New Translation

      With help from my translator tutor - who is a French native - I have completed a translation. As it is from English into French, it needed a French 'touch' to ensure that it is as natural as possible... Enjoy!

French quit cuisine because of long hours

         Young French men and women are leaving once highly regarded traditional industries because of long hours. Bakers, Butchers, Fishmongers, Chefs, Restaurateurs and Hoteliers are all affected.

Despite unemployment of 2.5million, there are 800,000 posts to fill in these traditional trades. The French government says that these typical French roles are not considered as attractive by the population.

Following the dot com revolution and its promise of easy money, many young French people refused to accept traditional jobs. Alan Jecks, director of the National Employment Agency, said that there were no problems in the areas of communication and new technologies.

The main lack of employees came from the traditional trades. He believes that this was due to long hours and low salaries. Bruno Manciaux, who runs seven restaurants in the capital, even offers staff a £50 bonus if they recruit a friend who is capable of lasting the whole of the trial period.

Les Français abandonnent la cuisine à cause des heures pénibles

         À cause des heures pénibles, les jeunes français et françaises abandonnent les industries traditionnelles qui étaient précédemment très tenues en grande estime. Boulangers, bouchers, poissonniers, cuisiniers, restaurateurs et hôteliers sont tous affectés.

Malgré un taux de chômage qui atteint 2,5 millions, il existe 800 000 postes à pourvoir dans ces métiers traditionnels. D’après le gouvernement français ces professions françaises typiques ne sont pas considérés si attirantes par la population.

Suite à la révolution <<dot com>>* et sa promesse de l’argent facile a gagner, beaucoup de gens jeunes français refusèrent d’accepter les métiers traditionnels. Selon Alan Jecks, le directeur de l’ANPE (agence nationale pour l’emploi) ce type de problème n'existe pas dans le secteur tertiaire de l'information et des nouvelles technologies.

Ce sont les métiers traditionnels qui souffrent d'un manque de personnel. Toujours d'après Alan Jecks ceci est dû aux heures pénibles et aux bas salaires. Bruno Manciaux, gérant de sept restaurants dans la capitale offre même au personnel  une prime de 50 livres (60 Euros) lorsqu’un employé trouve un ami capable de survivre la totalité de la période d'essai.

* La révolution <<dotcom>> se rapporte à la révolution de l’utilisation des choses en ligne. 

New Module

        

      Last week, my language course at the University of Salford started a new module which consisted of Foreign Films - called 'Europe on Screen'. The purpose of the course is to gain an insight into the history and also the contemporary society of France, Germany, Italy and Spain through the medium of contemporary films.

The films for the French aspect of the course are 'La Haine' (Hate) and 'Amelie' - both giving an interesting insight into the French society as it is now, both from very different angles. 'La Haine' portrays society in France to be very segregated, the struggle for integration in a suburban area between ethnic groups. 'Amelie' however conveys society in a very eccentric style through the rather eccentric character of Amelie. Personally, as I have seen both these films, I must conclude that I much prefer La Haine, the portrayal of suburban racial disturbances and certain groups' struggle for integration and acceptance really interests me. 

For German however, both films focus on the years following the Second World War, the period in which the Berlin Wall stood. The first, 'Das Leben der Anderen' focuses on the 'lives of others' being that of the people in the East and West Germany having an insight into one another's cultures. As is fairly well known, life in the GDR (East Germany) shadowed by the government of the SED (Sozialistiche Einheitspartei Deutschlands) - or Social Unity Party, and that of West Germany. 'Goodbye Lenin' focuses much on the lifestyles of those living on either side, and the effect the 'Deutsche Wiedervereinigung (Reunification of Germany) had on its inhabitants. 

As for the Italian films however, I haven't seen either 'Stanno tutti bene' or 'Cinema Paradiso', so little comment can be made thus far, although I am very much looking forward to watching and studying them. Similarly with the Spanish film, 'Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios' - Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown - I haven't seen it, although I have been informed that it focuses on the shift in the role of  women in Spain and their reaction to this.

I am very much looking forward to the rest of this course and will of course continue to give you readers an update weekly!!

French Estate Agent Translation Customer Review

''Property purchase in France is filled with all sorts of catches you are just not aware of, especially if you are only armed with a 14 year old’s knowledge of French (too many years ago to mention!)

Brad’s explanation of the latest document was just what I needed and with the offer of help to back it up was useful.  We are only at the first stage, so no doubt things will become more complicated.  Even every day phrases can sometimes be misconstrued.  Thank you Brad, we will visit your translation service again in the not too distant future!''

Mrs Jean Stone - Norfolk, United Kingdom