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formalisme

English translation: structure (and/or) format

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:formalisme
English translation:structure (and/or) format
Entered by: Deborah Workman

09:07 Dec 2, 2004
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Business/Commerce (general) / RFP
French term or phrase: formalisme
In an RFP heading: "Formalisme et classification des Exigences Techniques".

The discussion explains how answers are to be structured and categorized. I have "Format and Classification of Technical Requirements", but I can't find dictionary justification for translating "formalisme" as "format". Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.
Deborah Workman
United States
Local time: 11:59
Advice on Answer Structure and Format
Explanation:
Sometimes you have to move away from translating headings fairly literally to get a heading that makes sense and is reasonably idiomatic.

The tactic is to read the following paragraph and to say what it contains in fairly plain language - might be seen as a bit of a cheat, but anybody reading the document will be grateful to you for making it more user-friendly. Call it adaptation.

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Note added at 23 hrs 45 mins (2004-12-03 08:52:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Anything theoretical or conceptual doesn\'t always translate well into English, as English is more down-to-earth.
Selected response from:

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 17:59
Grading comment
Thank you, Conor. Your suggestion was the one that dug me out of where I was stuck. "Structure" fit best if not completely. "Structure and Format" might have been more complete, but I still had to include the classification/categorization aspect, which would have made the heading too long, so I ended up dropping the second word.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1Advice on Answer Structure and Format
Conor McAuley
4formalism
Francis MARC
2definition
IanW (X)


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
definition


Explanation:
Not sure at all - but this could mean "formalisation", which I would rephrase as "definition". Would that make sense in this context?

IanW (X)
Local time: 17:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
formalism


Explanation:
direct translation covering many varioius contexts

Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 18:59
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 145
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Advice on Answer Structure and Format


Explanation:
Sometimes you have to move away from translating headings fairly literally to get a heading that makes sense and is reasonably idiomatic.

The tactic is to read the following paragraph and to say what it contains in fairly plain language - might be seen as a bit of a cheat, but anybody reading the document will be grateful to you for making it more user-friendly. Call it adaptation.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs 45 mins (2004-12-03 08:52:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Anything theoretical or conceptual doesn\'t always translate well into English, as English is more down-to-earth.

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 17:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 135
Grading comment
Thank you, Conor. Your suggestion was the one that dug me out of where I was stuck. "Structure" fit best if not completely. "Structure and Format" might have been more complete, but I still had to include the classification/categorization aspect, which would have made the heading too long, so I ended up dropping the second word.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Johanne Bouthillier
5 hrs
  -> Thanks abm
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