been rectified and completion of contract is achieved

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Note added at 16 mins (2014-06-05 14:59:24 GMT)
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a take-over is different: it's when one company takes over another
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/takeover.asp

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Note added at 18 mins (2014-06-05 15:00:35 GMT)
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http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Handover_to_the_cli...

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Note added at 23 mins (2014-06-05 15:06:27 GMT)
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yes, you haven't made clear what type of machine this is. So, a handover meeting is (probably) unnecessary as BDF points out...

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Note added at 2 hrs (2014-06-05 16:46:13 GMT)
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Thanks for extra info. I did some contracts recently for wood-milling machinery for making wood chips and another for a processor where there was an actual hand-over meeting. But it will probably say in your document if there is one. Otherwise it's just a hand-over. Sometimes the Client takes "receipt" (of the delivery) but I would definitely avoid using "takeover".

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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-06-05 18:37:31 GMT)
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No, stay away from using "takeover" completely!
You can say, if you must, that the Client "accepts or takes receipt" of plant or machinery but usually it is best to stick with "hand over" as all the testing and commissioning, operation and risks have to be done and explained before the hand-over. Plus all the documentation, maintenance, warranties etc also get handed over
You may find this useful (from p 5 on)
http://www.sqa.org.uk/files/aq/H4HE04.pdf

or here:
http://www.beck-pollitzer.com/services-machinery-installatio...
Note from asker:
A grinding machine, four such grinders. Many thanks indeed for the extensive explanation!
Many thanks again! The link you gave me (above) explains the handover routine by a provider to a client. Is thus possible to name the opposite situation - a takeover by a client ? Please disregard if I am complicating, especially as I have actually borrowed the problem, and this my reproduction here may sound faulty, though. I do hope, I am not all wet. Anyway, I am taking :) with sincere thanks your take on it! :).
So be it! Thank you very, very much indeed for your time and patience!
Peer comment(s):
agree Tina Vonhof (X) : Take over is something different.
1 min
Thanks. That was fast:-)
agree Tony M
3 mins
Thanks Tony:-)
neutral B D Finch : This is a machine, not a building, so unlikely to have inspection and rectification of defects, handover meeting etc.//Sorry, corrected, I happened to be thinking about doing some washing. :(
3 mins
where does it say washing machine?. It's still hand over rather than takeover even without any meetings being necessary...
agree Thayenga : Takeover is definately the wrong term here. ;)
5 mins
Thanks Thayenga:-)
agree Takeshi MIYAHARA
9 mins
many thanks!
agree Zsofia Koszegi-Nagy
1 hr
many thanks Zsofia:-)
agree Jack Doughty
1 hr
Many thanks Jack:-)
agree jccantrell : Gotta go with the first one. In the USA, takeover usually involves companies, as in 'hostile takeover'
1 hr
Many thanks jccantrell:-)
agree Phong Le
4 days
thanks Phong. I really can't understand why my answer was not considered to be the most helpful...
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