Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
01:06 Oct 4, 2011
French to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Psychology / Mediation & conciliation
French term or phrase:faute
"L’erreur n’est pas une **faute,** mais seulement un mot pour désigner que l’on n’obtient pas l’effet souhaité."
From a training presentation on mediation. (Canadian French to Canadian EN). So far, I am leading toward "An error is not a fault, but only a term to indicate that you cannot obtain the desired effect."
But I am not sure that the word "fault" conveys the idea of agency [i.e., capacity to act]. Also, am I missing a nuance of the FR word faute?
Explanation: Might I suggest adopting a different approach and leave well enough alone with the words "error" and "fault" which I think are faithful conveyors of the author's intention? Might I suggest, however, that substituting "be" may be a good ploy?
Sugegstion :
"Error" does not mean "fault"...
"Error" does not imply "fault"...
"Error" does not suggest "fault"..
Sticking my neck out, I think it is easy to fall into a trap on this one. There is absolutely no reason to deviate from an ordinary rendering of the original "erreur" and "faute". The English words "error" and "fault" are accurate representations of the ideas expressed in the French.
The problem here is to avoid "over-translating". We all wish to avoid the false friend trap. However, there is another trap : seeking to repair something which is not broken. If it ain't broken, don't fix it. If ordinary words will do, use ordinary words, even if they seem too ordinary to be true.
As the French put it, rather tongue in cheek :
Pourquoi faire simple quand on peut faire compliqué?
Might I suggest adopting a different approach and leave well enough alone with the words "error" and "fault" which I think are faithful conveyors of the author's intention? Might I suggest, however, that substituting "be" may be a good ploy?
Sugegstion :
"Error" does not mean "fault"...
"Error" does not imply "fault"...
"Error" does not suggest "fault"...
I read it as "something for which one is to blame", implying a personal shortcoming or fault. Blaming people, oneself included, is seen as counterproductive.
Regarding the rest of your draught translation, I'd like to suggest that 'do not obtain' might be more accurate than 'cannot obtain' — and possibly even 'fail to obtain'.
Consider the meaning of 'faute' in the term 'faute professionnelle', which may sometimes be translated as 'professional misconduct' (though in other contexts, that might not be suitable).
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
4 hrs confidence:
omission [or: failure] to act
Explanation: Am not sure I understand the context right, so am suggesting an answer based on your comment about the target word conveying "the idea of agency [i.e., capacity to act]"
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2011-10-04 05:13:17 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Alternatively:
'perform' may be used instead of 'act'.
Explanation: I think you got it right the first time round.
I would argue that a fault or "faute", is an error that you make willingly and knowingly, whereas an error is, well, just a more or less innocent mistake.
Ide Verhelst Local time: 20:56 Native speaker of: Dutch
Explanation: Might I suggest adopting a different approach and leave well enough alone with the words "error" and "fault" which I think are faithful conveyors of the author's intention? Might I suggest, however, that substituting "be" may be a good ploy?
Sugegstion :
"Error" does not mean "fault"...
"Error" does not imply "fault"...
"Error" does not suggest "fault"..
Nikki Scott-Despaigne Local time: 20:56 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 10
Grading comment
Thank-you for your thoughtful discussion comments, they reassured me in my translation.
The translation workplace 
