AB - Assez bien

English translation: Satisfactory

10:23 Jun 1, 2011

French to English translations [PRO]
Education / Pedagogy

French term or phrase: AB - Assez bien

Can anyone tel me the correct translation of this phrase as applied to a grade in a university degree from Cameroon...

The marks corresponding to this abbreviation are 14-15 out of 20.

Transfix Global KudoZ activity Questions: 4 (1 open) Answers: 0 United Kingdom
Local time: 02:55

English translation:Satisfactory

Explanation:
A starting point.

Selected response from:

Bashiqa
France
Local time: 03:55

Grading comment

Thanks

2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +1

C+ (Assez bien)

pooja_chic

Assez bien (70-75%)

Sheila Wilson

honors

cc in nyc

Satisfactory

Bashiqa

3 -1

not bad

mohanv

3 -1

average/good

Nikki Scott-Despaigne

Summary of reference entries provided

Glossary

Stéphanie Soudais

Some proz.com refs

Melissa McMahon

Explanation of why academic credentials can't be "translated"

Yolanda Broad

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

2 mins confidence:

Satisfactory

Explanation:
A starting point.

Bashiqa
France
Local time: 03:55
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 44

Grading comment

Thanks

49 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

not bad

Explanation:
http://www.bibl.u-szeged.hu/oseas_adsec/chad.htm

Grading System: The grading system used in Chadian schools is the “x over 20” system, with 20 the higher grade and zero the lowest. The average passing grade is 10 over 20. However, except for pure science subjects such as mathemtics, physics, chemistry, students may not have a 20/20 grade in any other subjects. The highest marks a student may obtain in other subjects ranges from 13 to 16. The numeric grades can be coupled with comments such as passable (acceptable), assez-bien (not bad), bien (good), très bien (very good), excellent (excellent).

mohanv
India
Local time: 07:25
Native speaker of:

Tamil
PRO pts in category: 20

2 hrs confidence:

Assez bien (70-75%)

Explanation:
I don't believe that anything above primary school tests (in the U.K. at least) are marked out of 10 or 20. Secondary school is all about percentages. Degrees aren't marked as a percentage either (for example, in the U.K. we have 2.1, 2.2 etc), but this would be mean something to all English-speakers.

So, I would leave the French (either the abbreviation - which could be misleading - or the words), with the percentage in brackets. You could also say "(in the range of 70-75%)".

Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 02:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 107

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

Melissa McMahon: We still need to know the percentile, rather than the percentage, to know what the mark means. I.e. what percentage get that percentage!

16 mins

-> In a way, I agree, but that isn't in the source term, is it?

disagree

cc in nyc: 70-75% is mediocre; "assez bien" is not // My context is the USA, where 70-75% is a low GPA.

27 mins

-> I don't agree with that comment. I remember that in the "A" levels, the pass mark was 40%, and 75% far from mediocre // Usual problem: text originates in Cameroon, destined for somewhere else in the world - is that UK, US, AU or other variant of English?

agree

Yolanda Broad: I'm agreeing with the "Assez bien" part. There should be a parenthetical explanation included with the term. But not as specific as a percentage.

1 day 3 hrs

-> Thanks. I wouldn't normally specify a percentage, but the Asker did (in terms of 14-15/20)

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

C+ (Assez bien)

Explanation:
......Put in brackets

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-06-01 13:03:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www2.scelva.univ-rennes1.fr/langues/anglais/cv/cv/deg... mentions
UK with distinction / with honours
USA (grade) A - très bien / (grade) B - bien / (grade) C - assez bien / (grade) D - passable

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-06-01 13:06:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.uq.edu.au/sbms/Honours/form6201.pdf
Category Comments High Hons I
(>85%)
Med-Low Hons I
(80-85%)
High Hons IIA
(76-79%)
Med-Low Hons
IIA (70-75%)
Honours IIB
(60-69%)
Honours III
(50-59%)
Fail
(<50)

pooja_chic
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz

9 mins

-> Merci Alisrair

neutral

Sheila Wilson: Might work for some readers, but not all

22 mins

disagree

cc in nyc: In the USA, C+ is a mediocre grade, not an honor (B or better is sometimes required in courses in major) // 1st link: the U.Rennes site is wrong re: USA equivalences; C is a low GPA, far from any honor... 2nd link: OK for Australia, but not for USA

1 hr

-> It means division 2...so it is C+...and honours can be high as well as low....see the link

agree

Dieezah: would works for some UK diplomas... For the UK degree I know best about, C was a pass, B was good and A, well A is A... There was no plus/minus added to the letters but well....

14 hrs

-> Thanks Dieezah

2 hrs confidence:

honors

Explanation:
Based on the (English) Wiki "Baccalauréat":

Passing and honours
The pass mark is 10 out of 20. The 2007-2008 success rate for the baccalauréat in mainland France was 83.3%.

For the baccalauréat, three levels of honours are given:
• A mark between 12 and 13,99 will earn a mention assez bien (honours);
• A mark between 14 and 15,99 will earn a mention bien (high honours);
• A mark of 16 or higher will earn a mention of très bien (highest honours).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baccalauréat#Different_language...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2011-06-01 14:13:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

IMO, the French should be included:

• On a CV or resume, honors (assez bien)
• On an application for graduate school, perhaps the other way around: assez bien (honors)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2011-06-01 23:13:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alternately, one might use the term "with distinction" or" distinction."

The benefit of using "distinction" terminology (instead of "honours" as on the Wiki) is that it's less likely to be confused with the two sets of "honors" (major honors and general honors) that are awarded by American universities.

