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usagers

English translation: commuters

09:27 Oct 20, 2004
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / general strike, France 1995
French term or phrase: usagers
From a text about the general strike in France in December 1995, under Juppe. Here is the entire sentence:

Francais, Francaises, usagers et grevistes, nous sommes tous sur le meme bateau!

Are the 'usagers' here the people not on strike -i.e. in contrast to the 'grevistes' or strikers...therefore still commuting and being 'usagers' of whatever method of transport they are using to get to work? That is my understanding of this sentence.... or is there another meaning of 'usagers' in this context. Harraps Unabridged wasn't much help!! Any suggestions gratefully received.
French2English
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:36
English translation:commuters
Explanation:
HTH.
Selected response from:

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 06:36
Grading comment
Thank you - this confirmed what I had thought. It was indeed a strike involving transport services. As for the theory that passengers or commuters must now be referred to as 'customers' or 'clients' - personally I think that's crazy - hard to be a customer of a service that has been suspended! But you are still a commuter, even if they aren't running the service you need!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4users/consumers
Francis MARC
4It is meant to be the contrast between....
CMJ_Trans (X)
4commuters
Conor McAuley


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
usagers (in this context only) (pardon lack of accents in French)
users/consumers


Explanation:
=

Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 07:36
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: not here-the context is clear which makes it very easy. Demosthene has given the answer.
8 mins
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
It is meant to be the contrast between....


Explanation:
users of services (not JUST transport) and strikers. Strikers suffer through loss of pay, users suffer through like of access to the services they need

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 06:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 184
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
usagers (in this context only) (pardon lack of accents in French)
commuters


Explanation:
HTH.

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 06:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 25
Grading comment
Thank you - this confirmed what I had thought. It was indeed a strike involving transport services. As for the theory that passengers or commuters must now be referred to as 'customers' or 'clients' - personally I think that's crazy - hard to be a customer of a service that has been suspended! But you are still a commuter, even if they aren't running the service you need!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  CMJ_Trans (X): only assuming it was a transport strike. It could be users of electricity or gas who are getting no power
9 mins
  -> Yes, but the asker did mention transport and commuting. I guess you could put something like, e.g. the RER's / STRD's customers.
neutral  David Goward: disagree with "commuters", agree with "customers". According to the SNCF, we are now "clients" and not "passagers" ;-)
1 hr
  -> How nice of them!
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