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durées longues du spectre hertzien...

English translation: (terrestrial) radio(-frequency) spectrum

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:spectre hertzien
English translation:(terrestrial) radio(-frequency) spectrum
Entered by: Tony M

15:07 Nov 28, 2006
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Telecom(munications) / Audiovisual sector
French term or phrase: durées longues du spectre hertzien...
From a report on the intangible economy and here examining the overlap between the telecoms and audiovisual sectors.

• pour le secteur audiovisuel, l’application de ce principe de paiement généralisé devra impérativement tenir compte des contreparties exigées des chaînes en matière culturelle et de la nécessité de préserver la diversité culturelle. C’est un sujet complexe, compte tenu de la différence de surface financière entre le secteur audiovisuel et celui des télécommunications. L’amélioration de la valorisation du spectre ne doit à cet égard pas conduire à ce que ces deux secteurs soient mis en concurrence, sauf à affaiblir la place de l’audiovisuel, à laquelle nous sommes tous attachés. L’attribution des droits d’accès au spectre devrait désormais reposer sur un principe d’équivalence démontré : les contreparties qui sont aujourd’hui exigées des chaînes devraient en effet être équivalentes à la valeur que représente à leur actif l’occupation à titre gratuite et pour des **durées longues du spectre hertzien**. Elles devraient donc logiquement être plus élevées que pour les chaînes de la télévision numérique terrestre. Si ce principe d’équivalence n’était pas respecté, les chaînes devraient acquitter une redevance complémentaire.

I don't really understand what is meant here; I know that fréquence hertzien has been given in the glossaries as terrestrial frequencies and spectre hertzien as the RF spectrum, but how does the longue durée fit in? Long wave? Long range?

Any help will be extremely gratefully received....
Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:25
(terrestrial) radio(-frequency) spectrum
Explanation:
It's your parsing that is causing confusion! The 'longues durées' simple goes with occupation: "free, long-term occupation of..."

I would go for 'radio spectrum', only adding 'terrestrial' if the contrast with satellite is specifically important, though I think not here; if you must, put in 'radio-frequency', but I would avoid 'RF' unless this were an actual engineering document, which it doesn't seem to be.

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Note added at 11 mins (2006-11-28 15:19:37 GMT)
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Alternatively, since it is patently obvious it can only be talking about 'radio', it might be more natural in EN to say simply 'frequency spectrum', or even, just 'spectrum' tout court !

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2006-11-28 15:20:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You might even say 'spectrum space'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2006-11-29 09:04:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In answer to rkillings' rather hair-splitting comment, I would just like to add that I think you'll find the FR 'hertzien' also refers specifically to the 'radio frequency' part of the spectrum — I may be mistaken, but I don't believe 'hertzien' can actually be applied to light, X-rays or the various other frequencies in the entire e-m spectrum.

Consulting monolingual dictionaries confirms that 'hertzien' specifically describes e-m waves of sub-light wavelengths.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2006-11-29 18:53:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Although technically 'terrestrial' does not apply to 'spectrum', in this specific frequency-space management context, it certainly DOES apply to 'spectrum', and in a very important way! The ways in which 'spectrum space' are sold for terrestrial broadcasting and satellite broadcasting exhibit signficant differences, which is why only Asker's wider context can tell us with 100% certainty whether the 'hertzien' here is being used in its sense of 'radio' or 'terrestrial' (as has become fashionable in recent years) — it is important that my answer clearly explain both these possibilities, so that Asker can decide.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 16:25
Grading comment
Thanks Tony, you're quite right (as usual!). The longues durées does indeed go with the occupation, not the spectrum itself. I'm obviously getting bogged down in the technical detail...
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2(terrestrial) radio(-frequency) spectrum
Tony M
3long periods of time
Alain Pommet


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
long periods of time


Explanation:
I don't have the exact answer but I think you should read it as two distinct groups. Analogue broadcasting takes up more of the spectrum or band width for long periods of time when compared to digital so they should pay more proportionately as a consequence.

Alain Pommet
Local time: 16:25
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 48
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
(occupation... pour des durées longues du) spectre hertzien...
(terrestrial) radio(-frequency) spectrum


Explanation:
It's your parsing that is causing confusion! The 'longues durées' simple goes with occupation: "free, long-term occupation of..."

I would go for 'radio spectrum', only adding 'terrestrial' if the contrast with satellite is specifically important, though I think not here; if you must, put in 'radio-frequency', but I would avoid 'RF' unless this were an actual engineering document, which it doesn't seem to be.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2006-11-28 15:19:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alternatively, since it is patently obvious it can only be talking about 'radio', it might be more natural in EN to say simply 'frequency spectrum', or even, just 'spectrum' tout court !

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2006-11-28 15:20:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You might even say 'spectrum space'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2006-11-29 09:04:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In answer to rkillings' rather hair-splitting comment, I would just like to add that I think you'll find the FR 'hertzien' also refers specifically to the 'radio frequency' part of the spectrum — I may be mistaken, but I don't believe 'hertzien' can actually be applied to light, X-rays or the various other frequencies in the entire e-m spectrum.

Consulting monolingual dictionaries confirms that 'hertzien' specifically describes e-m waves of sub-light wavelengths.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2006-11-29 18:53:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Although technically 'terrestrial' does not apply to 'spectrum', in this specific frequency-space management context, it certainly DOES apply to 'spectrum', and in a very important way! The ways in which 'spectrum space' are sold for terrestrial broadcasting and satellite broadcasting exhibit signficant differences, which is why only Asker's wider context can tell us with 100% certainty whether the 'hertzien' here is being used in its sense of 'radio' or 'terrestrial' (as has become fashionable in recent years) — it is important that my answer clearly explain both these possibilities, so that Asker can decide.

Tony M
France
Local time: 16:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 298
Grading comment
Thanks Tony, you're quite right (as usual!). The longues durées does indeed go with the occupation, not the spectrum itself. I'm obviously getting bogged down in the technical detail...

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Angela Dickson (X): yes, that would seem to be it!
24 mins
  -> Thanks, Angela!
agree  laloopi
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Laloopi!
agree  Jennifer Levey: Tony's reading is correct. It's probably sufficient to put just 'spectrum', since the context is already clear. But if you want the full term, the resource being discussed is called the 'radio-electric spectrum', not 'radio spectrum or anything else.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, MM!
disagree  rkillings: With mediametrix on 'radio-electric'. It's the 'electromagnetic spectrum', specifically the radio frequency portion thereof (as opposed to optical, x-ray, gamma ray, etc.). And leave out 'terrestrial' (does not apply to spectrum).
17 hrs
  -> I think your 'disagree' is ill-founded! The word 'hertzien' refers to the 'radio' part of the spectrum
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