Tony M Jan 27, 2014:

@ Patrick Like I said, naturally cultural localization is in most cases desirable, if not downright essential!

However, you said it yourself: it's all about 'interpretation', and I think your suggestion amounts to OVER-interpretation: you are making assumptions about what the source text means, and you are also making assumptions about the emotional response of the reader of the target text. Doing one of those may be acceptable, but doing both may be pretty risky — and the further we depart from the source text, the greater the risk of introducing a translation error.

patrickfor Jan 27, 2014:

@Tony That's part of the fun in a translation job. It does exist because we are asked for a translation, now HOW does that translate?
How do we translate mpg (miles per gallon)... milles terrestre par gallon impérial? Nope because not only the french measure in km and liter but the calculation is done the other way around in liter per 100km... So we COULD translate in mi/gal GB but we don't because the customer won't get it.
I am not saying I'm right, merely suggesting an interpretation... and I can be wrong indeed!

Tony M Jan 27, 2014:

@ Patrick Well, I can't say I've ever seen 'TBD' on an order form in EN either — doesn't mean it doesn't exist, though! Does seem, though, as if it is probably US...

About the only thing I've ever seen here in France was something along the lines of 'à calculer' — though most times, on websites, it has already been determined by the details given before you get to this point.

patrickfor Jan 27, 2014:

il me semble que 'à determiner" fait un peu peur au client... "selon modalités (de livraison)" me parait plus clair et peut être défini à part de manière à ce que le client sache comment le prix sera calculé
http://www.lagrenouilleredeseffrontes.fr/content/1-modalites...
http://www.absolu-modelisme.com/modalite-de-livraison

AllegroTrans Jan 27, 2014:

English to English needed first Have you researched the acronym ?