https://www.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/general-conversation-greetings-letters/1536882-electricit%C3%A9-de-france.html

Electricité de France

English translation: As is - with accents

07:27 Sep 8, 2006
French to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / use of accents
French term or phrase: Electricité de France
In my translation, I put this company name in italics but without the accents. The customer is questioning whether the accents should be omitted or put back in. My position is that, traditionally, for typesetting reasons, they would be left out. (Until recently, that rule would have applied to the capital E in French also.) Nowadays of course, we have the technical capability to put them in, but is it correct to do so in English? Do any of you know the actual rule? Thank you.
Kari Foster
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:50
English translation:As is - with accents
Explanation:
As you said, the only reasons for leaving the accents out are technical limitations for typesetting. As you are leaving the name in French, you should leave the accent(s) in. (Whether you accent the capital E or not is up to you.)
Selected response from:

Rob Grayson
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:50
Grading comment
Thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +18As is - with accents
Rob Grayson


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +18
As is - with accents


Explanation:
As you said, the only reasons for leaving the accents out are technical limitations for typesetting. As you are leaving the name in French, you should leave the accent(s) in. (Whether you accent the capital E or not is up to you.)

Rob Grayson
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:50
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 64
Grading comment
Thank you
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for the firm and resounding answer.

Asker: Re. Dusty's comment: on my latest bill I see that EDF have nicely clouded the issue with a redesigned logo: eDF.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Exactly! Note that EDF themselves do NOT accent the capital E
2 mins
  -> Thanks, Tony

agree  Valérie Lapotre (X)
5 mins
  -> Merci, Valérie

agree  Richard Benham: It used to be the rule to omit accents on upper-case letters EXCEPT "E", but that seems to have died long ago.
7 mins
  -> Thanks, Richard

agree  Alison Jenner
21 mins
  -> Thanks, Alison

agree  Charlie Bavington
52 mins
  -> Thanks, Charlie

agree  Mark Nathan
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Mark

agree  Rachel Fell
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Rachel

agree  Julie Barber
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Julie

agree  Marcelina Haftka
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Cyborg

agree  Karine Gentil
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Karine

agree  Marion Sadoux
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Marion

agree  Rachel Ward
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Rachel

agree  roneill: Alt + 162 on a PC. It seems to be our day for accents!
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Rónat! You learn something every day...

agree  Bourth (X): Keep the accents, but beware: even France Télécom is actually France Telecom.
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Bourth

agree  Alain BERTRAND
17 hrs
  -> Thanks, Koolmau

agree  Mona G
1 day 2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Mona

agree  emiledgar
1 day 10 hrs
  -> Thanks, emiledgar

agree  Nico Staes
3 days 7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Nico
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