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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

concours scolaires et professionnelles

English translation:

Direction des examens et concours scolaires et professionnelles (Office of examinations and professional/school competitive entrance examinations.)

Added to glossary by pooja_chic
Jul 3, 2013 10:46
10 yrs ago
24 viewers *
French term

concours scolaires et professionnelles

French to English Other Education / Pedagogy Certificate
Certificate

Direction des examens et concours scolaires et professionnelles
My attempt
Department of examinations and academic and skill competition
Proposed translations (English)
5 +2 Direction des examens et concours scolaires et professionnelles
4 Examinations Council for academic and professional exams
3 educational and professional competitive examinations
3 Academic and professional skills testing

Discussion

Nikki Scott-Despaigne Jul 3, 2013:
@SafeTex As to the second point, then the original describes two types of examinations : the ordinary type where you have a pass mark in order to succeed and then the concours competitive type of examination which is very specific to France. Both types are then linked to academic and professional contexts. Those four notions have to be conveyed in the explanation.

Seeking to convey those notions by "translating" the original is not the solution though.
Nikki Scott-Despaigne Jul 3, 2013:
@Safetex What I mean is that if you use capital letters on a translated version, then you are suggesting that the English organisation you name exists. You cannot substitute in that way. Alternatively, using capitals letters for an organisation that does not exist means you are kind of creating one. You cannot do that either. These are the main reasons proper nouns are not translated.

What you can do is describe function, perhaps referring to similar organisations, commissions, whatever, but you cannot substitute or create. The capital at the start of the French indicates this is an actual department. Its name is in French and you cannot translate names. A stupid example, but one which probably makes the point is that you could look all over France for Nicole Ecosse de l'Espagne but you would not find Nikki Scott-Despaigne.
pooja_chic (asker) Jul 3, 2013:
Name on certificate:Baccalaureat de l'Enseignement
Secondaire General

Proposed translations

+2
23 mins
French term (edited): Direction des examens et concours scolaires et professionnelles
Selected

Direction des examens et concours scolaires et professionnelles

Hello Pooja,
It reads as though this is the name of a department within an educational body of some sort. I can find no trace of it on the web however.
If it is the name of a department, then it should not be translated; the usual rule applies.
None the less, you might like/need to provide an explanation of apparent function, in which case you could explain that this department is in charge of school and professional examination and concours (competitive examinations) The latter cover a wide range of competitive exams for entry into certain schools/colleges/universities (grandes écoles) and/or promotion within civil service functions.

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Note added at 28 mins (2013-07-03 11:15:02 GMT)
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"Scolaire" relates specifically to schools thus examinations held within the context of a collège or lycée.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2013-07-03 11:18:07 GMT)
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On "scolaire", "... or to get into a particular school." (grandes écoles, speech and language therapy etc).

I read this to mean that both the exams and the concours which you might like to leave in inverted commas as they are very specific to France are "scolaires et professionnelles".
Peer comment(s):
agree writeaway : all this can be found with just a bit of research. It's step one to finding the solution
1 hr
agree GILLES MEUNIER
1 hr
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2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you Nikki. Finally I retained French title with explanation in notes."
12 mins

educational and professional competitive examinations

A 'concours' is a competitive exam or entrance exam (to gain a place in further education or the civil service).
Peer comment(s):
neutral Nikki Scott-Despaigne : I am not mad about "educational" as it is too general for "scolaire" which is specific to school. I agree with you on meaning, but as I read it as a proper noun, by convention, it should not be translated.
15 mins
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16 mins

Academic and professional skills testing

Department of academic and professional skills examinations;
Something went wrong...
40 mins

Examinations Council for academic and professional exams

Partly based on UK reference below
Reference:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/hongkong-exams-professional-and-academic-exams-cima2.htm

Peer comment(s):
neutral Nikki Scott-Despaigne : Yes for "academic" for "scolaire". However, as a translator has to avoid creating departments that do not exist, no capitals should be used. This is a proper noun. Also, the competitive notion of concours has to be conveyed.//See discussion post.
12 mins
Maybe 'Council for academic, entrance and professional exams'. Nicky. Your second remark confuses me. If it is a 'proper noun', then for me it does exist (as an organisation) and should have capitals then. Follow up by all means if I have misunderstood yu
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