biography

Arabic translation: سيرة

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:biography
Arabic translation:سيرة
Entered by: Fuad Yahya

01:02 Jan 29, 2010
English to Arabic translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / biography/resume
English term or phrase: biography
biography and resume appear on the same application form. They ask for resume information and on the next line biography and picture. I know the meaning in Arabic but is their a way to differentiate. Thank you
sithanem
Local time: 06:14
سيرة
Explanation:
The issue is not how to translate either of the two words, but rather what the authors of the application form meant. My suspicion is that they meant "resume" in the sense of "career biography," and they meant "biography" in the sense of "personal biography." To reflect this distinction in Arabic (assuming you could verify it), I would use different modifiers for each, such as:

resume: سيرة عملية

biography: سيرة شخصية

Note: There is a disturbing common error found in many sources which renders "biography" as سيرة ذاتية

This is untenable except in the case of "autobiography."
Selected response from:

Fuad Yahya
Grading comment
Thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2السيرة الذاتية
daryn
5 +1سيرة حياتية
azmi jbeili
4 +1سيرة
Fuad Yahya
5سيرة
Mona Helal


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
سيرة


Explanation:
The issue is not how to translate either of the two words, but rather what the authors of the application form meant. My suspicion is that they meant "resume" in the sense of "career biography," and they meant "biography" in the sense of "personal biography." To reflect this distinction in Arabic (assuming you could verify it), I would use different modifiers for each, such as:

resume: سيرة عملية

biography: سيرة شخصية

Note: There is a disturbing common error found in many sources which renders "biography" as سيرة ذاتية

This is untenable except in the case of "autobiography."

Fuad Yahya
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 201
Grading comment
Thank you
Notes to answerer
Asker: I absolutely agree. Thank you


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ghada Samir
10 hrs

agree  Malika Lakbiach: Agree with first understanding what the author of the original meant and with distinguishing between 'resume', 'biography' and 'autobiography' and their different renderings into Arabic. I would translate 'resume' as سيرة مهنية though.
10 hrs
  -> I think with respect to "resume," there is room for improvement. Yours is a step in the right direction.

disagree  Dina El Kassas: There is a difference between a resume and a biography or a biographical sketch. Example of biosketch www.eeb.cornell.edu/.../FleckerBioSketch.html
1 day 9 hrs
  -> You are belaboring the obvious. We all know there is a difference between a resume and a biography, and we all know what the difference is. "Biosketch" is a red herring. It has nothing to do with the question.
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
سيرة


Explanation:
biography means سيرة
resume would mean سيرة ذاتية
autobiography means سيرة ذاتية

So biography could be written about the person by someone else but resume and CV and autobiography would be written about the person by him/herself.

HTH

Mona Helal
Local time: 21:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
السيرة الذاتية


Explanation:
السيرة الذاتية is more appropriate

daryn
United States
Local time: 06:14
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  yzmohasseb
1 hr
  -> thank you Yzmohasseb

agree  sarax999
1 day 3 hrs
  -> Thank you very much FATIMA
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
سيرة حياتية


Explanation:
http://www.inanasite.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13101&start=...

biography - ... سيرة حياتية "المولد والنشأة، والتعليم "
resume - سيرة ذاتية

azmi jbeili
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:14
Native speaker of: Arabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kayed ABU-Zeid
3 hrs
  -> Thank you
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