Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
définition hard/soft
English translation:
tangible/intangible or visible/invisible or a combination
Added to glossary by
Daniel Hill (X)
Aug 18, 2008 18:37
15 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
définition hard/soft
French to English
Marketing
Tourism & Travel
Chalets
I'm new to this forum, and to translation, so please bear with me.
I may be doing my first translation (French to English) and I'm looking over the source material. They use the expressions "définition de produit hard" and "définition de produit soft" throughout the text. This is regarding renting chalets/cabins. I've never heard these terms, nor can I find any such uses on Google. I thought maybe this was a local dialect of some kind? The closest I can gather is that maybe by hard they mean the physical aspect of the place, and soft they mean the services?
I may be doing my first translation (French to English) and I'm looking over the source material. They use the expressions "définition de produit hard" and "définition de produit soft" throughout the text. This is regarding renting chalets/cabins. I've never heard these terms, nor can I find any such uses on Google. I thought maybe this was a local dialect of some kind? The closest I can gather is that maybe by hard they mean the physical aspect of the place, and soft they mean the services?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 | tangible/intangible or visible/invisible or a combination |
Sheila Wilson
|
| 5 | biens durables / biens non durables |
lachacel
|
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:
Non-PRO (1): Graham macLachlan
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Proposed translations
22 mins
Sheila Wilson
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Specializes in field
Spain
20 years producing 100% natural English
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
45
Selected
tangible/intangible or visible/invisible or a combination
I think I would actually plump for tangible (things you can actually see and/or touch), and invisible (behind the scenes, unseen but necessary all the same).
It's not clear from your question whether they are referring to goods or services but I imagine the "hard" would be the chalet and all its equipment, whilst the "soft" would be insurance, maintenance contracts etc
Here's a useful link:
What Services and Benefits Does MCA Provide?
In addition to the specific, tangible services listed and described below, there are agreat number of other, "intangible" services that are a significant part of your MCA Membership package. We like to call these services "MCA's Invisible Advantage." These intangibles include the association's people, ideas, years of collective experience building quality into constructed masonry buildings, and an in-depth drive to help solve pressing business issues facing its Members. The following is a listing of tangible services that differentiate what MCA offers, above and beyond,those offered by other associations.
www.mcamichigan.org/ServicesDirectoryFAQ.htm
It's not clear from your question whether they are referring to goods or services but I imagine the "hard" would be the chalet and all its equipment, whilst the "soft" would be insurance, maintenance contracts etc
Here's a useful link:
What Services and Benefits Does MCA Provide?
In addition to the specific, tangible services listed and described below, there are agreat number of other, "intangible" services that are a significant part of your MCA Membership package. We like to call these services "MCA's Invisible Advantage." These intangibles include the association's people, ideas, years of collective experience building quality into constructed masonry buildings, and an in-depth drive to help solve pressing business issues facing its Members. The following is a listing of tangible services that differentiate what MCA offers, above and beyond,those offered by other associations.
www.mcamichigan.org/ServicesDirectoryFAQ.htm
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you!"
3 hrs
biens durables / biens non durables
hard/soft products or goods are business terms.
Hard goods or durable goods AND soft goods or non-durable goods
Hard Goods: Durable merchandise such as televisions, appliances, hardware, furniture, or recording equipment. (Business Dictionary)
Durable goods: (engineering) Products whose usefulness continues for a number of years and that are not consumed or destroyed in a single usage. Also known as durables; hard goods. (Sci-Tech Dictionary)
Soft goods: Merchandise that is soft to the touch, such as clothing and other textile goods; considered in the merchandising industry to be nondurable goods.(Marketing Dictionary)
hard good (product) = bien (produit, marchandise) durable
soft good (product) = bien (produit, marchandise) non durable
En économie les biens se divisent en fonction de leurs caractéristiques.
