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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

branchements servitudes en dur

English translation:

rigid piping/connections to services OR ... services connections

Added to glossary by Tony M
Jul 24, 2014 07:29
9 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

servitudes en dur

French to English Tech/Engineering Engineering: Industrial Refrigeration
This has cropped up in an installation manual for a refrigeration unit, in the part about height adjustment and levelling. It says:

Vous devez procéder au réglage de la hauteur et à la mise à niveau avant de faire le branchement des servitudes en dur, tuyaux de gaz ou d’eau.

and I'm somewhat stumped regarding these "servitudes". I'd be grateful for some pointers!
Proposed translations (English)
3 rigid piping to services
4 +1 rigid utility connections
4 final connections
3 hardwall tube fittings
2 hard-wired services
4 -3 permanent utility easements
Change log

Aug 2, 2014 09:20: Tony M changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/125527">Susan McDonald's</a> old entry - "branchements servitudes en dur"" to ""rigid piping/connections to services""

Discussion

Tony M Jul 24, 2014:
@ Asker Ah well yes, that does actually help a lot, doesn't it?
Susan McDonald (asker) Jul 24, 2014:
Wow! Well, after posting my question, I've been away from the computer and have returned to this discussion. I looked further down in the section and found the following: "Pour des branchements souples ceux si peuvent être réalisés après positionnement du four et préalablement à la mise à niveau." (I'm assuming that's a wee type in there and it should be ceux-ci) - does that clear up the flexible connections question? Many thanks, though, guys.
Tony M Jul 24, 2014:
@ BDF Yes, I feel sure 'en dur' qualifies 'branchement', and as you say, the installed service are likely to be on rigid piping, even though the last bit of the connection might have to have a flexible element in it.

But as FM rightly says, that is fortuitous, and isn't actually what 'en dur' means — the sense is simply that of a 'durable' and hence permanent connection.
B D Finch Jul 24, 2014:
@Tony Yes, I think you are right.

I have also noticed an ambiguity "faire le branchement des servitudes en dur, tuyaux de gaz ou d’eau." Does "en dur" refer to "le branchement" or to "servitudes"? If the latter, it could be about flexible connections to rigid services pipework.
Tony M Jul 24, 2014:
@ BDF Yes, B — but that's because you are looking at it from the perspective of 'building services' — but that's not the context here: we are talking here about 'things that need to be supplied to a machine to make it work', and in that engineering rather than building context, the more usual term (in the UK at least) would be 'services'; and moreover that more closely corresponds (in many other contexts besides) to the FR notion of 'servitudes'.
B D Finch Jul 24, 2014:
Utilities and services Not all building services are utilities. Utilities are services that come in from the outside, such as mains gas, water and electricity. "Building services" include e.g. bottled gas, electricity from solar panels, air conditioning as well as utilities.
Tony M Jul 24, 2014:
@ Chris Absolutely! That's precisely the distinction I was seeking to make!

If you install a big machine, you would say "...position the machine and connect up the services"
chris collister Jul 24, 2014:
Quite so, though the distinction is a subtle one, "utilities" being more abstract than "services": as a "utilities" company, EDF provides electrical "services". Thanks for the clarification of "en dur".
Tony M Jul 24, 2014:
@ Francis In a business sense, it is true we talk about 'utilities'; however, in this engineering context, we would normally talk about 'services' when e.g. connecting them to a machine during installation.
Francis Marche Jul 24, 2014:
A prime (and rare) example where the E term "utilities" should be used to translate a French concept : "servitudes" in here for French "services".

"dur" does not mean "rigid" btw in this context, but is the same "dur" as "bâti en dur", meaning "permanent".
DLyons Jul 24, 2014:
Should be fun when the client puts the butter into their refrigeration unit :-)
chris collister Jul 24, 2014:
Sorry, Tony, I fell victim to the (in)famous Proz delay, hence the overlap.....
Susan McDonald (asker) Jul 24, 2014:
Oops - error alert! I must still be half-asleep - this is actually an installation manual for a re-melting furnace. My apologies. One part of it has been dealing with the fitting of a refrigeration unit - however, this part refers to the installation of the furnace itself. Whattamistakatomake-a!

