17:54 Oct 27, 2011 

This insee.fr reference was exactly my thoughts and knowledge. I always understood that "inactive" in most European countries meant the same thing, i.e. those not in work, nor officially registered as unemployed. The authors intention is the most important, but why would he/she use the term "inactive" in this statistical/bureaucratic type text, if it did not have a statistical/bureaucratic meaning?

17:49 Oct 27, 2011 

http://www.insee.fr/en/themes/document.asp?ref_id=ip1207

"inactive people who want to work are not able to do so in the short term, particularly because of family or personal reasons."

17:18 Oct 27, 2011 

Sorry, I have been bogged done in another job, I should have clarified sooner. I do think the author intends the words in the strict sense of the INSEE definition; s/he cites INSEE statistics repeatedly in the document.

17:13 Oct 27, 2011 

Until and unless we are able to get a clear idea of what the author was intending. Indeed, he may not even have given it much thought as he might not have intended to be overly specific. I reckon this one can go to the "ask the client" club!

16:54 Oct 27, 2011 

Les inactifs sont toutes les autres personnes, comprenant ainsi les personnes de moins de 16 ans, les retraités ou les personnes ne désirant pas travailler (e.g. femmes au foyer).

= people not in the workforce

16:14 Oct 27, 2011 

At the end of the day it's not even a question of "is the term inactif "inactive" in english", it's about whether "inactive" means the same thing in France than outiside of France (not the UK), and if not, how does it differ. I think the solution cannot be found in a single word.

16:03 Oct 27, 2011 

http://www.ifrap.org/Emploi-Chomage-quelle-definition,12295....
« Du point de vue des statistiques du chômage, la population française est constituée de deux grands groupes : la population active et les inactifs.
1. La population active comprend toutes les personnes travaillant ou désirant travailler. Ce sont ainsi :
• Les chômeurs inscrits à Pôle Emploi. Les chômeurs sont considérés comme des personnes désirant travailler et sont donc inclus dans la population active ;
• Les salariés. Ce sont toutes les personnes ayant un salaire fixe rémunérant leur travail ;
• Les non salariés. Cette catégorie est constituée de personnes n’ayant pas de salaires fixes, à savoir les employeurs (que ce soient des dirigeants salariés ou non salariés), les personnes travaillant à leur propre compte (artisans, professions libérales, consultants freelance…) ainsi que les personnes aidant un employeur membre de leur famille à titre gratuit ou étant rémunéré en nature.
2. Les inactifs sont toutes les autres personnes, comprenant ainsi les personnes de moins de 16 ans, les retraités ou les personnes ne désirant pas travailler (e.g. femmes au foyer). »

16:03 Oct 27, 2011 

Both are capable of working, and those who are 'actif' are doing so, the 'inactifs' are not, which does not mean they would not want to be!
It depends how strict the author has been in using the term. INSEE terminology according to this source (20th September 2011) ‘actif’ includes salaried workers, the self-employed and people currently registered as unemployed. Those who do not fall into one of these three groups, are, according to the same source, considered as ‘inactifs’. Specific reference is made to housewives, (desperate or otherwise ;-)), who are considered as having chosen not to work.
Going by this source, inactif = not working, actif = working + unemployed registered as such and looking for work.
Do we know if the author is being strict in his use of the terms?

15:35 Oct 27, 2011 

Like what? In terms of the labour market, inactivity is viewed as the same thing on both sides of the channel.

15:26 Oct 27, 2011 

The readership is English but the study is about "inactivity" in France, which doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as in the UK. In the document I linked, different types of "inactivité" are described.

14:56 Oct 27, 2011 

The readership is English, not French surely?

06:31 Oct 27, 2011 

My thinking too John - member/non member of the workforce. Members of the workforce may be employed or unemployed.

03:17 Oct 27, 2011 

Not sure if this will work for France, but in Canada the official term for this is "not in the labour force"
http://tinyurl.com/3bbsmrc

00:17 Oct 27, 2011 

You can be "inactif" in France, "sans activité" is also used. It generally refers to people who are not working and who have not registered as being unemployed. "Active" describes a person who is working, who has a professional activity. Someone who is "sans activité" is used to describe someone who is not currently working. That is not quite the same thing as saying someone in "unemployed". An unemployed person is someone who was employed, who is not in employment at the moment and who is registered as such, "au chômage". Something else worth pointing out, that when you have used up your entitled to benefit, you continue to be registered as unemployed if you continue to notify Pôle Emploi that you are not working. (You can also register with Pôle EMploi if you are working and looking for a new job).
"Inactif" is sometimes used generically and will be used to include those who are registered as unemployed and those who are not working , who are not registered but who are of the age to be working etc.

I would use the same terms, "active/inactive" or if you are desparate to use something else, then "working/not working" might work.

21:34 Oct 26, 2011 

I think "inactive people" is the used term - as you will see from my Statistics.gov.uk link. It sounds clumsy and boring, but so goes bureaucracy at times.

21:32 Oct 26, 2011 

That's ok, I can make my own typos, I don't need to copy others:) So I think I should use "economically active/ inactive people" and "economic activity/inactivity" for the first usage, and then drop the "economic" part subsequently? Is there something less cumbersome than "active people" and "inactive people"?

21:26 Oct 26, 2011 

Typ - my suggestion should read "inactiviTY", I used the wrong form.