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MENTION: Langues et Langages

English translation: Concentration: Languages and Language Sciences

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:MENTION: Langues et Langages
English translation:Concentration: Languages and Language Sciences
Entered by: roseh (X)

22:44 Aug 28, 2014
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Certificates, Diplomas, Licenses, CVs
French term or phrase: MENTION: Langues et Langages
This phrase appears on a diploma for a Master's Degree in Arts, Literature and Language from the University of Nantes. I have found many references to indicate the difference between "Langues" and "Langages", but I'm still having trouble translating the phrase.

I am thinking of using "Language and Languages". Would that convey the meaning of a "manner of speaking" for Langues, and the "words used to communicate within a country" for Languages?

Or does anyone have any other suggestions. There is probably a very simple translation that is escaping me at the present.
roseh (X)
Local time: 18:13
Concentration: Languages and Language Sciences
Explanation:
It's not easy to deal with the yawning lexical gap that exists in EN with respect to "langue" and "langage." Even Saussure's translators have been accused of mistranslating the terms into EN. See here, for example:
http://www.revel.inf.br/files/artigos/revel_14_some_comparat...

Following AllegroTrans's suggestion in the DBox, I had a look at the U of Nantes's website. I found this outline of the "Langues et langages" program:

Mention : Langues et langages

Master 1 Parcours : Cultures, Langues et Littératures Etrangères
Master 1 Parcours : Didactique des langues et des cultures
Master 1 Parcours : Sciences du langage


Master 2 Spécialité : Cultures, Langues et Littératures Etrangères
Master 2 Spécialité : Didactique des langues et des cultures
Master 2 Spécialité : Sciences du langage

http://www.univ-nantes.fr/94286991/0/fiche___pagelibre/&RH=1...

Why not take a page from their playbook? Use EN "languages" for FR "langues" and EN "language sciences" for FR "langages"? In the above outline of their program, the only mention of "langage" is in the phrase "sciences du langage." I think this might work in this particular instance. If we were translating an academic text, it would be another matter entirely.
Selected response from:

Sheri P
United States
Local time: 18:13
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2Concentration: Languages and Language Sciences
Sheri P
3Language and Communication Skills
B D Finch
2Speech and languages
SafeTex


Discussion entries: 10





  

Answers


7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
Speech and languages


Explanation:
Although 'speech' is often used here in a medical way, it does also cover brain speech disorders and our intellectual ability to produce speech.

Personally, I would not use any root with 'lang' twice as the French distinction is not strong in English.

SafeTex
France
Local time: 00:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Language and Communication Skills


Explanation:
www.ican.org.uk/.../ONE%20IN%20TEN%20YOUNG%20PEOPLE%20...
"One in ten young people lack language and communication skills needed for adulthood, warns new report. URGENT NEED FOR SKILLS AND SUPPORT ... "

Le langage est la capacité spécifique aux humains de communiquer par des mots.

http://www.codaquebec.com/index.php/avis-d-experts/9-avis-d-...
"C’est un système abstrait qui inclut la connaissance du sens des mots et la capacité à organiser ces mots en phrases. Les phrases se combinent dans la conversation pour exprimer des idées, des événements, pour décrire des choses et des personnes; le langage humain se réalise dans une langue (par exemple le français, la LSQ, l’espagnol). Chaque langue a ses propres règles de grammaire. Plusieurs animaux ont un langage mais ils n’ont pas de langue."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2014-08-29 09:46:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/.../english-language-and-communica...
Study for a BA English Language & Communication (linguistics) degree in the Department of Education and Professional Studies at King's College London.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 00:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 93

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Hayes: No need to add the word 'skills' in my opinion. Response: would it really suggest that in this context? I don't think so. http://www.journals.elsevier.com/language-and-communication/
3 hrs
  -> Thanks David. I think that "skills" is needed to translate "langage", otherwise "communication" could mean marketing, PR, electronic communications etc.
disagree  Susan Larue: Supported by the link provided above (www.codaquebec.com) which indicates that "langage...est la capacité à organiser ces mots en phrases" I would say that the word "skills" is required here.
2 days 6 hrs
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22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Concentration: Languages and Language Sciences


Explanation:
It's not easy to deal with the yawning lexical gap that exists in EN with respect to "langue" and "langage." Even Saussure's translators have been accused of mistranslating the terms into EN. See here, for example:
http://www.revel.inf.br/files/artigos/revel_14_some_comparat...

Following AllegroTrans's suggestion in the DBox, I had a look at the U of Nantes's website. I found this outline of the "Langues et langages" program:

Mention : Langues et langages

Master 1 Parcours : Cultures, Langues et Littératures Etrangères
Master 1 Parcours : Didactique des langues et des cultures
Master 1 Parcours : Sciences du langage


Master 2 Spécialité : Cultures, Langues et Littératures Etrangères
Master 2 Spécialité : Didactique des langues et des cultures
Master 2 Spécialité : Sciences du langage

http://www.univ-nantes.fr/94286991/0/fiche___pagelibre/&RH=1...

Why not take a page from their playbook? Use EN "languages" for FR "langues" and EN "language sciences" for FR "langages"? In the above outline of their program, the only mention of "langage" is in the phrase "sciences du langage." I think this might work in this particular instance. If we were translating an academic text, it would be another matter entirely.

Sheri P
United States
Local time: 18:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 11

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans: Yes to "Languages and Language Sciences" - not so sure about "concentration"
23 hrs
  -> Thanks, A/T. "Concentration" is used in AmEN at least in this context, for an area of specialization in a master's prog. See also the def here http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_english/certificates_dip...
agree  Michele Fauble
1 day 20 hrs
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