bénévolat vs. volontariat

English translation: benevolent worker vs volunteer

14:04 Aug 6, 2004

French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / volunteerism

French term or phrase: bénévolat vs. volontariat

A distinction is made between these two functions, so I cannot use volunteering for both. I am translating the former as a volunteer helper and the second as a volunteer worker, but I am wondering if there are better options.
TIA

Mary McCusker KudoZ activity Questions: 235 (2 open) (1 without valid answers) (11 closed without grading) Answers: 229
Local time: 06:09

English translation:benevolent worker vs volunteer

Explanation:
I agree with you: 'volunteer' does not differentiate between the two although they are always called the same. But there are benevolent societies and therefore I would use the above term. To me 'voluntaire' is someone who puts his/her hand up to do a task (not necessarily for free). 'Benevole' is one who does it for free to help those in need. But it is often the same.

Selected response from:

Maurice Thibaux
Local time: 20:09

Grading comment

In the event, I used this formulation. The participation of benevolent workers tends to be of a more sporadic nature and without a contract.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +8

charitable work versus volunteering...

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)

4 +2

"Bénévole" is not paid.

Pierre POUSSIN

5 +1

charitable work versus volunteering

Corinne Bono

4 +1

unpaid voluntary worker vs voluntary worker

Nanny Wintjens

3 +1

benevolent worker vs volunteer

Maurice Thibaux

2 +2

le Petit Robert says

Jonathan MacKerron

unpaid service-provider vs volunteer-worker on contract/contract volunteer

Brian Gaffney

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

11 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

benevolent worker vs volunteer

Maurice Thibaux
Local time: 20:09
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 3

Grading comment

In the event, I used this formulation. The participation of benevolent workers tends to be of a more sporadic nature and without a contract.

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

le Petit Robert says

Explanation:
Volontariat = État de l'engagé volontaire, de toute personne qui offre ses services par simple dévouement
Benevolat = Situation d'une personne qui accomplit un travail gratuitement et sans y être obligée.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2004-08-06 14:14:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Harrap\'s distinguishes between \"voluntary work\" and \"voluntary service\", but don\'t know what the deep structure is....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2004-08-06 14:16:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

so perhaps \"volunteer work\" versus \"philanthropy \"? But I\'m still not sure that your author is simply differentiating between paid and unpaid service.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2004-08-06 14:24:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

paid volunteers / unpaid volunteers??

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 6

35 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

unpaid voluntary worker vs voluntary worker

Explanation:
unpaid voluntary work vs voluntary service

"français
***bénévole*** adj.
anglais
***unpaid***

Définition :
Qui agit à titre gracieux, par civisme ou par dévouement.

Sous-entrée(s) : quasi-synonyme(s) ***rémunéré, non***"
http://granddictionnaire.com/btml/fra/r_motclef/index800_1.a...

"Deux engagements différents
***Bénévole ou volontaire*** ?
Il faut le savoir : ***volontariat et bénévolat, ce n’est pas la même chose***! Le premier est clairement encadré par des statuts, le second... pas du tout.
Attention à ne pas confondre volontariat et bénévolat ! En dépit de leurs nombreux points communs, ces deux formes d’engagement diffèrent.

***Le volontariat***
Engagement à temps plein sur une période déterminée. Il comprend la prise en charge des frais de subsistance et de couverture sociale.
Ce statut est très utilisé par les Organisations Non Gouvernementales (ONG).
Au moins quatre grandes catégories de volontariat sont répertoriées :
- le Service Volontaire Européen (SVE),
- le volontariat de solidarité internationale,
- le volontariat civil,
- le volontariat dans les armées.

***Le bénévolat***
Engagement dans une action pour une personne ou un organisme, sans être rémunéré et sans aucune obligation.
Le statut de bénévole n’existe pas à ce jour. Toutefois, des dispositions ont été prises par les pouvoirs publics vers la reconnaissance des activités bénévoles.

