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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

autonomie d’analyse

English translation:

ability to think for themselves//refusal to toe the party line

Added to glossary by Cervin
May 22, 2009 20:42
14 yrs ago
French term

autonomie d’analyse

French to English Other Government / Politics Human Rights
It's from an article about the current position of NGOs and non-profit making organisations in Russia. The whole phrase is:
Elles entendent en effet défendre les droits politiques et civils de leurs concitoyens, en manifestant leur indépendance et leur autonomie d’analyse à l’égard du pouvoir politique.

'Autonomy of analysis' doesnt make sense. I was hoping that it would be a recognised phrase but I've found nothing in IATE. I think it probably means something like 'their ability to analyse political power'- but no doubt I've strayed far from the truth. Sometimes I think I am as daft as a brush.
Proposed translations (English)
3 ability to think for themselves//refusal to toe the party line
4 right to scrutinise, right of inquiry
3 political freedom
3 autonomous analysis
2 -1 political neutrality

Proposed translations

27 mins
Selected

ability to think for themselves//refusal to toe the party line

not a brilliant translation but...
the idea is that they show their independence and their freedom of thought in relation to the politcal powers-that-be

This is not quite how you read it - it is not so much their ability to analysis political power but their independence in relation to the political thinking of the powers-that-be - independence of thought - the problem then being to avoid repeating the smae word (independent) twice)

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Note added at 28 mins (2009-05-22 21:10:40 GMT)
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sorry about the typos but I think I'm getting tired

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Note added at 11 hrs (2009-05-23 07:51:54 GMT)
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honestly, even after a sleep I am convinced that they mean that they NGO are not the lap-gods of the local politicians and are able to think for themselves
(rough translation) For them their role is to defend the political and civil rights of their fellow citizens by showing their independence and their ability to formulate their own opinions in relation to the political authorities.


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Note added at 11 hrs (2009-05-23 07:52:25 GMT)
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lap DOGS - Freudian slip

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Note added at 11 hrs (2009-05-23 07:57:57 GMT)
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The whole point of NGO is that they are supposed to be APOLITICAL

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Note added at 19 hrs (2009-05-23 16:34:47 GMT)
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Last comment to Cervin - "autonomie d'analyse" does make sense - basically they are able to analyse any given situation without being influenced by the local party political line
Note from asker:
Yes, it could be as you say- see above for my comments on the whole article. Thanks for your input, as they say!
Many thanks for your time - in spite of the typos! Anyway they made me smile!
Peer comment(s):
neutral Colin Morley (X) : Basically it seems to me that polyglot and I are saying exactly the same things in different ways. You pays your money and you takes your choice!
11 hrs
summing up I would work "apolitical" in there somewhere, since that is the real point being made - their neutrality in relation to the (local) authorities (not the same as political neutrality however)
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you to everyone for your input. It was very difficult deciding who should have the points as every answer added a new dimension to my line of thought. "
-1
11 mins

political neutrality

Cervin, I think your understanding is correct. I would be tempted to contract the sentence to "independence and political neutrality", thus getting round the "analyse" problem, but others may see this as a gross over-simplification. I don't know "autonomie d'analyse" as a recognised phrase, but I wait to stand corrected!
Just a suggestion to get the ball rolling...
Note from asker:
Thank you- your answer fits in very nicely. As for the over-simplification, I have simplified the article in several places as it is full of seemingly unnecessary repetitions, odd constructions and terminology. I am beginning to thik it might be a back-translation!
Peer comment(s):
agree Istvan Nagy : independence
13 mins
neutral Colin Morley (X) : I don't think political neutrality is the same as 'autonomy' - makes them sound sterile rather than free
33 mins
disagree Mark Bossanyi : Being politically autonomous doesn't make an NGO politically neutral. I think the idea is that the NGOs have sufficient independence to avoid having their views stifled or manipulated by pressure by various political forces.
39 mins
disagree gsloane : I'm with Mark on this one. By their very nature, NGOs are supposed to be autonomous, allowing their views to be objective and influenced by facts as they are.
17 hrs
Something went wrong...
47 mins

political freedom

I take this to mean that they are free to make up their own minds politically. Political autonomy may be OK if a little 'stiff' (?)
Peer comment(s):
neutral polyglot45 : the problem is that it is their analysis/thought that is free in relation to the local politicians
10 hrs
I don't think I disagree with you, Polyglot - but isn't that the same thing as saying they have political freedom?
Something went wrong...
17 hrs

autonomous analysis

The term means that they offer independent analysis, not influenced by any political party.

This may not be the most elegant way of putting it though.
Something went wrong...
18 hrs

right to scrutinise, right of inquiry

This is expressing more their ablilty to stand back, independently, and study political power before coming to their own conclusions and setting their own political agenda. This is a step that can lead to critical thinking. There's a good example in the list of vales of the CFDT: "Cette formation permet, en effet, à la fois d'accroître les compétences des militants mais aussi de développer leur capacité d'analyse, donc l'autonomie d'analyse nécessaire à leur esprit critique."
Reference:

http://www.fed-cfdt-sante-sociaux.org/valeurs.php3

Peer comment(s):
neutral gsloane : I agree with your argument because that's exactly what I was thinking but "autonomie" shouldn't be translated by "right" because it's a legal term. "Autonomie" means independent, the ability to make decisions without consulting a higher authority.
7 mins
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