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  3. Law (general)

En temps utile

English translation: in good time

19:32 Aug 14, 2020
French to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general)
French term or phrase: En temps utile
Hi guys,

The context is:

"La demande doit être introduite en temps utile auprès du comité"

Given that no deadline is specified, my feeling is that this is just referring to submitting the request in a way which gives the committee plenty of time to discuss it. I can't think of any way of expressing this succinctly in English.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Thanks!
Nick
Nicholas Isard
Spain
Local time: 19:31
English translation:in good time
Explanation:
As this is something to be discussed by a committee, I prefer this but it is hard to explain why.
I think it's because in good time means "early enough so that they can consider the demand prior to the debate.
I don't think "in due course" has exactly the same meaning
For example we say "everything will be revealed in due course" which is more "at the appropriate time".
Selected response from:

SafeTex
France
Local time: 19:31
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4in good time
SafeTex
4 +2in due time
Katarina Peters
4 +1suitably in advance
David Hollywood
3 +1In a timely manner
Mpoma
4 -1in due course
Francois Boye
3when appropriate
Wendy Streitparth


  

Answers


41 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
in due time


Explanation:
:)

Katarina Peters
Canada
Local time: 13:31
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 83

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard
3 hrs
  -> Thank you Phil
agree  Yolanda Broad
16 hrs
  -> Thank you Yolanda
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
in due course


Explanation:
At the appropriate time = in due course

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 13:31
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 104

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  ph-b (X): C'est ce que j'ai pensé en voyant la q, mais les natives penchent pour d'autres traductions./Voir le dernier exemple donné par SafeTex, dont je préfère finalement la réponse.
10 hrs
disagree  B D Finch: No, that means sooner or later, while this is "in good time", i.e. not leaving it till the last minute or beyond.
11 hrs
disagree  AllegroTrans: that effectively mens whenever they like and as a commitment it is so vague that it's worthless
11 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
in good time


Explanation:
As this is something to be discussed by a committee, I prefer this but it is hard to explain why.
I think it's because in good time means "early enough so that they can consider the demand prior to the debate.
I don't think "in due course" has exactly the same meaning
For example we say "everything will be revealed in due course" which is more "at the appropriate time".


    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/in-good-time
SafeTex
France
Local time: 19:31
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 87
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Andrew Bramhall
31 mins
  -> Thanks Oliver
agree  B D Finch
9 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  AllegroTrans: Yes, 'in due course' can effectively mean never
9 hrs
  -> Thanks AllegroTrans
agree  ph-b (X): Convinced by your last example.
12 hrs
  -> Thanks ph-b
neutral  Mpoma: This'd be Ok but for the fact that "in a timely manner" is better. One reason is that "in good time", colloquially, also means "when I feel like it... and not before", and I think this colours and muddies the meaning of "in good time" in any context.
1 day 12 hrs
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
suitably in advance


Explanation:
not literal but catches the meaning and idiomatic IMO

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2020-08-15 04:41:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

as you say, no deadlines involved so doesn't have to be pinned down

David Hollywood
Local time: 14:31
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 71

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans
5 hrs
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
when appropriate


Explanation:
Alternatively

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 19:31
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  AllegroTrans: this sounds too vague to me
3 days 8 hrs
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1 day 16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
In a timely manner


Explanation:
This is one of those expressions which I occasionally found myself scratching my head over for years...

The, from somewhere, came the winning formula (dare I say it). Works every time. No more head-scratching. Plus it sounds like business English or legal English, anything you like. Lovely.


Mpoma
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:31
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 70

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Eliza Hall: Or "in a reasonable time."
4 hrs
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