***Les droits du bénévole***
Si vous êtes bénévole,
- vous ne percevez pas de rémunération,
- vous pouvez être dédommagé des frais liés à votre activité bénévole (déplacement, achat de matériel...)
- vous n'êtes soumis à aucune subordination juridique. Cela signifie par exemple, que vous ne pouvez pas être sanctionné, vous pouvez refuser une mission ou mettre un terme à votre activité quand vous le désirez."
http://www.enviedagir.fr/engagement/foffice/portail/article....

Nanny Wintjens
Spain
Local time: 11:09
Native speaker of: French

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

bénévolat vs. volontariat "Bénévole" is not paid.

Explanation:
"Volontaire" may be paid. During WWII, some young men volunteered to go and work in Nazi Germany. They were "volunteer workers"
But the old Lady who organizes a "Whist-round" for the Vicar is a "Bénévole" As I don't think there are two different words in English, I shoule use "Non paid Volunteer" for "Bénévole" and "Volunteer" for the paid one!
Good luck!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 4 mins (2004-08-06 15:09:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"Un bénévole\" does not always work for a charity; I am an \"Arbitrator\" for Justice and it is strictly \"bénévole\"...

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 12:09
Native speaker of:

French

15 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +8

charitable work versus volunteering...

Explanation:
le bénévolat..refers to the field, the area...
charitable work...and
voluntariat is volunteering...

not all the people who carry out tasks in the charity area are volunteers...

without more context, that is what comes to mind..

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 11 mins (2004-08-06 15:16:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Mary

voluntariat: aid workers...(this would go with the definitions given below by Wintjens)
benevole: volunteer worker

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 17 mins (2004-08-06 15:22:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

OR charity worker and volunteer

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 19 mins (2004-08-06 15:24:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes...Mary, I would use a footnote for your context. This business about being paid for expenses is not a common phenomemon in the US...it may be with FOREIGN aid workers...it may only be a distinction that works for France...merits a footnote, then?

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Portuguese
PRO pts in category: 15

4 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

charitable work versus volunteering

Explanation:
First of all, I agree with Jane, so this isn't one more offer in terms of suggestions, but perhaps will precise why the author of your text may make the difference.

I can think of three reasons, some more valuable than others:
- The first one is that by volontariat, one expects a first class, and long, serious relationship between the organization and the person providing this free work to them. As opposed to a bénévole, who may come and go. Come and help for a big fundraising but not for the day-to-day running of the office, etc.

-- The second is that a bénévole very often doesn't hold the slightest of contract biding him or her to the organizations Think of the telethon and similar events, most bénévole, do not even hold a letter by which they are providing their services in fund raising for the event to the body in charge of redistributing the funds collected. A volunteer would have an official status.

-- money: while both are usually unpaid workers, there si a difference in France for example. And this applies to other countries I can think of within the English-speaking world; A volunteer, if he or she spends a certain proportion of their time working for free, can get state money equivalent to unemployment benefice, more or less, or other advantages. A bénévole, by definition of having no contract biding them, can not claim to any such benefit. A volunteer can therefore be considered a worker (if unpaid by his actual employer) while a bénévole will remain an extra pair of hands, doing this more out of kindness when not busy, than out of a personal choice in one's future and vision of life.

I hope this helps

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 53 mins (2004-08-06 18:58:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Regarding Jane\'s footnote on payment:
Only absolute full-time (often with overtime) posts in otherwise voluntary organizations are paid. When it would be close to impossible to find someone willing to and able to afford working 7 days a week, 14 hours a day for enough. They exist in the States too, but usually (and same for France) are not called voluntary work. but presidency, accountancy, whatever for a non-profit organization. So I doubt it works in this particular text.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 56 mins (2004-08-06 19:01:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

for enough =
for a sufficient enough amount of years to allow for consistency in the running of the organization

Sorry, I had a micro cut and did not notice some of my line had not been reaching the screen (lightning strikes tonight)

Corinne Bono
France
Local time: 12:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

French,

English

23 hrs confidence:

unpaid service-provider vs volunteer-worker on contract/contract volunteer

Explanation:
The way I understand this, the unpaid service-provider provides occasional services as a philanthropic act, but the volunteer-worker on contract, (or contract volunteer) has a long-term relationship with the organisation, the conditions of which are set down in a contract.

Brian Gaffney
Ireland
Local time: 11:09
Native speaker of: English

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.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations