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position momentanée

English translation: momentary action/contact

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:position momentanée
English translation:momentary action/contact
Entered by: Catharine Cellier-Smart

08:33 Nov 16, 2015
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Electronics / Elect Eng / Rolling shutter switch
French term or phrase: position momentanée
This is probably very easy for someone who's more technically minded than I am ;-) but I'm having trouble finding the exact translation of "position momentanée" in the description of the switch for a rolling shutter. The whole sentence is Contacteur à clés, montée descente (position momentanée) cylindre européen fourni avec 3 clés.

Every time I think I've found the right translation I do an internet search for it in English but it doesn't look like its French equivalent. I don't seem to be able to share a link here, but if you search "position momentanée" in Google images you'll see what I mean.
Catharine Cellier-Smart
Reunion
Local time: 03:33
momentary action
Explanation:
This is how we describe a switch where you have to hold it in a certain position, and when you let go, it springs back — like the ignition swicth on a car: you turn it to the 'on' position, and then turn it a bit further to actually start the engine; as soon as the engine starts, you release the key and it springs back to the 'on' position for normal running.

This sort of switch is commonly used where you do not want soemthing to operate unless the person is actually there to action the switch — it can't be left on (like a light switch); this is of course just the sort of action required for operating a roller shutter.



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Note added at 31 minutes (2015-11-16 09:04:54 GMT)
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There is a certain ambiguity in the source text, since it refers to a switch for 'up/down' and then says that a 'position' is 'momentary' (one might think that perhaps the use of 'momantané' in FR is in fact an inaccurate calque of the EN term!) — what we don't know is if this refers to ONLY the last-named position (= down); there could be a certain logic in this, since clearly the 'down' action is the one most likely to have safety implications. However, it might also be referring to both / either position, in which case the singular in FR seems to me odd; however, the more likely scenario seems to me it is both positions, in which case we would describe it as a 'momentary-action switch'; but if it is only ONE of the positions, then you'd need to describe just that as a 'momentray position' (which sounds a little awkward in EN!)

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Note added at 53 minutes (2015-11-16 09:26:59 GMT)
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OK, well in that case, '(momentary action)' would be perfect!
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 01:33
Grading comment
Thank you Tony!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5momentary action
Tony M


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
momentary action


Explanation:
This is how we describe a switch where you have to hold it in a certain position, and when you let go, it springs back — like the ignition swicth on a car: you turn it to the 'on' position, and then turn it a bit further to actually start the engine; as soon as the engine starts, you release the key and it springs back to the 'on' position for normal running.

This sort of switch is commonly used where you do not want soemthing to operate unless the person is actually there to action the switch — it can't be left on (like a light switch); this is of course just the sort of action required for operating a roller shutter.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 minutes (2015-11-16 09:04:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

There is a certain ambiguity in the source text, since it refers to a switch for 'up/down' and then says that a 'position' is 'momentary' (one might think that perhaps the use of 'momantané' in FR is in fact an inaccurate calque of the EN term!) — what we don't know is if this refers to ONLY the last-named position (= down); there could be a certain logic in this, since clearly the 'down' action is the one most likely to have safety implications. However, it might also be referring to both / either position, in which case the singular in FR seems to me odd; however, the more likely scenario seems to me it is both positions, in which case we would describe it as a 'momentary-action switch'; but if it is only ONE of the positions, then you'd need to describe just that as a 'momentray position' (which sounds a little awkward in EN!)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 53 minutes (2015-11-16 09:26:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

OK, well in that case, '(momentary action)' would be perfect!

Tony M
France
Local time: 01:33
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2116
Grading comment
Thank you Tony!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Tony

Asker: As far as I'm aware it does refer to both positions, and not just one position.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Terry Richards: Or "momentary contact"
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Terry!
agree  Elmachich
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Elmachich!
agree  acetran
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ace!
agree  Daryo
6 hrs
  -> Merci, Daryo !
agree  claude-andrew: Like car window controls too
11 hrs
  -> Thanks, Claude! Yes, indeed!
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