Sometimes translations can be more precise the what the native language speaker would use.
I was in Grenoble, France a few years ago on the Intel Campus. It was very large and the young female engineer that was guiding me around was trying to ask me how I wanted to get to the next location. Did I want to drive or did I want to walk. Except that she couldn't remember the English word "Walk", instead she asked, "Shall we go by feet" Actually the whole phrase was, "Do you want to go by car or shall we go by feet". Much more descriptive and maybe - just maybe, because she was a very attractive young woman I was enamored at least as much by the precision as I was by the phrase itself accent with which it was delivered.- the fact that it was more descriptive may not be the primary reason I remember the phrase. There is no urgent need to repeat this story to my wife by the way. -----Original Message----- From: Rene Charton/Twn/TUV [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 4:23 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [PSES] Required Notices to the User per Industry Canada RSS-Gen No, the reason French was used as the diplomatic language is that France, in the time from Lois XIV to Napeleon I was the Leading Nation in the World, similar to the US today. Regarding precision: I once read that in France nobody, including the president, can speak correct French, except for the members of the Academié Francais. Kind regards Rene Charton "Grasso, Charles" <Charles.Grasso@e chostar.com> To Sent by: "[email protected]" [email protected] <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> 08/24/2011 07:09 cc AM Subject RE: Required Notices to the User per Industry Canada RSS-Gen As I understand it, French was used as the diplomatic language because of its precision and lack of ambiguity. Best Regards Charles Grasso Compliance Engineer Echostar Communications (w) 303-706-5467 (c) 303-204-2974 (t) [email protected] (e) [email protected] (e2) [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Brian Oconnell Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 2:14 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Required Notices to the User per Industry Canada RSS-Gen My wife said that French is the new Latin - is this analogy the reason for the inherent precision? American English (not the southeast or northeast stuff) is used by too many peoples to be nothing less than ambiguous. Should we all learn French and use in standards? An IEC standard for English? I would prefer that the engineering community define a grammar and syntax over any effort by lawyers or artistic bureaucrats. Brian -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of John Woodgate Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 12:55 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Required Notices to the User per Industry Canada RSS-Gen In message <[email protected]>, dated Tue, 23 Aug 2011, Christopher <[email protected]> writes: >This what I have maybe it can be of some help. >Christopher > >French:" >Le présent appareil est conforme� aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables >aux appareils radio >exempts de licence. L'exploitation� est autorisée aux deux conditions sui >vantes : (1) l'appareil ne >doit pas produire de brouillage, t (2) l'utilisateur de l'appareil doit > accepter tout brouillage >radioélectrique subi, même si le �brouillage est susceptible d'en comprom >ettre le fonctionnement." > > >Here is the English translation just for your reference: >- English: " >This device complies with Industry �Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s) >. Operation is subject >to the following two conditions: 1) this device may not cause interfere >nce, and (2) this device >must accept any interference, incl ding interference that may cause unde >sired operation of the >device." It isn't what Grace wants, but just look at how much more precise the French text is: This device complies with Industry Canada RSS standard(s)applicable to licence-exempt radio apparatus. The English appears to say that the standards are licence-exempt! Operation is permitted, subject to the following two conditions: ( ) this device may not cause interferen ce, and (2) the user of this device must accept any impressed interference, even if the interference is prone to cause undesired operation of the device. The English says the device, not the user, must accept the interference. It can hardly do otherwise! This is why IEC and ISO still produce most standards in English and French (and some in Spanish now). The French is often more precise, because fewer liberties with grammar and syntax are tolerated. - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <[email protected]> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ Graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. can be posted to that URL. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <[email protected]> Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <[email protected]> David Heald: <[email protected]> - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <[email protected]> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ Graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. can be posted to that URL. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <[email protected]> Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <[email protected]> David Heald: <[email protected]> - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <[email protected]> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ Graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. can be posted to that URL. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <[email protected]> Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <[email protected]> David Heald: <[email protected]> - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <[email protected]> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ Graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. can be posted to that URL. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <[email protected]> Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <[email protected]> David Heald: <[email protected]>