This is pretty close to terminology on the English language AC-Grenoble website:
• très bien (16-20): with highest distinction
• bien (14-16): with great distinction
• assez bien (12-14): with honorable mention

I'm surprised, for "assez bien". that AC-Grenoble didn't use "with distinction" – which is what I would use for "assez bien" in this scheme... along with the French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2011-06-02 13:05:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In light of Nikki's additional notes (on her post), maybe AC-Grenoble got it right with "honorable mention." Also see: http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2010/07/12/85-4-de-reu...

cc in nyc
Local time: 21:55
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 46

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

Agnes T-H: You are skiping one step. It goes 2pts by 2pts. The 1st honour "passable" is between 12 and 13,99 (students between 10 and 12 have just "admis" on their degree) Assez-bien is between 14 & 15, 99 , Bien is between 16 & 18 and Très bien is between 18 & 20

4 hrs

-> According to the French Ministry of Education, there are just three mentions; see http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid145/le-baccalaureat-general.... for details. (BTW, I didn't author the Wiki.)

neutral

Nikki Scott-Despaigne: the grade levels are (for degrees) : 10-11.99 passable (pass, satisfactory), 12-13.99 assez bien (good), 14-15.99 bien (very good), 16-20 très bien (excellent...). For UK degrees = pass, lower 2nd, upper 2nd, 1st, nominally, if not by actual mark.

19 hrs

-> Seems to vary, but never mind :)>-

5 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

average/good

Explanation:
I agree with Melissa here. There are so many variations from place to place that it is impossible to calibrate. However, you are lucky enough to have the 14-15 out of 20 guage which is quite honestly a decent mark for an "assez bien".

How about putting "average/good"?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2011-06-02 08:55:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"assez bien" in teh French system is a mediocre grade, between "pass" and "good". MY children of 16 and 14 are in teh French system, I have taught in the French system at collège level and university. I am currently in university myself. I have had "passable" and "assez bien".

Teh grading system from pass to excellent is :

passable
assez bien
bien
très bien
(excellent/féliciations du jury) not a grade but a cherry on the cake, grades stopping at "très bien)

I repeat, "assez bien " is the grade above satisfactory and not the highest honours!!!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2011-06-02 09:02:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alos it is not a question of honours at the baccalauréat level by the way.
Passing is not an honour and yet that is 10-12, passable=pass, satisfactory

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2011-06-02 09:12:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, I've been wittering on about A-level, inapprorpiate as this is university level. So the standard French system, with which I am perfectly familiar from all angles, as a parent, a teacher, a lecturer and currently as a masters student is :

passable = pass, satisfactory (10-11.99); 3rd class honours
assez bien = good (12-13.99); lower 2nd class honours
bien = very good (14-15.99); upper 2nd class honours
très bien = excellent; first class honours

In France, if you get more than 18, you tend to get the "féliciations du jury" which friends children have had at the baccalauréat and another friend or two for their PhD, rare!

In the UK, the actual mark may not correspond to the precise French marking but the four classifications are as stated.

"Honours" alone does not mean anything in the UK except to say you have an honours degree and almost every single degree course is as honours degree.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2011-06-02 16:05:15 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Your article from Le Monde refers to the baccalauréat.
The case in point concerns a degree.
There is incoherence with the French standrds however in the case here as a 14-15 mark would normally put you in a "bien" grade, not "assez bien".

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 03:55
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 148

Reference comments

45 mins peer agreement (net): +2

Reference: Glossary

Reference information:
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/554568
http://www.proz.com/kudoz451753
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/16291
...

Stéphanie Soudais
France
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 8

45 mins peer agreement (net): +3

Reference: Some proz.com refs

Reference information:
I think the consensus is that there is no one "correct" translation of grades.

It will depend on the target readership, the degree and the distribution of grades. Unless we know how many people get 14-15/20, it doesn't tell us how "good" that is.

For what it's worth, I usually gloss "assez bien" as credit, because I think passable, assez bien, bien and très bien roughly fits with the OZ english pass, credit, distinction and high distinction.

But as with degrees, I always keep the original French somewhere.

http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_english/other/554568-men...

http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_english/other/16291-asse...

Melissa McMahon
Australia
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56

1 day 6 hrs peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: Explanation of why academic credentials can't be "translated"

Reference information:
This a reposting of an explanation I've posted a number of times before, this time, in relation to the "translation" of grades.

Since a grade this is an academic credential, it does not get "translated" - The short explanation is: translators are not in a position to determine degree or diploma equivalencies, including grades, a complex task that can only be performed by qualified officials at degree-awarding institutions. I speak from experience not only as a translator but as a retired academic: I sat for years on a university committee that developed the standards for admission, transfer and graduation from that institution. Once those standards were developed and approved by the university community and its officials, they became part of the tools with which the university registrar could work. Registrars are the *only* officials at an institution of higher learning who can evaluate degree equivalencies. And they can only do so in terms of their own institution's standards. Not even they are in a position to "re-award" an academic credential earned elsewhere! In like manner, boards of education/state departments of education (in the US) are the only ones qualified to determine what is required to satisfy requirements for graduation. In France, it is the Ministère de l'éducation.

You might want to look at Eurydice, which has done a mammoth job of developing equivalencies (no doubt relieving assorted academic administrators of many headaches). Here is the URL:

http://www.eurydice.org/

Yolanda Broad
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 28

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English translation: Satisfactory

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