Don't agree with the translation in an Afnor standard Thread poster: infact
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infact
Local time: 20:28
French to English
I need your help in trying to convince my client that I am right. The AFNOR standard EN 1709 (in my opinion) has not employed the right words, and my client is required to follow the standard.
The main problem remains with the words "vérifier" (and all derivatives) and "contrôle".
For example "verification visuelle"... now I always told them that "check" just doesn't do it for me and that I prefer by far "inspection" So, in our example "verification visuelle", I wou... See more I need your help in trying to convince my client that I am right. The AFNOR standard EN 1709 (in my opinion) has not employed the right words, and my client is required to follow the standard.
The main problem remains with the words "vérifier" (and all derivatives) and "contrôle".
For example "verification visuelle"... now I always told them that "check" just doesn't do it for me and that I prefer by far "inspection" So, in our example "verification visuelle", I would translate "visual inspection".
But the AFNOR standard uses "visual check". Same thing for "contrôle", the AFNOR standard uses "checks" whereas I have always seen "inspections"...
My question is what would you do? Comply with your clients wishes (and provide a translation that isn't right or contact AFNOR and let them know their tranlsation stinks...
For info, here is the translation of the title of the document :
NF EN 1709 December 2004 Safety requirements for cableway installations designed to carry persons - Precommissioning inspection, maintenance, operational inspection and checks
NF EN 1709 Décembre 2004 Prescriptions de sécurité pour les installations à cable transportant des personnes - Examen probatoire, maintenance, controles en exploitation.
I don't know where they invented "operational inspection and checks" where in French it is only "Contrôles en exploitation"....
Thanks for your support and your opinions!!
Cynthia ▲ Collapse
| | | | deud
Italian to English
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I did not read the Afnor standard, but if you told your client what you think about it (I don't speak French so I can be of no help) and the client does not share your views...when in Rome do as the Romans do )
David
| | | | MichaelRS (X)
Local time: 20:28
| At most send a note | Jul 4, 2005 |
If your customer is required to use a certain standard, and wants you to use it, I would just do what they want.
The difference between "inspection" and "check" (especially if it's visual) doesn't sound all that earth-shaking to me. At most you could write a note to the customer that you followed the standard, but you suggest different terms.
Anything beyond that sounds like wasted effort.
| | | | Mary Lalevee 
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
French to English
I think if you the Afnor terms are used in French you have to use the English version regardless of whether it is right or not. What I do in these cases is add a note saying "xxx translated here as yyyy" is more usually translated as "xxx".
The terms are used industry-wide and there can't be individual variations for obvious reasons.
Mary
[Edited at 2005-07-04 07:04]
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Clare Barnes
Sweden
Local time: 20:28
Swedish to English
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I have to agree with David - when in Rome... Unfortunately if something is standard, or the end client is convinced that they are right, there is only so much you can do about it. Still, I know it's frustrating it can be...
| | | | infact
Local time: 20:28
French to English
TOPIC STARTER | The problem is AFNOR... | Jul 4, 2005 |
Clare Barnes wrote:
I have to agree with David - when in Rome... Unfortunately if something is standard, or the end client is convinced that they are right, there is only so much you can do about it. Still, I know it's frustrating it can be...
My client agrees with me, but for legal reasons, they must comply with what the AFNOR standard uses. What I was thinking was to actually contact AFNOR directly to tell them that their translation is wrong...but that feels dangerous to me.
I really am in a pinch because my client and their end-clients are vey happy with my translations, and I don't want the end-clients to can and say "Quality of translations is low because there are some obvious mistakes..." Even though those "mistakes" are not my responsibility, my name goes down on these translations...
Do you (all of you!!!) think that it would be a better idea to post this in the French forum?
Thanks for your help and advice!
cynthia
| | | | lien
Netherlands
Local time: 20:28
English to French
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Cynthia Rosenacker wrote:
I need your help in trying to convince my client that I am right. The AFNOR standard EN 1709 (in my opinion) has not employed the right words, and my client is required to follow the standard.
It is a *standard*, something to conform to, devised so by a bunch of people in order to avoid this kind of problem, that everyone has his own meaning about it.
You said "my client is required to follow the *standard*."
What will you gain to "convince my client that I am right" ?
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| The customer is always right :-) | Jul 4, 2005 |
Cynthia Rosenacker wrote:
I need your help in trying to convince my client that I am right. The AFNOR standard EN 1709 (in my opinion) has not employed the right words, and my client is required to follow the standard.
Much as I empathise (I too have had personal issues with one or two translations used in AFNOR standards ), the point is that once these translations get released into the wild, as it were, they stick.
I'm sure we've all been told at some point or other to use 'x' for 'y' when we don't necessarily agree with the translation(e.g. internal glossaries), but if that's what the customer wants...
Of course, if your text then *describes* the standard, you can use inspection instead of check if you so desire, but when it comes to the 'official' translation of the title itself, I think you should stick with what's out there already.
For one thing, if your customer needs to communicate on the subject with other people (or even just search for info about it on the web), if you haven't used the official translation, then I'm sure you can see that problems could arise.
| | | | CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 20:28
French to English
+ ...
| EU directives | Jul 4, 2005 |
pose the same problem - the number of times I have had to quote texts in writing or when interpreting knowing that the English was utter garbage. And all this from those star translators that are supposedly handpicked and the cream of the crop.....
It kills me to think that people may imagine I invented the stuff!
But what can you do?
| | | | Mary Lalevee
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
French to English
When quoting from an "official" translation, I alsways add a note saying that it is the official translation issued by whetever body it is. That way no one will imagine I came up with that rubbish!!
| | | | | The Translators' Friend | Jul 4, 2005 |
CMJ_Trans wrote:
pose the same problem - the number of times I have had to quote texts in writing or when interpreting knowing that the English was utter garbage. And all this from those star translators that are supposedly handpicked and the cream of the crop.....
It kills me to think that people may imagine I invented the stuff!
But what can you do?
Mary Lalevée wrote:
When quoting from an "official" translation, I alsways add a note saying that it is the official translation issued by whetever body it is. That way no one will imagine I came up with that rubbish!!
A translator's greatest friend: the note du traducteur... if only to preserve our peace of mind.
[Edited at 2005-07-04 16:31]
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infact
Local time: 20:28
French to English
TOPIC STARTER | thanks to you all.... | Jul 7, 2005 |
I wanted to insert a quote from more than one answer so I decided to not quote anyone!!
Thank you all for your answers and I appreciate the time you spent helping out.
I am going to add a "note du traducteur" from now on whenever I disagree with the client's "translation".
To answer the question of what I would gain from convi... See more I wanted to insert a quote from more than one answer so I decided to not quote anyone!!
Thank you all for your answers and I appreciate the time you spent helping out.
I am going to add a "note du traducteur" from now on whenever I disagree with the client's "translation".
To answer the question of what I would gain from convincing my client is wrong and I am right, well, I would gain the idea that translations coming out of my business are quality translations,and that I don't just translate, but think of the best interests of my clients : their end-clients are the ones reading their manuals and if the English sounds bad, their company image will be tarnished. I have been working for this client for four years now and they have always told me that they greatly appreciate all the "extra" thinking I do for their translations. I even correct their French. So convincing them that the AFNOR standard is wrong was quite easy, but convincing AFNOR to redo their translations is (after reading your answers...) is impossible, I think!
Well, thanks again for your help and if AFNOR does change its translations, then I will let you all know!
Cynthia ▲ Collapse
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