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tendaient à l'escroquerie

English translation: verged on fraud

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:tendaient à l'escroquerie
English translation:verged on fraud
Entered by: StefanoFarris

22:02 Mar 1, 2016
French to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase: tendaient à l'escroquerie
From a letter in which a client doesn't want to pay the full legal fees as he feels he was poorly represented.

"...les honoraires réclamés tendaient à l'escroquerie"

I'm tempted to write 'the fees charged were tantamount to fraud" ... or does it actually mean that the aim of the fees was fraud?

Any help much appreciated!
Imogen Hancock
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:48
verged on fraud/ swindle
Explanation:
There is also rip off but it wouldn't sound good in this construction...
Selected response from:

StefanoFarris
United States
Local time: 03:48
Grading comment
This is what I used, although I though the other suggestions were good

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +6verged on fraud/ swindle
StefanoFarris
4 +2bordered on fraud/swindle
Francois Boye
4 +1are a scandal
SafeTex
4came close to daylight robbery
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3were ones verging on fraud (BrE/litigation) the extortionate
Adrian MM. (X)


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
tendaient à l\'escroquerie
verged on fraud/ swindle


Explanation:
There is also rip off but it wouldn't sound good in this construction...

StefanoFarris
United States
Local time: 03:48
Native speaker of: Italian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
This is what I used, although I though the other suggestions were good

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yolanda Broad
37 mins
  -> Thank you very much !
agree  philgoddard: *a* swindle.
1 hr
  -> Thank you very much !
agree  AllegroTrans: "were a swindle" "verged on swindling"
2 hrs
  -> Thank you very much !
agree  Ben Gaia: I would go for fraud as it is a more formal term than swindle which is more vernacular.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you very much !
agree  Maria Riva
5 hrs
  -> Thank you very much !
agree  Daryo
8 hrs
  -> Thank you very much !
neutral  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: In context, this is an overtranslation and verges on an accusation of fraud, which is not the intention of the French. The ST employs a common enough expression in what is a nearly appropriate context, but the intention is to complain the amount charged.
1 day 17 hrs
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
were ones verging on fraud (BrE/litigation) the extortionate


Explanation:
rather than were aimed at defrauding, unless the context discloses a money-laundering scam.

Not a good point of advocacy practice to 'plead fraud' in an English & Wales court, unless cast-iron evidence.

Example sentence(s):
  • I'm telling you these fees are verging on a scam

    Reference: http://forums.silverstackers.com/message-623455.html
Adrian MM. (X)
Local time: 09:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: I think it best in context to avoid any use of the term "fraud" in the EN version, as the intention is to complain about the level of fees, not to accuse the lawyer of fraud. I think "...fees were extortionate" would fit well.
1 day 17 hrs
  -> Thanks. That was in fact my point and particularly relevant to UK pleading practice.
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45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
tendaient à l\'escroquerie
bordered on fraud/swindle


Explanation:
my take

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 03:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 41

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Louisa Tchaicha
5 hrs
agree  Greg Irving (X): Yes, the fees bordered on fraud - as many do :-)
6 hrs
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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
are a scandal


Explanation:
A late entry but this is what an English speaker may well say cos anything else would risk an accusation of libel even if true.

SafeTex
France
Local time: 09:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 19
Notes to answerer
Asker: I like this work around. Your point about statements being possibly libelous is true. But it is a very strongly worded letter in which the client says they are 'furieuse!!!!' (with exclamations) and also that they have been 'très mal defendue!!', so I'm wondering if the translation needs to be equally strongly worded


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: My thinking entirely.
23 hrs
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1 day 17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
came close to daylight robbery


Explanation:
Something arther idiomatic which has just sprung to mind. It may be sufficiently expressive and close to the ST meaning without being too familialr or slangy.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day18 hrs (2016-03-03 16:03:44 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

The intentionnof the original is not to accuse the lawyer of having actually committed fraud. This is a common enough type of expression when someone feels that they have been charged far too much. The most important thing in my view, is to catch the essence of the expression rather than to affirm a volition to accuse the lawyer of fraud.

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 09:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 119
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