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Autant

English translation: whereas..., ...

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Autant
English translation:whereas..., ...
Entered by: Louisa Tchaicha

15:33 Jun 24, 2012
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Marketing - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / international relocation
French term or phrase: Autant
Good afternoon,

"Autant les services RH possèdent en interne les ressources et les compétences spécifiques pour la maîtrise de leurs achats stratégiques, autant la situation est différente pour les autres postes."

I don't know how to translate the structure "autant...autant"

Please help
Thank you in advance
Louisa Tchaicha
Tunisia
Local time: 07:21
whereas..., ...
Explanation:
I always find this very typically French construction quite tricky to phrase nicely in EN, and certainly requires different solutions in different cases.

There is nothing in the amount of context given here to suggest that there is anything particualrly crucial about the contrast being made here, so i would avoid slavishly using a parallel construction in EN, which risks sounding forced and precious.

Assuming you are wishing to keep fairly closely to the FR idea order, I'd suggest simply saying 'whereas' in the first posiiton, and nothing at all in the second:

"Whereas in HR ... , the situation is different in ..."
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 08:21
Grading comment
Thank you everyone!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +9whereas..., ...
Tony M
3 +3Inasmuch as...
Wolf Draeger
4 +1As much as
Lucie Cote
3..., but...
Mark Bossanyi


  

Answers


29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +9
autant... autant...
whereas..., ...


Explanation:
I always find this very typically French construction quite tricky to phrase nicely in EN, and certainly requires different solutions in different cases.

There is nothing in the amount of context given here to suggest that there is anything particualrly crucial about the contrast being made here, so i would avoid slavishly using a parallel construction in EN, which risks sounding forced and precious.

Assuming you are wishing to keep fairly closely to the FR idea order, I'd suggest simply saying 'whereas' in the first posiiton, and nothing at all in the second:

"Whereas in HR ... , the situation is different in ..."

Tony M
France
Local time: 08:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 348
Grading comment
Thank you everyone!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wolf Draeger
17 mins
  -> Thanks, Wolf!
agree  B D Finch
30 mins
  -> Thanks, B!
agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: Yup
35 mins
  -> Thanks, Nikki!
agree  Letredenoblesse
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Agnes!
agree  C. Tougas
1 hr
  -> Merci, Chantal !
agree  Lucie Cote: Yes
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Lucie!
agree  Sheila Wilson
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Sheila!
agree  Fiorsam
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Fiorsam!
agree  Colin Morley (X): Eloquently explained
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Colin!
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39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
..., but...


Explanation:
Here's another way to phrase it: The HR departments have internal resources ..., but this is not the case for ...


Mark Bossanyi
Bulgaria
Local time: 09:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Maintains the contrast, but IMHO seems to rather throw the balance the other way...
4 hrs
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51 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Inasmuch as...


Explanation:
Another alternative; agree with Tony that there is no generic equivalent.

Example sentence(s):
  • Inasmuch as the HR department..., the same cannot be said for the other departments.
  • Inasmuch as the HR department..., other departments lack these capabilities.
Wolf Draeger
South Africa
Local time: 08:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 34
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  MatthewLaSon: Although the HR Departments..., the same cannot be said.... (that's what I would say).
27 mins
  -> Thanks Matthew
agree  Verginia Ophof
1 hr
  -> Obri-dank u Verginia
agree  Fiorsam
1 hr
  -> Grazie Fiorsam
neutral  Tony M: I don't think this quite maintains the same contrast; try replacing it with the close synonym "to the extent that", and you'll see that it changes the meaning, and IMHO doesn't really quite fit comfortably here.
4 hrs
  -> Cool; tks Tony.
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
As much as


Explanation:
The usual translation for this term... As much as human resources have...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2012-06-24 17:14:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I agree with you Tony regarding the double use of ''autant" !! but I wonder about the use of whereas in this context whereas being defined as: (in formal documents to begin sentences) it being the case that; and As much as is defined as: even though; although - I guess it comes down to the complete structure of the translated sentence!!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2012-06-24 17:24:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Autant les services RH possèdent en interne les ressources et les compétences spécifiques pour la maîtrise de leurs achats stratégiques, autant la situation est différente pour les autres postes." Even though HR has the internal resources and the specific skills to master strategic purchases, it is lacking in other departments. (example) and another way of saying it: In spite of the internal resources and specific skills required to master specific purchases in the HR Department, they are lacking in other departments.

Lucie Cote
Local time: 02:21
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson: This is another possibility, but I think your "whereas" definition only applies to legal documents.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Sheila - I agreed with Tony regarding the redundant use of autant - but I have some problems using whereas in this context!
neutral  Tony M: According to your last added note, you are interpreting the overall meaning quite differently, which may explain your fears concering "whereas", which IMHO are quite unfounded, in this non-legal context, as Sheila says.
5 hrs
  -> This is one of those ''tricky'' terms!! That is why, on one side I agree and on the other I am not sure... so many possibilities....! I gave you my vote, so I do understand the context.. and yes I have seen it used outside of legalese..
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