Names for ME/CFS in languages other than English

[Hutan]

I've recently come across the problem of a name for ME/CFS in the Maori language seemingly being created by a translator to be the equivalent of 'chronic fatigue' but using an uncommon word for 'chronic' that can also mean loitering and shirking. (discussed here News from Aotearoa/New Zealand and the Pacific Islands)

It's made me think that some names for ME/CFS that exist in other languages might be similarly contrived and problematic. And there's probably a good lesson here for ME/CFS organisations in some other countries with indigenous languages - engage with expert users of the language who understand the disease to agree on a standard (helpful) name, before someone, probably someone tasked with the job who has no idea about the illness, makes something up.

I thought it would be useful to have a thread to record names for ME/CFS in other languages so that we can consider how they came to be and if they are appropriate.

 

[Saz94]

French
L'encéphalomyélite myalgique/syndrome de fatigue chronique (EM/SFC)

Spanish
Encefalomielitis miálgica/síndrome de fatiga crónica (EM/SFC)

Italian
Encefalomielite Mialgica/Sindrome da Fatica Cronica ME/CFS

 

[Obermann]

Swedish
Myalgisk encefalomyelit/Kroniskt trötthetssyndrom (both the English acronym ME/CFS and the Swedish ME/KTS are used).

Note that "trötthet" in Swedish is weaker than English fatigue and may also be translated as "tiredness".

 

[Ravn]

In Denmark the patient organisations seem to prefer ME or myalgisk encephalomyelitis.

The media, doctors and health authorities typically use kronisk træthedssyndrom.

Træthed sits sort of in the middle of the fatigue scale of Danish vocab. It depends on the context but is often a little closer to tiredness than fatigue.

søvnighed - sleepiness, tiredness; træthed - tiredness, fatigue; udmattelse - fatigue, exhaustion

The Norwegians have at least gone for the stronger version: kronisk utmattelsessyndrom.

Edit: spelling

 

[Midnattsol]

Like Ravn says, the Norwegian term is "kronisk utmattelsessyndrom" which is nearly a word-for-word translation from English. Fatigue can be used in Norwegian, and is worse/more pathological than "utmattelse" but at least to me it would have sounded weird with "kronisk fatiguesyndrom", especially as many are not familiar with the term "fatigue". We don't have a Norwegian translation for SEID (which I've seen used at the hospital in Bergen, which is also where Fluge/Mella/Tronstad/Sommerfelt is located).

 

[rvallee]

I think it's the same in France, but here in Quebec/French Canada ME is almost never used, always "fatigue chronique". Which is a terrible name since in French fatigue is commonly used to mean both normal sleepiness and everyday weariness. It frankly makes most discussions pointless, the meaning that is communicated with the terms is too removed from reality. Extremely frustrating and self-defeating.

I don't think I ever used the word fatigue, or if so very few times. My GP is who made me first aware that this is a thing and I completely dismissed it for years because the name is comically inadequate, and seeing that CBT is a treatment really emphasizes the point.

The description is about as accurate as a stick figure drawing by someone who can't draw is a portrait. It's a case study in the misuse of language, how toxic it can be, even with the best of intentions, but especially so with the worst.