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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

agence de l'accueil des étrangers

English translation:

Agency for the Reception of Foreign Citizens

Added to glossary by Victoria Porter-Burns
Dec 7, 2007 11:16
16 yrs ago
9 viewers *
French term

agence de l'accueil des étrangers

French to English Other Government / Politics
In a political text, talking about a representative of the "agence de l'accueil des etrangers". This is the first time "étranger" features in the text so I couldn't tell you who exactly they are talking about. I'd like to avoid using 'Foreigners' if possible as this sounds a little politically incorrect given the context. Any suggestions much appreciated. Thank you!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 Agency for the Reception of Foreigners
4 +1 Immigration Reception Centre/Agency
4 Reception Agency (Centre) for Foreigners
4 alien information agency
Change log

Dec 7, 2007 14:31: Emanuela Galdelli changed "Term asked" from "agence de l\'accueil des etrangers" to "agence de l\'accueil des étrangers"

Dec 10, 2007 12:55: Victoria Porter-Burns Created KOG entry

Discussion

mistahara (X) Dec 7, 2007:
Aliens?? Watch out...it might re-resurrect Sigourney Weaver! :-)
Victoria Porter-Burns (asker) Dec 7, 2007:
Definitely Carol, which is why I think I'll steer clear of using 'alien' in the translation as well. Thanks :-)
Carol Gullidge Dec 7, 2007:
Foreigners have to go through the "Aliens" gate in UK passport control - which I think is far more pejorative that "foreigners"!
Victoria Porter-Burns (asker) Dec 7, 2007:
Good point Mara!
French Foodie Dec 7, 2007:
You can be a foreigner without being from overseas (eg Canadian in Mexico, Swiss in France). :-)
Victoria Porter-Burns (asker) Dec 7, 2007:
I totally agree with you CMJ_Trans - I don't see how 'foreigners' is politically incorrect GENERALLY, but the register of the text makes it sound so in this case.
Lauren - 'Overseas arrivals' was the sort of thing I was looking for, without trying to make it too wordy - thanks.
writeaway Dec 7, 2007:
it stays in French. it's not for overseas arrivals-it for foreigners who are going to work in France, permanently or not. http://www.anaem.social.fr/article.php3?id_article=96
Lauren UK Dec 7, 2007:
What about 'overseas arrivals'??? Very PC I know, but if that fits with the rest of the text...
CMJ_Trans (X) Dec 7, 2007:
why is "foreigners" politically incorrect ? It's what it says in French. And what's pejorative about it? Do we now have to say "people from abroad" or some such? PC has a lot to answer for.
Victoria Porter-Burns (asker) Dec 7, 2007:
I was thinking something like 'overseas visitors' instead but since they may not all be visitors but immigrants etc. this wouldn't really suit would it?

Proposed translations

+6
2 mins
French term (edited): agence de l'accueil des etrangers
Selected

Agency for the Reception of Foreigners

.

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Note added at 3 mins (2007-12-07 11:19:55 GMT)
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May be the following Agency is meant?

Agence Nationale de l’Accueil des Etrangers et des Migrations (ANAEM)

Since April 2005, ANAEM (National Agency for the Reception of Foreigners and Migration) is the principal public agency responsible for receiving legal migrants to France, for administrative, health and welfare actions concerning changes in foreign population and for the employment of French citizens internationally.
---
http://www.ambafra-pk.org/article.php3?id_article=624

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Note added at 8 mins (2007-12-07 11:25:15 GMT)
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I am still not sure but looks like exactly this agency is mentioned in your text. If it's so, it is translated this way.

I found that "L’accueil des étrangers en France" can also be translated as "Reception of aliens in France", but this translation refers to survey name.
Note from asker:
Toall of the above - I don't intend to translate it, I'm merely looking for the correct phrase to explain it in English
To all of the below*
Peer comment(s):
agree BusterK
3 mins
Thank you.
agree Jennifer White
9 mins
Thank you.
neutral writeaway : it's a lone attempt by a non-native site but it's best left in French with a brief explanation. Basically it's not translated.
26 mins
If this agency is exactly ANAEM, it really should be left untranslated with explanation/translation.
agree François Crompton-Roberts : "National Agency for the Reception of Foreigners and Migration (ANAEM) " - as on their web site <http://www.anaem.fr>
41 mins
Thank you.
agree vwkl (X)
1 hr
Thank you.
agree AllegroTrans : agree with Writeaway-if it's an official body you shouldn't translate - just put explanation in brackets
5 hrs
agree jean-jacques alexandre : don't translate it
1 day 2 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Since I took half my final translation from your suggestion and half from mistahara's I'm going to split the points. Thanks!"
+1
16 mins
French term (edited): agence de l'accueil des etrangers

Immigration Reception Centre/Agency

Peer comment(s):
agree Carol Gullidge : neat solution!
1 hr
Thank you. That's how we'd call it here.
neutral Bourth (X) : Aliens are not necessarily immigrants! / I take that back: Writeaway's ref. above indicates that this does concern immigration (and also emigration).
2 hrs
Ok, thanks, Bourth, but that's where you go if you are a foreigner coming into the UK and need help, wherether you want to immigrate or not.
Something went wrong...
7 mins
French term (edited): agence de l'accueil des etrangers

Reception Agency (Centre) for Foreigners

There are such Agencies and I guess he is the representative of one of them.

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Note added at 11 mins (2007-12-07 11:28:06 GMT)
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You could replace by "international/overseas guests", but these agencies mostly deal with immigrants.

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Note added at 15 mins (2007-12-07 11:31:33 GMT)
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http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:xodU9fawCQoJ:www.peer-r...

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Note added at 22 mins (2007-12-07 11:38:52 GMT)
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What about "foreign citizens"??
Note from asker:
I really like 'foreign citizens' actually - it's wide enough to cover all foreigners whether they're in France temporarily or permanently, avoids the 'overseas/not overseas' issue and sounds a less pejorative than 'foreigners'. Thanks mh!!
Something went wrong...
1 hr
French term (edited): agence de l'accueil des etrangers

alien information agency

I was an alien in one country for 23 years, then in another for 5, before being naturalized in both cases (which doesn't involve removing one's clothing in public).

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-12-07 12:47:34 GMT)
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Being an alien in some countries beats being escorted around LAX by an armed guard when one lands as a TWOV (Transit WithOut Visa) because an onward flight has been cancelled.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-12-07 13:31:10 GMT)
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Like it or not, folks, "alien" is THE word used in this context. To my mind, it also has the advantage of NOT having the ethnic/racial overtones of "foreigner". It's cold, clinical, matter-of-fact. Have you ever heard anyone say "Look at all these bloody aliens they're letting into the country"?

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-12-07 13:35:53 GMT)
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And look at Sting: "I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien, I'm an Englishman in New York".

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-12-07 13:39:04 GMT)
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You folks are thinking of "SPACE aliens". The word "alien" existed long before we'ed thought of the prospect of visitors from space, going back through Middle English and the Old French to the Latin 'alienus' (from another place).
Note from asker:
Thanks Bourth - plenty of things to think about there. I know 'alien' is very pften used in this sort of context, it just doesn't fit well with the style of my text. Thanks for all the points!
Something went wrong...
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