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missionnaire

English translation: assigned members

09:06 Dec 13, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Human Resources
French term or phrase: missionnaire
This text about company rules for people going on "missions" abroad includes a list of definitions, including the term "missionnaire". Now, I have been translating "mission" as "assignment", but "assignee" obviously doesn't fit here. Neither of course does "missionary" !

What do you call someone who goes on an assignment/mission ?

Example of (a part of a) sentence: "Dans un souci de traçabilité des Missionnaires..."
anna purna
France
Local time: 13:17
English translation:assigned members
Explanation:
Many US companies refer to their staff as 'company/staff members'. In your case, these are company members going on an assignment.
I cannot think of a single word but I believe that 'assigned members' conveys the idea. If there are only few mentions of 'missionnaires' in your text, you might as well use the longer 'company/staff members going on an assignment'.

I hope that helps!
Selected response from:

Nadezhda Damyanova
Bulgaria
Local time: 14:17
Grading comment
A lot of interesting discussion. For me, the only answer was to use a "two-word" term, so I eventually used "assigned staff", which fitted in the best in my list of definitions.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3staff on postings abroad
Alexander C. Thomson
3 +2those on assignment
polyglot45
3 +1mission staff
Tamara Don
4assigned members
Nadezhda Damyanova
4field staff
Jane F
4 -2missionary
Michel F. Morin


Discussion entries: 12





  

Answers


26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
mission staff


Explanation:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/corps/index.cfm?...
I found the term 'mission staff' to describe employees sent on diplomatic missions (see link above). Or perhaps you could refer more generally to the position ('staff member', 'employee', etc.)


    ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/corps/index.cfm?go=vademecum.vademecum
Tamara Don
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 07:17
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  CHAKIB ROULA (X): Definitely agree
21 mins
neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: used in very narrow context (as in your link) and is EUspeak otherwise
3 hrs
neutral  B D Finch: Agree with gallagy2's comment.
4 hrs
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
assigned members


Explanation:
Many US companies refer to their staff as 'company/staff members'. In your case, these are company members going on an assignment.
I cannot think of a single word but I believe that 'assigned members' conveys the idea. If there are only few mentions of 'missionnaires' in your text, you might as well use the longer 'company/staff members going on an assignment'.

I hope that helps!

Nadezhda Damyanova
Bulgaria
Local time: 14:17
Native speaker of: Native in BulgarianBulgarian
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
A lot of interesting discussion. For me, the only answer was to use a "two-word" term, so I eventually used "assigned staff", which fitted in the best in my list of definitions.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  CHAKIB ROULA (X): Relevant as well
21 mins
neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: "assigned members " makes no sense
3 hrs
disagree  Tony M: Agree with G2: for it to make sense, it would need to be 'staff members' — but in any case, the meaning is not right for 'someone on an assignment'
91 days
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58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
field staff


Explanation:
This term is used in companies for staff whose work is outside the company office and also in international organisations like the United Nations.


    Reference: http://www.fsu.unlb.org/
Jane F
France
Local time: 13:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
missionary


Explanation:
Good morning,

Well, in spite of your own comment, Anna, I strongly believe the proper translation for "missionary" (a "frequent business traveler") definitely is "missionary".
See for instance URL below.
And by the way, I beg to differ about "assignment", which is "affectation" in French: a long lasting job position which does not includes frequent business trips !


    Reference: http://www.sevencorners.com/insuranceplans/missionarytravelm...
Michel F. Morin
France
Local time: 13:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 76

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Damien Poussier
9 mins
neutral  Jane F: missionary has religious connotations in U.K. English
17 mins
neutral  polyglot45: agree with Jane F.
30 mins
neutral  Sandra & Kenneth Grossman: A missionary is someone who tries to convert a person to a different religion.
1 hr
agree  Tamara Don: I agree, due to the religious connotations I would avoid using the term 'missionary' in English in this context.
1 hr
disagree  Yvonne Gallagher: only used in connection with religion imo/you need to read your own links and see that they are talking of missionaries "spiritual guidance" So all of us, native speakers, are wrong?
2 hrs
  -> I beg to differ ! "Missionary" is not ONLY used in a religious context.
disagree  B D Finch: Religion (or sex), but NOT in this business context! "Assignment" in English is not a one-to-one equivalent of the French "affectation" and can mean a task allocated for a short period or to be carried out alongside other duties.
4 hrs
  -> Sorry mu friend, but I stick to my point: "missionary" is not only related to churches (what does sex have to do here). See "http://www.imglobal.com/img-insurance/missionary-insurance.a..." and many others !
disagree  philgoddard: If you're in a hole, stop digging. And look up "missionary position" in the dictionary.
5 hrs
  -> Well, I wonder what makes you so nervous and agressive, just because we do not fully agree on a translation ? Besides, believe or not, I heard of the "missionary position" before: enough at least to say it is totally irrelevant here ! :
disagree  Tony M: The religious connotation is too strong, this term would be inadvisable unless it was very clearly explained in some detail; we just don't normally use it like this in EN; your link actually disproves your own argument.
91 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
those on assignment


Explanation:
I have used this in the past

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: this would have been fine. horse/water phenomenon once again
85 days
agree  Tony M: Yes, those/people/staff on (an) assignment(s)
91 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
staff on postings abroad


Explanation:
This is business, not diplomacy, so we cannot use ‘missionary’ (which is only used, and certainly only understood, in a religious context in English) nor can we properly use anything with ‘mission’ in it (although ‘mission staff’ / ‘field staff’ is correct for international organisations).

This pedestrian phrase is, I suggest, the best understood and fits the business context best.

Alexander C. Thomson
Netherlands
Local time: 13:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ScotsScots

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: or on "assignment" abroad if she wants to keep that word//"staff posted/assigned abroad" a bit shorter though prefer longer version
2 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  philgoddard
4 hrs
  -> Thanks. By the way, I see now what I misunderstood with ‘Verbindingenstatuut’.
agree  Mary Holihan
1 day 2 hrs
  -> Thanks.
neutral  Tony M: Yes, except for the fact that they mpght well be on a mission in their home country, so not necessarily abroad at all!
91 days
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