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« fonds de cuve »


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:« fonds de cuve »
English translation:dregs/stragglers/(leave out)
Entered by: Alison High
Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

12:09 Feb 13, 2007
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Accounting / Internal Audit
French term or phrase: « fonds de cuve »
Le Tableau de Bord du XXXX ne fait pas apparaître la répartition du nombre de dossiers par ancienneté, ce qui constitue un manque dans le suivi de la qualité de traitement des dossiers ainsi que dans l’identification de très vieux dossiers (****« fonds de cuve »****) dont le traitement traîne et qui peuvent se transformer en dossier à risque juridique.


Does anyone have a more classy or technical term for this than the literal "barrel scrapings" please ?!
Alison High
Switzerland
Local time: 17:44


Summary of answers provided
4 +1"dusty /cobwebbed files"
Conor McAuley
4 +1residualConnor
3 +2"dregs"
Charlie Bavington
3"stragglers"
Tony M
3in limbo
Tamara Salvio
3leave it out?
David Goward
2 -1"old lags"Paula McMullan


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): -1
"old lags"


Explanation:
Just a thought - since they're talking about files which haven't been properly audited. I like the idea of these files hanging about at the bottom of the barrel looking for some trouble!

Paula McMullan
Local time: 16:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Tony M: In the 20th c. meaning, refers usually to people, "habitual prisoners", not sure the connotation is entirely appropriate here // Nice reply! :-))
43 mins
  -> I fancied a bit of anthropomorphism!
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36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
"dregs"


Explanation:
Seems to me to be roughly the same word conveying roughly the same idea....

Charlie Bavington
Local time: 16:44
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 31

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Yup, that's what I'd have said!
10 mins
agree  Jacqueline McClure-Zerbe: I was thinking of "the bottom of the barrel" but dregs sounds more accurate.
2 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
leave it out?


Explanation:
As the text explains what they are and it appears to be (in-house?) jargon, I'd leave it out altogether, to be honest.

David Goward
France
Local time: 17:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
residual


Explanation:
leftovers but still there !!!

Connor
Local time: 17:44
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  James Roberts
26 mins
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"dusty /cobwebbed files"


Explanation:
To indicate old and neglected.

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Note added at 9 mins (2007-02-13 12:19:11 GMT)
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The French use a great deal of metaphors related to food and wine but an English speaker won't "get" them.

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Note added at 9 mins (2007-02-13 12:19:43 GMT)
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Sorry, that should be "French-speakers".

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Note added at 11 mins (2007-02-13 12:21:20 GMT)
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Along the same lines, "dog-eared".

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Note added at 3 hrs (2007-02-13 15:26:58 GMT)
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Or more formal:

longstanding cases

long outstanding (or pending) cases

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 17:44
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Paula McMullan: This makes most sense to me
7 hrs
  -> Thanks Paula! (Although no physical files may be involved - all done on computers now, perhaps - I guess the image can still be used)
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
in limbo


Explanation:
Looking at the context and not the exact expression, it seems to me these are cases left "in limbo" as the others are, for whatever reason, given priority treatment. "Bottom of the barrel" expressions may be a bit too negative to convey the source's intent. Alternatively, it could be left out altogether as David suggested.

Tamara Salvio
Local time: 17:44
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"stragglers"


Explanation:
As David has siad, this appears to be more or less "in-house jargon", so I was trying to think what sort of words I've heard used in that sort of way, and this is just one that sprang to mind.

Tony M
France
Local time: 17:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 23
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