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B

BALISE

From the press

“Québec présentes des balises pour les interpellations policières.»”
Le Devir, August 21, 2020

Commentary

Balise has a technical meaning of beacon (on an airport runway) or tag (in computer lingo), but it can also be used to describe anything that needs to be explained, pointed out, circumscribed, or followed. That makes it handy in French, but sometimes hard to translate into English. Here are a few examples of its depth and range.

From our archives

  • benchmark

    Elles proposent des clarifications conceptuelles et un certain nombre de repères et de balises afin de guider les enseignants.

    They propose conceptual clarifications and various indicators and benchmarks to guide teachers.

  • boundary

    Que de confiance en eux qu’il m’a fallu pour leur offrir la liberté nécessaire… en mettant des balises claires!

    I really had to trust them to give them the freedom they needed—while still setting clear boundaries!

  • criterion/criteria

    Une fois ces balises posées, peut-on encore espérer augmenter le rendement de l’immeuble ?

    Once these criteria have been met, what are your chances of making the building more profitable?

  • ground rules

    Tout en maintenant son appui au libre-échange, il a souhaité voir celui-ci encadré par des balises politiques et sociales.

    While maintaining its support for free trade, Quebec felt there was a need for certain political and social ground rules.

  • guardrail

    Si nous avons tous les mêmes outils et balises pour nous guider, nous pourrons nous améliorer grâce au plan d’affaires.

    If we all have the same tools or guardrails to guide us, we can deliver improvement through our business plan

  • professionalism

    Un encadrement légal, une formation continue, des normes strictes et un code de déontologie dotent maintenant notre pratique de balises sérieuses.

    A legal framework, professional development, strict standards, and a code of ethics now attest to our professionalism.

  • roadmap

    La politique a servi de balises pour le volet soutien à domicile.

    The policy served as a roadmap to home care.

  • safeguards

    les balises et politiques gouvernementales à l’égard du traitement des produits dangereux

    government safeguards and policies concerning the treatment of hazardous goods

  • what it means

    La diversification ethnoculturelle de la population s’est accélérée, suscitant des questionnements sur les balises de la vie collective.

    Ethnocultural diversification has accelerated, prompting questions about what it means to be a Quebecer.

  • Nothing at all in English:

    Son univers vient d’être bouleversé: nouvel environnement, nouvelle province, nouveaux amis, nouveau défi, le tout, sans les balises familiales.

    His world has been turned upside down—there are new surroundings, a new province, new friends, and new challenges, all without his family.

     

    Une enquête criminelle impartiale et intègre respecte les balises du droit, pour les victimes comme pour les suspects.

    An impartial and ethical investigation follows the law, for both victims and suspects.

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