James (Jim) Davis Dec 4, 2012:

@Tom This is discussion around the question :-) The discussion part as I understand it is for linguistic discussion on or around the question. You accuse me of being off-topic for requesting more details on the "target audience/country" (and I quote from the posting instructions). Which is quite simply who is reading the translation and vital information for any translator. Why is that off-topic? It would seem to me to be very much on-topic.
"The translation should try to stay faithful to that." Considering the target audience here (customers), I disagree. This translation is a brochure and its primary purpose I'm sure is to sell wood, not to obey any ivory tower notions of what is or isn't a faithful translation. I'm sure the client would be happy to pay double if it doubled his sales and didn't break the law and so forth, no matter what relation it bore to the source text.
Of course, if it were a contract or perhaps an academic text, I would probably agree with you, because truth is important in these contexts. But this is a sales brochure! Truth in sales? "XX beer refreshes the parts others cannot reach": now who believes that (before the first pint)? but "My God it" sells beer and doesn't do you any good at all.

Tom in London Dec 4, 2012:

Now... ...we're REALLY off-topic.

James (Jim) Davis Dec 4, 2012:

@Tom Asking who the readers of the brochure are, is off topic?

Rosario Liberto (asker) Dec 4, 2012:

Ok thanks a lot for clearing the meaning James :)

James (Jim) Davis Dec 4, 2012:

I would avoid "lumber" it is a synonym of timber, but also has other means, such as to walk clumsily, or something useless. If the focus is on your customers, then timber and a warm welcome. If the focus is on what wood can do for you (actually keep you warm (firewood, roof) or even just make you feel warm (the appearance) then wood and warmth.

Tom in London Dec 4, 2012:

off topic? we seem to be wandering away from the phrase. " il legno è tradizione, prestigio e calore". The translation should try to stay faithful to that.

Rosario Liberto (asker) Dec 4, 2012:

Thanks James, our customers are suppliers, retailers and importers. You can leave out cabinet makers. Indeed, we sell high quality wood. However, there is also the term lumber industry, I don't know if lumber could replace timber in this context.

James (Jim) Davis Dec 4, 2012:

Who are the customers? Wood can be used for thousands of things by different people. If it is anything from pulp for paper to the building industry (where "timbers" are used for joists) then I think you want "timber is a warm welcome". If it is high quality wood for cabinet makers, for furniture that is, then I think you want "food is warmth". As usual, context is everything (almost).

Rosario Liberto (asker) Dec 4, 2012:

Thanks Tom.

Tom in London Dec 4, 2012:

My eyesight must be failing... ... at first sight I read "Penso che con calore s'intende avere cura dei clienti" as "Penso che con calore s'intende avere cura dei denti"

!!! :(