Les types de biens économiques en fonction de leur durabilité sont: biens durables / biens non durables / biens semi-durables
Un bien durable est un bien d'une certaine importance et qui est utilisable pendant plus d'un an.
Il s'agit soit d'un bien d'équipement pour une entreprise : machine, meuble de bureau, soit d'un bien de consommation durable pour un ménage (véhicule, mobilier, équipement ménager...)
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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2008-08-19 23:24:49 GMT)
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Asker says that the text “is regarding renting chalets/cabins” and the phrases he gives seem to be taken from a manual since they say “definition de”.
Nevertheless, he is translating from French into English, and the French text has a noun in French combined with two adjectives in English. I will the propose to just translate the French word and leave the adjectives as they are, considering that “hard product” and “soft product” are two English compound nouns.
Hard goods or durable goods AND soft goods or non-durable goods
Hard Goods: Durable merchandise such as televisions, appliances, hardware, furniture, or recording equipment. (Business Dictionary)
Durable goods: (engineering) Products whose usefulness continues for a number of years and that are not consumed or destroyed in a single usage. Also known as durables; hard goods. (Sci-Tech Dictionary)
Soft goods: Merchandise that is soft to the touch, such as clothing and other textile goods; considered in the merchandising industry to be nondurable goods.(Marketing Dictionary)
hard good (product) = bien (produit, marchandise) durable
soft good (product) = bien (produit, marchandise) non durable
En économie les biens se divisent en fonction de leurs caractéristiques.
Les types de biens économiques en fonction de leur durabilité sont: biens durables / biens non durables / biens semi-durables
Un bien durable est un bien d'une certaine importance et qui est utilisable pendant plus d'un an.
Il s'agit soit d'un bien d'équipement pour une entreprise : machine, meuble de bureau, soit d'un bien de consommation durable pour un ménage (véhicule, mobilier, équipement ménager...)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2008-08-19 23:24:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Asker says that the text “is regarding renting chalets/cabins” and the phrases he gives seem to be taken from a manual since they say “definition de”.
Nevertheless, he is translating from French into English, and the French text has a noun in French combined with two adjectives in English. I will the propose to just translate the French word and leave the adjectives as they are, considering that “hard product” and “soft product” are two English compound nouns.
Note from asker:
| This is a bit different than what the presentation talks about, but very insightful none the less! |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: is it clear to you what context the terms are being used in? I can't see what Asker is referring to
13 hrs
|
|
No it is not clear. I agree that we need the context to give an accurate translation.
|
Reference comments
1 day 2 hrs
Claire Chapman
Native in English
All things textile
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, English to French, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Reference:
This question was asked shortly before you asked your question. You may find it helpful.
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english_to_french/finance_general/...
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english_to_french/finance_general/...
5 mins
Reference:
Hi Daniel
This wiki ref on facility management may prove helpful:
Services are sometimes considered to be divided into "hard services" and "soft services." Hard services include such things as ensuring that a building's air conditioning is operating efficiently, reliably, safely and legally. Soft services include such things as ensuring that the building is cleaned properly and regularly or monitoring the performance of contractors (e.g. builders, electricians).
So I think this could also be applied to the services for a tourism rental: hard = everything in good working order, soft = cleaning, staff services.
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Note added at 1 day18 hrs (2008-08-20 12:56:46 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks Daniel :-)
This wiki ref on facility management may prove helpful:
Services are sometimes considered to be divided into "hard services" and "soft services." Hard services include such things as ensuring that a building's air conditioning is operating efficiently, reliably, safely and legally. Soft services include such things as ensuring that the building is cleaned properly and regularly or monitoring the performance of contractors (e.g. builders, electricians).
So I think this could also be applied to the services for a tourism rental: hard = everything in good working order, soft = cleaning, staff services.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day18 hrs (2008-08-20 12:56:46 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Thanks Daniel :-)
Note from asker:
| Just wanted to say that I found your answer very helpful too. :) |
Discussion