Proposed translations

9 mins
French term (edited): branchement des servitudes en dur
Selected

rigid piping to services

You need to parse it in such a way that 'en dur' qualifies 'branchement'

'servitueds' in this sort of context usually means 'services' — in this case, gas or water.

Note that 'en dur' could mean either 'permanent connection' (cf. 'hard wired') (but might still be using a flexible pipe!) OR that it is connected up using rigid plumbing; only your wider context may enable you to see which is intended here.

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Note added at 1 heure (2014-07-24 08:31:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Francis is right: the meaning of 'en dur' is what I had put down as my second suggestion above. The fact is that such 'permanent' connections very often are 'plumbed in' using 'proper' piping, as distinct from say temporary hose connections; however, Francis is quite right that the implication is not necessarily specifically 'rigid' piping — although that might be involved, machines involving movemment or vibration are almost certain to have some kind of flexible connection (albeit a permanent one!) at some point.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 heures (2014-07-24 10:19:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I was translating the whole of the expression "branchement des servitudes en dur, tuyaux de ..."

As so often, a slavish word-for-word translation does not sound natural in EN, nor reflect idiomatic practice.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 heures (2014-07-24 10:29:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Although it's hard to find good refs. because of the amount of 'noise' out there from irrelevant contexts, here are two Google results from the very first search page that illustrate the kind of usage I'm suggesting:

Vision Xtra Technical Manual - Jemphrey

www.jemphrey.com/userfiles/.../Vision_Xtra_Technical_Manual...

caused to the machine through misinterpretation or misuse of the information .... Ensure that the electrical and water services to the machine are connected.

AM-375-10 B-Series Manual_AM-375-04 0704.qxd

gmcw.com/docs/AM-375-10%20B-Series%20Manual.pdf

b) Maximum water pressure to the machine: 80 psi. NOTE: Single head ... Connect electrical service through rear of machine to terminal block. (inside front ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 jour2 heures (2014-07-25 09:31:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Despite douubts expressed in some quarters, I can assure you that this use of 'servitudes' meaning 'services' is quite common in the technical fields in which I work. The first time I came across it, I was quite surprised, as I too had hitherto been more familiar with it in its real-estate usage (where 'easements' is one of the common translations used)

However, as time has gone on, I have found it increasingly used in engineering contexts with this quite different meaning; the only reason I could think of was people trying find an alternative term to avoid any possibility of confusion with '(prestation de) services'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 jour2 heures (2014-07-25 09:33:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It may also be in some way a curious attempt at a calque on the EN term (I have seen it on a few occasions in documents that have been translated EN > FR)?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 jour2 heures (2014-07-25 09:42:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Larousse being curiously silent on this usage, I was pleased to find these two entries in the Canadian GDT:

http://www.granddictionnaire.com/ficheOqlf.aspx?Id_Fiche=194...

http://www.granddictionnaire.com/ficheOqlf.aspx?Id_Fiche=113...

which mention faintly similar contexts, at least getting away from the domain of real-estate / law I wonder if perhaps this is a usage that originated across the pond?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 jour2 heures (2014-07-25 09:46:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And to correct another misconception voiced here, these references give a few examples of 'aisances' used (or not) in and around the general topic of 'easements':

aisances > easements - ProZ.com

www.proz.com › KudoZ home › French to English › Real Estate

Feb 1, 2009 - (KudoZ) French to English translation of aisances: easements [Real Estate (Law/Patents)].
aisances > appurtenances - ProZ.com

www.proz.com › KudoZ home › French to English › Real Estate

May 17, 2005 - For aisances, the temptation to put easements is great - but I am having strong doubts !!. How would you translate it please. Thanks in advance ...

aisances et dépendances > easements and outbuildings ...

www.proz.com › KudoZ home › French to English › Bus/Financial

May 23, 2002 - (KudoZ) French to English translation of aisances et dépendances: ... English translation: easements and outbuildings / appurtenances.

aisances et dépendances > easements and outbuildings

www.proz.com › KudoZ home › French to English › Law/Patents

Jan 24, 2002 - (KudoZ) French to English translation of aisances et dépendances: easements and outbuildings [Law/Patents].

