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  3. International Org/Dev/Coop

acquis transatlantique

English translation: Leave it

17:04 Feb 8, 2005
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - International Org/Dev/Coop / International relations
French term or phrase: acquis transatlantique
This expression appears in a German text. The translation is There is an "acquis transatlantique" between Europe and the United States which should be strengthened.

This must have some (political) idiomatic meaning other than a dictionary definition.
Thanks, Kevin
Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 13:48
English translation:Leave it
Explanation:
... and put it in inverted commas

If the German text uses a French phrase, why not carry it over into the English? You're being asked to translate not explain.

My take.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2005-02-08 17:15:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think at all events that the word \"acquis\" should be kept because of its (EU) connotation, which is surely being referred to here.

Transatlantic \"acquis\", if you will.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2005-02-08 17:16:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think at all events that the word \"acquis\" should be kept because of its (EU) connotation, which is surely being referred to here.

Transatlantic \"acquis\", if you will.
Selected response from:

Nick Somers (X)
Local time: 19:48
Grading comment
I left it alone as you suggested. Thanks, Kevin
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2Leave it
Nick Somers (X)
4a tradition of transatlantic relations
CMJ_Trans (X)
4history of common achievements
Conor McAuley
3common past background/values across the Atlantic
Francis MARC
2transatlantic achievements
Jonathan MacKerron


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
common past background/values across the Atlantic


Explanation:
to explicit what they mean here

Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 20:48
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
transatlantic achievements


Explanation:
??

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2005-02-08 17:09:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

here more likely \"transatlantic cooperation\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2005-02-08 17:11:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"transatlantic assets\" is a term that also pops up often

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Leave it


Explanation:
... and put it in inverted commas

If the German text uses a French phrase, why not carry it over into the English? You're being asked to translate not explain.

My take.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2005-02-08 17:15:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think at all events that the word \"acquis\" should be kept because of its (EU) connotation, which is surely being referred to here.

Transatlantic \"acquis\", if you will.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2005-02-08 17:16:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think at all events that the word \"acquis\" should be kept because of its (EU) connotation, which is surely being referred to here.

Transatlantic \"acquis\", if you will.


    Reference: http://www.cid.harvard.edu/cidtrade/Papers/paugam.pdf
Nick Somers (X)
Local time: 19:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
I left it alone as you suggested. Thanks, Kevin

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jonathan MacKerron: term not so widely known to leave untranslated; one single google is witness to this term's obscurity
8 mins
  -> "Acquis" is very well known. Putting transatlantic into French is just someone being smart on the lines of acquis communautaire, but I'm convinced it would be understood. A paraphrase it would take away the impact of the underlying statement.
agree  LJC (X): "Acquis" is eurospeak and the word is used even by UK Euro-parliamentarians, but I'd put it in italics.
56 mins
agree  Cristina Giannetti
4 hrs
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a tradition of transatlantic relations


Explanation:
is what they mean

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 19:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 58
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
history of common achievements


Explanation:
But I would agree with Nick's comments about leaving it, or just glossing it.

I would consider it an "extra" to translate a third language in addition to the two that you've been given to work with (except Latin and Greek, which are obviously special cases).

I had the same thing recently in a Fre>Eng financial text but decided to leave it - the author used the 3rd language word for specific reasons (style, concept alien to French culture, practice only carried on it the specific culture or country, etc etc).

The French talk about "acquis sociaux", work arrangements that are considered to be fundamental and unalterable.

Common history of co-operation, maybe.

HTH.

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 19:48
Native speaker of: English
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