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le billais

English translation: by way of, via, etc.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:par le billais de > par le biais de
English translation:by way of, via, etc.
Entered by: Tony M

13:28 Nov 11, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Government / Politics
French term or phrase: le billais
Hello,

I'm working on a translation of a letter from a Cameroonian concerning his political party. Due to the confidentiality of the document, that is all the context I can provide.

Here is the source: "M. H**** était principalement responsable de réunir et rassembler les jeunes et leur expliquer que le changement est encore possible dans nos pays, que l'heure n'est pas au découragement, qu'il y a encore espoir, ceci par le billais de l'**** (the political party) et de son président M. J*****.

I can't find any translation for "le billais" except as a conjugation of "biller" or "to hard-hammer." I have a feeling that it's a typo, in which case, I'm not sure what it might be.

Here is my current translation of the sentence:

"M. H**** was primarily responsible for bringing together and uniting the youth and explaining to them that change is still possible in our country, that it is not time for discouragement, that there is still hope, these by the ???? of the *****(political party) and its president, M. J****."

Any assistance would be greatly appreciate me. Also, feel free to correct any faults in the body of my translation.
sromber1
Local time: 04:12
le biais > by way of, via, etc.
Explanation:
Have to put low c/l as of course this has to be a uess; but I'd bet my back teeth this is just a phonetic error for 'biais' — the 'ill' being a similar 'y' sound.

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Note added at 16 mins (2012-11-11 13:44:21 GMT)
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* guess *

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2012-11-11 13:46:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

and not 'the youth' (that would be 'one young person', 'youth' in general would be used without the article, unless qualified, e.g. 'The future lies in the youth of this country'. Here, it is 'les jeunes' in the plural, so i'd be tempted to say 'young people' etc. (still without a def. article)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2012-11-11 13:47:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Also review 'not time for' and 'these'
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 10:12
Grading comment
Thanks again Tony!!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
1 +9le biais > by way of, via, etc.
Tony M


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +9
le biais > by way of, via, etc.


Explanation:
Have to put low c/l as of course this has to be a uess; but I'd bet my back teeth this is just a phonetic error for 'biais' — the 'ill' being a similar 'y' sound.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2012-11-11 13:44:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

* guess *

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2012-11-11 13:46:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

and not 'the youth' (that would be 'one young person', 'youth' in general would be used without the article, unless qualified, e.g. 'The future lies in the youth of this country'. Here, it is 'les jeunes' in the plural, so i'd be tempted to say 'young people' etc. (still without a def. article)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2012-11-11 13:47:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Also review 'not time for' and 'these'

Tony M
France
Local time: 10:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 56
Grading comment
Thanks again Tony!!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Carol Gullidge: you're probably right. I've done numerous ONG texts from African countries, and you sometimes have to do quite a bit of "phonetic transcription"
5 mins
  -> Thanks, Carol! Yes, me too... my first test is always to say it out loud ;-)
agree  Catharine Cellier-Smart
19 mins
  -> Thanks, Catharine!
agree  Cyril B.: yep
45 mins
  -> Merci, Cyril !
agree  Karen Stokes: Almost certainly
55 mins
  -> Thanks, Karen!
agree  Lori Cirefice
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Lori!
agree  Anne R: oh dear oh dear, yes! :-)
7 hrs
  -> Merci, Anne !
agree  Marie Jackson: Agree!
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, Marie!
agree  Anne Bohy
10 hrs
  -> Merci, Bohy !
agree  mimi 254
17 hrs
  -> Merci, Mimi !
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