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French to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Electronics / Elect Eng
French term or phrase:distributions de polarité
Something similar came up in April (Tony M) but no satisfactory answer was given. This particular text is talking about installing electrical cabinets for monitoring and process control:
"Les distributions de polarité sont prévues dans les armoires à partir d'une baie puissance." and I am assuming that "polarité" is being used as a stand-in for DC "power" or "voltage" (surely not AC?); given that "polarity" is difficult to "distribute" this usage seems unusual. Has anybody else come across this? There are a few not very useful web references.
Explanation: The polarity refers to the fact that there is a neutral!
I know it sounds weird but that's the way it is. 3-phase power doesn't have or need a neutral so there are only 3 wires going to a 3-phase motor and they are all at the same voltage (but 120 degrees out of phase). I'm talking about delta connection here, forget star for the moment!
Once you start drawing power from a single phase, you need a neutral and your two wires are now at different voltages (normally 0V and 230VAC), hence they are polarised.
Any live sound or lighting tech. could tell you what a PD is and tell you some funny tales of hunting around the building for a suitable neutral when all of the accessible panels are 3 phase delta and every neutral you can find already has 20V riding on it.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2011-12-22 16:40:14 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Well, actually, it's phase plus neutral. This is the first point in the power distribution where the neutral is actually used rather than just being passed along.
Reading the title of one of your papers, THE INFLUENCE ON THE IDEAL SOLUTION LAWS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF POLARITY WITHIN THE MOLECULE, I agree that this is a legitimate use of the term, in the sense that molecules can indeed be polarised and that charge can indeed be distributed in space and time. It's possible that physicists may quibble with this use, preferring "charge", which is measurable and continuously variable (give or take quantum graininess). That said, of course, it has nothing to do with electrical supply cabinets!
Good luck with the revision. I'm done with exams, praise the Lord!
I am using "power outlet", though this may be insufficiently precise.
As for "distribution of polarity", Nikki, this means little to me, as an ex physicist; "polarity" is essentially abstract, and strictly speaking there are only two states + or - (excluding the special state of 0). Semantically speaking, the French seem to be defining ther own particular furrow! Yes, electrons can be distributed both in space and in time, but (though Heisenberg may disagree) they are essentially entities, as opposed to "polarity", which like "goodness", isn't.
I am currently working on another document where these sort of terms recur very frequently. 'Distribution' is used as a noun, not for 'the act of distributing', but the physical hardware that does it — my researches so far seem to suggest that it is indeed used this way even in EN (and it's my customer's preferred term), though I have to confess this usage was unfamiliar to me.
As for 'polarity', do watch out here: in my document, it is very definitely being used to refer to AC, not DC, but seems to be related to the phases in a 3-phase system. Empirically, I'm coming to the conclusion that it actually just means '(phases from) a 3-phase supply' — think of the 'pole' bit like using a 4-pole switch to break the 3 phases + N.
Can't give you a definitive answe, but I hope this well help you in your research... and if you find anything, please let me know ;-)
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
1 hr confidence:
distribution of polarity
Explanation: Currently revising for exams and having a break. Electrons are distributed, don't see why polarity cannot. Here's the very text I was just reading for a summary of CD for my structural biology exam...
Admittedly lots of German articles. I have endeavoured to track down English VO publications. Lots on proteins but not so much on pure electronics.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr (2011-12-22 14:42:52 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Before anyone comments, I realize that I am off context - something I usually clamour - hence the confidence level around the midpoint. oops, that should be 3 not 4 BTW! Never the less, the term does exist and maybe this will set Chris off on a newly inspired search ?!
Nikki Scott-Despaigne Local time: 09:51 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Explanation: The polarity refers to the fact that there is a neutral!
I know it sounds weird but that's the way it is. 3-phase power doesn't have or need a neutral so there are only 3 wires going to a 3-phase motor and they are all at the same voltage (but 120 degrees out of phase). I'm talking about delta connection here, forget star for the moment!
Once you start drawing power from a single phase, you need a neutral and your two wires are now at different voltages (normally 0V and 230VAC), hence they are polarised.
Any live sound or lighting tech. could tell you what a PD is and tell you some funny tales of hunting around the building for a suitable neutral when all of the accessible panels are 3 phase delta and every neutral you can find already has 20V riding on it.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2011-12-22 16:40:14 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Well, actually, it's phase plus neutral. This is the first point in the power distribution where the neutral is actually used rather than just being passed along.
Terry Richards France Local time: 09:51 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 135
Grading comment
I think this covers it best
Notes to answerer
Asker: Aaah, so technically speaking, it's not polarity which is distributed, but phase! A case of "abuse of language"?
I don't know much about your context, but take a look at a product by WAGO, Cat. No. 750-614 or 753-614. In French it is a "borne de distribution de polarités", and on the English data sheet they call it a "field side connection module". I don't know whether your "distributions" would be in the form of "modules", or perhaps "units", or collectively a "system".
Just taking a whack at it here; answer based solely on this ref. and claiming no great authority.
Kari Foster Local time: 09:51 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 20
Notes to answerer
Asker: I too have come across "polarité" in the I/O context. This may, or may not, imply "polarisation" (at least for an output) but is more likely to be the power required for A/D, amplification, etc.
The translation workplace 
