charges

English translation: offices

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:charges
English translation:offices

12:28 Nov 23, 2016
    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2016-11-26 13:54:07 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)


French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - History
French term or phrase: charges
Hi there,

Would anyone know what the meaning of 'charges' is in this context (discussing chateaux/estates):


"Il s’agit de membres de la noblesse établie depuis des siècles et de la bourgeoisie ayant accédée au 18e siècle aux charges et à la propriété, ainsi que des membres actifs de la société contemporaine."

Would this refer to 'liens' or 'encumbrances' perhaps?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
cmf33
United Kingdom
offices
Explanation:
The appropriate translation of "charge" is probably "office" (which is also a synonym in French). As it is an old French term, this is quite likely, but I'm not a native speaker. Please confirm... or reject!

See my discussion notes.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2016-11-23 16:16:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

See also this, in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancien_Régime :
Another key source of state financing was through charging fees for state positions (such as most members of parlements, magistrates, maître des requêtes and financial officers). Many of these fees were quite elevated, but some of these offices conferred nobility and could be financially advantageous. The use of offices to seek profit had become standard practice as early as the 12th and 13th centuries. A law in 1467 made these offices irrevocable, except through the death, resignation or forfeiture of the title holder, and these offices, once bought, tended to become hereditary charges (with a fee for transfer of title) passed on within families.[4]
Selected response from:

Anne Bohy
France
Local time: 07:59
Grading comment
Thanks! That looks to be the most likely fit here. Thank you for the useful references too
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
1 +3offices
Anne Bohy


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +3
offices


Explanation:
The appropriate translation of "charge" is probably "office" (which is also a synonym in French). As it is an old French term, this is quite likely, but I'm not a native speaker. Please confirm... or reject!

See my discussion notes.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2016-11-23 16:16:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

See also this, in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancien_Régime :
Another key source of state financing was through charging fees for state positions (such as most members of parlements, magistrates, maître des requêtes and financial officers). Many of these fees were quite elevated, but some of these offices conferred nobility and could be financially advantageous. The use of offices to seek profit had become standard practice as early as the 12th and 13th centuries. A law in 1467 made these offices irrevocable, except through the death, resignation or forfeiture of the title holder, and these offices, once bought, tended to become hereditary charges (with a fee for transfer of title) passed on within families.[4]

Anne Bohy
France
Local time: 07:59
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
Grading comment
Thanks! That looks to be the most likely fit here. Thank you for the useful references too

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  B D Finch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abolition_of_feudalism_in_Fran... www.heraldica.org/topics/france/noblesse.htm
11 mins

agree  Tony M
1 hr

agree  Daryo: exactly that - it was a time when you had to / could literally buy your way into being a tax collector or a magistrate! Maybe: "public office"?
2 hrs
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