Agence Française de Développement (AFD)

English translation: Don\'t translate proper names

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
English translation:Don\'t translate proper names
Entered by: Thierno Diallo

17:45 Aug 24, 2019
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Names (personal, company)
French term or phrase: Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Hi,
I'm finding that "Agence Française de Développement (AFD)" remains untranslated into English on their website.
However our friend Google gives me the translation "French Development Agency (AFD)".
I am tempted to keep it in French, but I'm looking for recommendations.
Thanks!

- Social and Environmental Impact Study
- FR-FR into EN-UK
Thierno Diallo
Guinea
Local time: 20:39
Don't translate proper names
Explanation:
As a general rule, it is best not to translate proper names — as, it appears, the organization itself has adopted.
It all depends what will be most helpful to the reader: this particular name is not really difficult to work out, even for a non-FR speaker. You might find it worth including your translation as an explanation in brackets after the first time the expression occurs, or including it in a document glossary if there is one.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 21:39
Grading comment
Thanks for confirming, I was thinking the same as well.



Summary of answers provided
4 +5Don't translate proper names
Tony M
5French Development Agency
Hisham Saad


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Don't translate proper names


Explanation:
As a general rule, it is best not to translate proper names — as, it appears, the organization itself has adopted.
It all depends what will be most helpful to the reader: this particular name is not really difficult to work out, even for a non-FR speaker. You might find it worth including your translation as an explanation in brackets after the first time the expression occurs, or including it in a document glossary if there is one.


Tony M
France
Local time: 21:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thanks for confirming, I was thinking the same as well.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: I wouldn't bother with a translation.
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Phil! Particularly since the organization itself chooses not to translate.

agree  AllegroTrans: a translation can be added in brackets after the name, which is, as you say, a proper name. It's a rule I adhere to
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, C!

agree  mchd: une règle de base .....
4 hrs
  -> Merci, M-C !

agree  writeaway: with AT. keep the French and use the English in [ ] as an approximate equivalent
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, W/A! Yes, exactly as I had already said in my suggestion.

agree  Julie Barber: I would definitely include a translation once in brackets as you say. It all depends on the context as some aid agencies do use translations
2 days 19 hrs
  -> Thanks, Julie! Yes, I always feel it's best to be guided by the organization's own usage.
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
French Development Agency


Explanation:
French Development Agency

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-08-24 19:29:03 GMT)
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I think it's better to translate the name as it is not know in non-francophone countries.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-08-24 23:51:10 GMT)
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The name of the AFD is also translated into Spanish on their official Twitter account (Agencia Francesa de Desarrollo)

https://twitter.com/AFD_es

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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-08-24 23:58:26 GMT)
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This is a Brazilian newspaper (Diario Piaui)
diariopiaui.com/firmino-trata-de-projetos-sustentaveis-com-tecnicos-da-agencia-francesa-de-desenvolvimento/

The name of the French AFD is also translated into portugues

Agência Francesa de Desenvolvimento

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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-08-25 00:02:50 GMT)
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Here is a press release of the World Bank involving Guinea

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2019/02/15/g...

The name of the AFD is translated into English

French Development Agency

Hisham Saad
Egypt
Local time: 22:39
Native speaker of: Arabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Asker has already given this potential translation, but their question is really whether or not it ought to be translated at all? / 'Media' can hardly be considered a more authoritative source than the actual organization itself.
8 mins
  -> The French media uses the English translation https://www.france24.com/en/20190708-interview-remy-rioux-af...

neutral  AllegroTrans: France is a monolingual country so no translation of a solely French organisation is official (it's totally different for Canada for example)
2 hrs
  -> It's not about France being monolingual, it's about the reader. If the text is for non- Francophone countries, then most probably the reader is not familiar with the French names

disagree  mchd: C'est absolument faux !
4 hrs
  -> here is the official twitter account of the AFD in English (the name is translated) https://twitter.com/afd_en?lang=en

agree  Sandra & Kenneth Grossman: You can translate the name and add the French in parentheses. No problem.
1 day 12 hrs
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