Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
effets d\'affichage
English translation:
window dressing
Added to glossary by
Yarri K
Jul 1, 2014 10:24
9 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
effets d'affichage
French to English
Social Sciences
Government / Politics
In a text for a scientific journal on public policy:
Mais si cette « labélisation » produit indéniablement des effets d’apprentissage, le risque est de favoriser des politiques fondées sur la recherche de distinction dans le cadre de la compétition urbaine et de limiter la politique d’alimentation durable à des ***effets d’affichage.***
I am not satisfied with my own ideas: "publicity stunts", which seems too extreme, or "poster effects" which does not quite sound right to my ears. Any other suggestions welcome!
Mais si cette « labélisation » produit indéniablement des effets d’apprentissage, le risque est de favoriser des politiques fondées sur la recherche de distinction dans le cadre de la compétition urbaine et de limiter la politique d’alimentation durable à des ***effets d’affichage.***
I am not satisfied with my own ideas: "publicity stunts", which seems too extreme, or "poster effects" which does not quite sound right to my ears. Any other suggestions welcome!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 1 +2 | window dressing |
Grace Delobel
|
| 3 | marketing exercise |
JMcKechnie
|
| 3 | (easily) visible results |
nweatherdon
|
Proposed translations
+2
16 mins
Selected
window dressing
Without understanding a little more about the context, this is my best guess, but it seems to be consistent with the content of the article below, and follows the spirit of your own suggestions.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks Grace, this worked perfectly in the context."
15 mins
JMcKechnie
Native in English
Prompt and accurate service.
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, German to English
marketing exercise
A possible solution. Reduce the policy to a marketing exercise.
6 hrs
nweatherdon
Canada
Canada
Native in English
Specializes in field
Canada
Economics, finance and biosciences
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, English to French, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
14
(easily) visible results
Or "measurable results", but that would imply being much more sympathetic to the approach than the author is conveying.
So I propose "visible results", with "easily visible results" being the next step up, followed by "the most easily visible results", which can be a complement of sorts in saying that it's good to measure things which are easily visible, but in this case I think it's also carrying its meaning in a slightly backhanded kind of way due to context to suggest that focusing on the most easily observed results leads them to implement policies which are suboptimal because the policies do not address more fundamental underlying issues.
"Visible results" doesn't include enough of this backhandedness of the apparent compliment, so probably I would also include "easily", but make your call on that depending on how things fit with the communication in the article, imo.
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Note added at 6 hrs (2014-07-01 16:45:36 GMT)
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I don't have any good references on this. I read through a bunch of examples on Linguee and Google, and none of them were quite dead on. I reviewed all translations of "affichage" at WordReference. Thought about the window dressing stuff. Then thought through what makes sense in terms of sustainable food policy vis a vis current interests of governing bodies, from the perspective of a scientist who would be writing this stuff ... maybe that's useful too.
So I propose "visible results", with "easily visible results" being the next step up, followed by "the most easily visible results", which can be a complement of sorts in saying that it's good to measure things which are easily visible, but in this case I think it's also carrying its meaning in a slightly backhanded kind of way due to context to suggest that focusing on the most easily observed results leads them to implement policies which are suboptimal because the policies do not address more fundamental underlying issues.
"Visible results" doesn't include enough of this backhandedness of the apparent compliment, so probably I would also include "easily", but make your call on that depending on how things fit with the communication in the article, imo.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2014-07-01 16:45:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I don't have any good references on this. I read through a bunch of examples on Linguee and Google, and none of them were quite dead on. I reviewed all translations of "affichage" at WordReference. Thought about the window dressing stuff. Then thought through what makes sense in terms of sustainable food policy vis a vis current interests of governing bodies, from the perspective of a scientist who would be writing this stuff ... maybe that's useful too.
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