Talk:ballasten

How rare is this word?

I have almost doubts, if this word really exists. It stands in none of my dictionaries, and my biggest dictionary is Wahrig Deutsches Wörterbuch, 8th edition of 2006 with 260.000 entries. I mean, ok, it is possible to form a word like this from German Ballast, but I never heard it before. I also have no idea, how to pronounce it: ['balastn] or [ba'lastn]? -- Arne List 23:45, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

I agree that this article needs references. I think I originally found the term in an online dictionary of nautical terms, but unfortunately I cannot find this reference anymore. A quick Google search shows that the term seems to be a valid German word, but I don't know if there is something that could be used as a reference:

• it is used in the present time in some nautical special interest forums, but they won't qualify as references
• there is an entry in Deutsches Wörterbuch by Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm (you can find it using Google book search), but this dictionary is pretty old (1854)
• it is used in Verordnung über die Beförderung gefährlicher Güter auf dem Rhein (ADNR). Zentralkommission für die Rheinschiffahrt. 2007: "9.3.1.35.1 [...] Kofferdämme und Aufstellungsräume, wenn das Ballasten über die Wasserleitung der Feuerlöscheinrichtung im Bereich der Ladung und das Lenzen mittels Ejektoren erfolgt." Also not an ideal candidate for a reference, because only the noun form ("das Ballasten") of the verb is used.

If someone finds better references, please add them to the article. --Zeitlupe 04:02, 24 December 2007 (UTC)

I added the third item as a reference. I think it's good enough. Why shouldn't the reference use the noun form of the verb. --Zeitlupe 04:51, 24 December 2007 (UTC)

Thanks a lot: I looked into a dictionary of nautical terms German-English of the 1950ies (not mine). However, it doesn't have "ballasten" but describes English "to ballast" as "Ballast aufnehman" and "unballast" as "Ballast ausschießen". Anyway, your reference with Jacob Grimm is more than enough, but just perfect, even because of its age. :-) -- Arne List 02:25, 25 December 2007 (UTC)