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projectuel
congé rotationnel

Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

porte drapeau

English translation:

traffic official

Added to glossary by Mark Nathan
Nov 8, 2009 22:15
14 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

porte drapeau

Non-PRO French to English Bus/Financial Business/Commerce (general) safety measures
Les riverains sont légitimement soucieux de leur sécurité et il semble que le Département de la construction a donné aux maîtres d’œuvre et aux sous-traitants la totale liberté de se déplacer et de se garer où bon leur semble sur le site. Un policier ou un porte drapeau au croisement Avenue des Erables, Allée des Châtaigniers pourrait être utile.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +3 official
4 +2 flag man
3 +3 traffic marshal
4 +1 flag-bearer
4 +1 Stop/Go board
3 traffic control attendant
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (2): Emma Paulay, Sandra & Kenneth Grossman

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Discussion

Mark Nathan (asker) Nov 9, 2009:
Target audience It is spart of a business school course in negotiation; this is a hypothetical negotiation situation (building contractor vs local residents).
Travelin Ann Nov 9, 2009:
@Mark and the target audience for the text? As you say, "lollipop man" is a local term, as are many of the others I think of.
Travelin Ann Nov 9, 2009:
@yasdnil1 traffic marshal is NOT US American
Mark Nathan (asker) Nov 8, 2009:
It is a modern text These are safety measures that could be introduced on a construction site by the contractor in order to appease local residents. I had initially thought of "lollipop man" but I do not think that is right in this context.
Travelin Ann Nov 8, 2009:
What is the era of the source text? Is this modern/current or something from an earlier time?

Proposed translations

+3
9 mins
Selected

official

Literally a standard bearer, I think this would best be translated as an official. Someone to make sure that people park only where authorised and obey the rules of the road. I think any allusion to waving flags would be inappropriate.

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Note added at 9 hrs (2009-11-09 08:05:48 GMT)
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Perhaps a traffic official, just to be specific

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Note added at 11 hrs (2009-11-09 09:22:59 GMT)
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Just had a thought: traffic warden is the term used in the UK:

Traffic warden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sep 14, 2009 ... A traffic warden is a member of civilian staff employed by a British police force to assist in regulating the flow of traffic. ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_warden

Traffic Warden Job Profile
This can mean combining the role of traffic warden with that of community support officer (see Police Community Support Officer profile). ...
http://www.careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jo...

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Note added at 11 hrs (2009-11-09 10:12:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You're not wrong, Mark. It seemed an inspiration at the time but now I think back to my days in England (long ago now) I remember that they didn't help the traffic flow, just handed out tickets. Forget the suggestion!
Note from asker:
Hi Sheila, I thought traffic wardens were those unfortunate people who give out tickets to people who have parked illegally/not put enough money in the meter. Their main purpose seems to be to irritate everyone rather than improve safety.
Peer comment(s):
agree David Goward
9 hrs
Thanks
agree Emma Paulay : Or "road traffic controller", maybe. Bit long though!
12 hrs
Thanks Emma. "Traffic controller" could work
agree Verginia Ophof : yes ! or official representative
17 hrs
Thanks
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks everyone"
+1
4 mins

flag-bearer

ADO's FRENCH-GERMAN

porte-drapeau
Fahnenträger



Babylon German-English

Fahnenträger (der)
n. flag-bearer, person who carries a flag
Peer comment(s):
agree FrenchPhD : yes
32 mins
obrigada!
neutral Travelin Ann : too literal for the context, IMO
4 hrs
neutral Sheila Wilson : nly used for cermonial occasions
9 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
24 mins

flag man

US English usage, in spite of being sexist

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 25 mins (2009-11-08 22:40:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.uslaw.com/library/Personal_Injury_Law/Constructio...
Peer comment(s):
agree André Vanasse (X)
3 hrs
Merci, André
agree Jean-Claude Gouin
3 hrs
Thanks, quarter to 11
Something went wrong...
+3
1 hr

traffic marshal

In this case something like traffic warden or traffic marshal may be appropriate - It's basically the man (or woman) with stop/go boards but I can't think of a better way to express this.
Peer comment(s):
agree cmwilliams (X)
10 mins
neutral Travelin Ann : traffic marshal, IMO, is a governmental entity, while this is normally an employee of the construction company/project
57 mins
agree Daniel Weston : http://www.diveshows.co.uk/events/lids2009/exhibitors/pdfs/e...
1 hr
agree Yasdnil1 : bit american but gets the idea across.
1 hr
Something went wrong...
+1
7 hrs

Stop/Go board

The following website is very interesting. It lists all forms of traffic control past work sites. It uses the term "operator" for the person responsible for directing traffic but I think that, in your sentence, you could use "A policeman or Stop/Go board would be useful at the junction of ...." Readers will realise that there is somebody holding/"operating" the board.
Reference:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/network/local/streetworks/cop/safetyatstreetworksandroadworks?page=18

Peer comment(s):
neutral David Goward : Good source, although this only concerns traffic flow and the not parking issues mentioned in the source text.
1 hr
agree Sheila Wilson : that could work
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
13 hrs

traffic control attendant

...is a person whose duty is to control traffic including parking. "Traffic marshal" (Colin) seems even better but Ann says it's not US. If "attendant" is not US, other terms such as "picket" may suit.
Something went wrong...
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