OECD Style Guide (Fourth Edition)

14. Translation and terms in other languages

Abstract

Correctly translating words and expressions from other languages is essential for high-quality content and to avoid offense. The OECD offers a professional translation service and translation tools to help ensure OECD writing is accurate and clear.

AGORA translation portal

• AGORA offers verified translations and definitions for key terms used in OECD outputs. It is available at https://portal.oecd.org/Pages/HowTos/EXD-CSI/-How-to-check-terminology.aspx.

Do

✔ Use AGORA to:

• Check the exact meaning of a term or expression.

• Find out exactly how to describe a concept or how to translate it.

• Suggest a translation or terms for inclusion.

Word count coefficients for translation

• The word count coefficient indicates the difference between the word count of the original text and that of the translation. See the table below.

Do

✔ Keep this coefficient in mind when drafting content, particularly for web and social media, as a term that fits into your layout in one language may not in another.

Word count coefficients from English to other languages

 

Target language	Word coefficient	Target language	Word coefficient
French	+30%	Korean	-10%
German	+15%	Russian	+15%
Italian	+20%	Spanish	+25%
Japanese	-10%

Using titles, terms and expressions from other languages

• Not all readers will be familiar with titles, terms or expressions from other languages; prioritise clarity. Avoid foreign words and expressions when commonly understood alternatives exist in English.

See also: Choosing the right words.

Do

✔ Put all titles, terms or expressions from other languages into italics, except for common abbreviations and proper names (Deutsche Bundesbank).

✔ Provide an English translation for titles and terms from other languages and put the translation in parentheses afterwards or use the English translation and put the original title or term in parentheses after it. Be consistent in which style you use.

Public authorities worked together to create Efterlevandeguiden (Survivor's Guide), a website that gathers essential information and walks survivors through the various necessary steps.

In 2018, Mexico’s Ministry of Public Administration (Secretaría de la Función Pública) established a multi-stakeholder group for the reform of CompraNet, its e-procurement system.

See also: Abbreviations, acronyms and signs.

Don’t

✘ Use terms from Latin when a simple English equivalent is available. See table below. Note that alternatives depend on context.

Latin terms to avoid

 

Avoid	Use	Avoid	Use
a contrario	on the contrary	grosso modo	roughly, approximately
a fortiori	even more so, all the more	in extenso	in full
a minima	at minimum	in extremis	as a last resort, at the last moment
a posteriori	based on experience	in situ	in its original situation
a priori	logically, theoretically, assuming	inter alia	among other things
ad valorem	according to the value	ipso facto	by the mere fact
ceteris paribus	other things being equal	modus operandi	way of working, method
de minimis	small amounts	sine die	with no fixed date
ex nihilio	from nothing, without precedent	stricto sensu	strict sense
ex officio	by virtue of the office held	ultra vires	beyond one’s authority

Avoiding confusion between English and French terms

• “False friends”, semantic calques and even simply multiple ways to translate one term can lead to difficulties in choosing the right word or concept in English and French.

• The tables below will be regularly updated and available on the “OECD Communications Guidance Portal”: https://com-apps.oecd.org/com-guidance-portal/en.

• The OECD Translation Service provides professional translations and revisions. Learn more about their work: https://portal.oecd.org/eshare/exd-csi/kc/Wiki/Translation%20Division_fr.aspx.

Concepts often used at the OECD

 

English	French
accountability	responsabilité, transparence
blockchains	chaînes de blocs
carbon pricing	tarification carbone
chemical safety	sécurité des produits chimiques
climate finance	financement climatique
corporate governance	gouvernance d’entreprise (appelé « gouvernement d’entreprise » jusqu’en 2015)
donor countries	pays donateurs, pays donneurs (développement)
due diligence	devoir de diligence, diligence raisonnable, obligation de vigilance
entrepreneurship	entrepreneuriat
Global South	les pays du Sud
green transition	transition écologique
inclusive growth	croissance inclusive
inclusiveness	inclusivité
minerals	minénaux, ressources minérales
net-zero emissions	zéro émission nette, neutralité (carbone, GES)
official development assistance (ODA)	aide publique au développement (APD)
ore	minerai
to provide (for a law, etc.)	énoncer, disposer, prévoir
resilience	résilience
responsible business conduct (RBC)	conduite responsable des entreprises (CRE)
supply chains	chaînes d’approvisionnement
sustainability	durabilité, soutenabilité, viabilité, pérennité
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)	Objectifs de développement durable (ODD)
value chains	chaînes de valeur

“False friends” (or faux amis)

• “False friends” are words that look or sound similar in French and English, but have significantly different meanings, as shown in the table below.

 

English word	French translation	Not to be confused with	Which means
to complete	achever	to achieve	réaliser
bit, small piece	bribe	bribe	pot-de-vin
to change, to alter	changer	change	monnaie
cheque	chèque	check	contrôle
secret	confidence	confidence	confiance
to ask	demander	to demand	exiger

Incorrect semantic calques

• A semantic calque occurs when an English word, for example, is used with the meaning of a French word that has a similar form.

 

English word	French translation	Not to be confused with	Which means
according to	conformément à, selon, etc.	en accord avec	in agreement with
actually	en réalité, en fait	actuellement	currently
to address (an issue)	aborder, traiter une question	adresser (une lettre) adresser (des reproches)	to address (a letter) to address (reproaches)
agenda	ordre du jour	agenda	diary, notebook
alternatively	à l’inverse, par contre, en revanche	alternativement	alternately
to apply for	postuler, demander	appliquer (une mesure)	to apply (a measure) to implement
assertive (s.o.)	assuré, faisant preuve d’assurance	une phrase assertive	an assertive sentence
to assume	supposer, prendre pour hypothèse, partir du principe que	assumer la responsabilité	to take responsibility
basic	fondamental (les libertés fondamentales) essentiel (les besoins essentiels)	(roche) basique	basic (rock)
comprehensive	complet, détaillé, exhaustif	compréhensif	understanding
consistent	cohérent, systématique, homogène	(repas) consistant	substantial (meal)
decade	décennie	décade	ten days
definitely	certainement, assurément tout à fait	définitivement	definitively
to deliver	livrer (un colis), distribuer (les journaux) formuler (une opinion) libérer (qqn) exécuter (un projet)	délivrer (un passeport) délivrer (des otages)	to issue (a passport) to rescue (hostages)
discontinued	abandonné arrêté	discontinu	discontinuous
to finalise	achever (des travaux) établir la version définitive (d’un rapport) mener (un projet) à terme parachever	finaliser	to assign a goal
fiscal	budgétaire	fiscal	tax
irreconcilable (opinions)	inconciliables	irréconciliables (des adversaires…)
to minimise (= to reduce to the smallest possible amount or degree)	limiter au minimum réduire le plus possible	minimiser	to minimise (= to represent or estimate at less than the true value or importance)
to mitigate	atténuer (les risques) réduire (les émissions)	mitiger (une assertion)
registration (to attend a meeting)	inscription (à une réunion)	enregistrement (d’une candidature) enregistrement des bagages	(candidate) registration (luggage) check-in
versatile	polyvalent	versatile	volatile