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French to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Materials (Plastics, Ceramics, etc.) / American English
French term or phrase:polystyrène
Hi, just wondering if any American English speakers can tell me whether in a day to day context it is better to translate this as polystyrene or styrofoam? This is for a translation talking about the materials used to make a film set... Thanks!
Explanation: Although I myself am GB, my nephew who works in showbusiness in the US certainly always uses this term, which seems to have become generic over there in the same way as 'hoover' and 'perspex' in the UK.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 heures (2011-10-30 21:09:10 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
As Chris has said in the discussion area, both the Brits and the French tend to use the term 'polystyrene' imprecisely, ignoring the fact that it exists in several forms, but generally using it to mean 'expanded polystyrene' — and as several of us thought, and Asker has confirmed, that does seem to be the most likely intended meaning in this specific context.
Naturally, my suggested answer is based on that very assumption.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 19 heures (2011-10-31 11:49:46 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
As the Wiki article kindly found by Chris points out, the word 'styrofoam' is widely, if incorrectly, used in everyday paralnce to refer to other similar products.
I think here it's all a question of register and context, though as Nikki says, the best course of action is of course to check with the customer.
Really appreciate all the comments from everyone. After discussion with the client, in this context styrofoam worked out best in the end. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
This is not an easy one in fact. The original uses "polystyrène" but in fact probably means a particular type of polystyrene. One of the tricky questions in translation. Should I translate the term as presented in the original, thus polystyrene, or should I opt for the term that I think would be used in the circumstances? You should avoid guessing and supposing. My general policy, my rule of thumb, is that it depends! (Now that's helpful). My choice would be dictated by information obtained from the client unless thereare clear indicators elsewhere in the document. Specific knowledge of the field helps.
I have come across this sort of problem regularly with the nautical field where technical French terms are more often than not described using English terms, or corruptions thereof. The same is true in research.
I was unaware of the subtle distinction, explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styrofoam, between styrofoam and polystyrene foam. Note especially the last para concerning use of the word "styrofoam".
Hi, thanks very much for all the info. I would imagine that it probably is expanded polystyrene, although the context is very vague. This is the rest of the sentence:
"But this [film] set made of wood, polystyrene and iron, is used as often in your work as the dunes and the trailers of Beauduc."
you and I have probably read enough US journals and trade mags to stand in as surrogate Americans as far as Styrofoam is concerned. Like Hoovers, Helicoils and Plexiglas, the trade name has become subsumed into general usage as a generic description, so I wouldn't have a problem with styrofoam provided it has a small "s". I can't imagine anything other than the expanded form being used on a film set, but we Brits do inaccurately refer to it simply as "polystyrene" (though I wouldn't).
Perhaps before anything else, we do need to be sure we are indeed talking about expanded polystyrene — although that is of course the most likely possibility.
As a British English speaker I ought not to be answering this. However, I would agree with Chris Collister's reading. Styrofoam is a tradename and not necessarily an accurate nor safe word- for-word choice for polystyrene. If the Styrofoam brand is being used, then of course there is no problem. Unless an AE speaker with experience of the term suggests it is usable, I would avoid it.
is the polymer from which Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene is made. Plastic scale models, for example, are made of polystyrene, but not expanded polystyrene/styrofoam. But US EN = Styrofoam, probably originally a trade name, but now in totally general use.
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Answers
51 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +4
polystyrene
Explanation: I think styrofoam is a brand name, but not sure ot that, the americans use styrofoam more than we do in the UK
MartinPorto Portugal Local time: 09:02 Native speaker of: English
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +4
