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French to English translations [PRO] Architecture / Architectural survey
French term or phrase:hôtel
From the website of a survey company specialising in historic edifices: examples of contracts. Would you keep "hôtel" as such? I'm in two minds about a number of proper nouns in this translation. Obviously Palais de l'Elysée is Elysée Palace, bu others are not so clear.
Références de relevés d’édifices sensibles :
Hôtels particuliers ministériels et institutionnels (2005-2011) – Relevés de façades, plans et coupes partielles. Conseil constitutionnel, conseil d’état, hôtel de Roquelaure, hôtel du Chatelet, Hôtel de Brienne, Hôtel de Villeroy.
Explanation: This word occurs quite often in context of 19th century lit. It cannot be called a private mansion as such, because that has another connotation in terms of estates and such. I would call it 'residence' as the terms is used in a wide variety of meanings, but in terms of a place you go which may not even be your own but which you rent (like in Dumas's Count of Monte Cristo) or a place which you do own but which is one of many. Noblemen had a 'terre' which meant their home ground which was their private estate, maybe somewhere far away, and then they had residences in Paris (hôtels) because that's where all the interesting things were taking place. They may have been extensive with grounds and such or they may have been just large town houses with private gardens.
You could also call it a 'hôtel', though (as on Wikipedia too). I also saw it used in Charltte Brontë's Jane Eyre. However, it needs to be said that she knew French well.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 52 mins (2011-12-03 10:23:04 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
When you look at decent press articles, foreign words are often kept, looks chic, avoids patronising those in the know and informs those who don't. You can do it in many ways, without adding an explanation as such, rather by just incorporating the term into the body of the text, just as journalists do when adding a foreign word into their English original.
Explanation: This word occurs quite often in context of 19th century lit. It cannot be called a private mansion as such, because that has another connotation in terms of estates and such. I would call it 'residence' as the terms is used in a wide variety of meanings, but in terms of a place you go which may not even be your own but which you rent (like in Dumas's Count of Monte Cristo) or a place which you do own but which is one of many. Noblemen had a 'terre' which meant their home ground which was their private estate, maybe somewhere far away, and then they had residences in Paris (hôtels) because that's where all the interesting things were taking place. They may have been extensive with grounds and such or they may have been just large town houses with private gardens.
You could also call it a 'hôtel', though (as on Wikipedia too). I also saw it used in Charltte Brontë's Jane Eyre. However, it needs to be said that she knew French well.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 52 mins (2011-12-03 10:23:04 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +7