les aisance de voirie - WordReference Forums

forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=334778

Dec 25, 2006 - 3 posts - ‎3 authors
Re: les aisance de voirie. Hi, Sherry. I don't know the context of the sentence, but maybe the word you're looking for is easement. An easement ...
Note from asker:
Many thanks, Tony, for all your input on this one! Much appreciated.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Francis Marche : Gas or water are "services" in French but "utilities" in English aren't they ? Have to change that to a disagree: there is no notion of "piping" in "servitudes" and no notion of "rigid" in "en dur".
42 mins
In a business sense (bills, etc.) yes — but in this engineering sense, it is 'services'. / A shame you changed it, I was going to correct my answer, but can't now do so.
agree Duncan Moncrieff : Given the state of the answers, additions and discussion I'm going to go with you here Tony.
2 hrs
Thanks, Duncan! I stand by my final answer, which I had been going to correct and re-post.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Many thanks for all your insights on this one. In the end, I went with "rigid connections to services" and the client was very happy with that. "
13 mins

hard-wired services

Although far from sure (others will know better), I believe this refers to hard-wired (though it may not necessarily be electrical) power inputs and/or instrumentation wiring.
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M : Exactly my thinking too, Chris! However, I felt a little uneasy using '...-wired' for water or gas, as here. / N'en déplaise à FM, the idea of 'en dur' is indeed very much that of 'hard-wired' — as distinct from a readily disconnectable connection.
2 mins
I rather assumed that the "servitudes en dur" were distinct from the "tuyaux de gaz ou de l'eau" which essentially leaves electricity
disagree Francis Marche : "en dur" does not mean "hard-wire".
1 hr
No, perhaps not in general, but possibly this context IF the services are electrical. We don't know that they are, of course.
Something went wrong...
-3
56 mins

permanent utility easements

"easements" is standard for "servitudes" and utilities is the term encompassing gas and water.

"en dur" is "permanent" (cf. "bâti en dur")

"piping" can follow (after the coma) when translating "tuyaux".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2014-07-24 09:01:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Let's change that for "permanent utility services", to spare Tony the oflactive connotation of "easements" which reminds him too much of "fosse d'aisance", apparently.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Tony M : Sadly, the usual translation in a real-estate context of 'easement' simply doesn't work in modern EN / Ah yes, but that means 'easement' in a different way — more to do with land than plumbing!
2 mins
39500 ghits for "permanent utility easements". Do you think "servitudes en dur" does not sound funny (or "sad") in French?
disagree B D Finch : One cannot connect an easement, so it doesn't work in this context.
1 hr
Granted. I've offered "utility connections" in my notes. No real need for you to add to the concerted deluge of red ink here.
disagree DLyons : That's a right of entry, not water/gas pipes etc.
6 hrs
Where did you see gas/water pipes in the question ("servitudes en dur") ? The use of "servitudes" to denote utilities, not "rights of entry", is as untypical in F as easements in E.
Something went wrong...
+1
2 hrs

rigid utility connections

Francis Marche is correct about the term "utility". While one does talk of "building services", that term includes both utilities and services such as air conditioning that are not utilities.

farnsworthproject.org/faq-items/utility-connections/
The current rigid utility connections will be replaced with flexible connections with waterproof seals. Details will be developed in a later stage.

ecode360.com/8303524
Mobile home utility services shall be connected to the mobile home park system by means of approved materials. No rigid utility connections shall be made.

aptusutilities.co.uk/
Aptus Utilities are an Independent Connections Provider (ICP) based in Bolton and offering utility connections services throughout the UK.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-07-24 10:30:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course, these could be services rather than utilities if they were produced on-site, but I understand the term "servitudes" as meaning that they are supplied from outside by public utilities.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Tony M : As Francis has said, 'rigid' won't really work in this instance; and 'services' are better (as FM now agrees) when talking at machine rather than building level (which I know is where you have greatest expertise).
2 mins
agree Fabius Maximus
2 days 9 hrs
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

final connections

ready for normal running
Peer comment(s):
neutral Duncan Moncrieff : I'd say that "final connections" is not specific enough.// Because there is no mention or reference to the permanent "fixed" nature of the connections.
4 mins
Why? "tuyaux de gaz ou d’eau." comes after.
Something went wrong...
1 day 1 hr

hardwall tube fittings

As opposed to soft, or flexible.
Something went wrong...
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