How to translate...

CV headings?

CV headings are generally pretty standard, although the order and what you include might vary, usually according to your experiences, the type of position you are applying for, specific aspects you want to highlight etc.

Here are 4 basic ones and French translations

Employment History
or
Professional Experience

FR ➔ Expérience professionnelle or Compétences professionnelle

Computer skills (or literacy)

FR ➔ Informatique

Education [and training]

FR ➔ Formation

Other Information
or
Interests

FR ➔ Centre d'intérêts or Intérêts

What's on your CV?

From my good friend Oxford

I thought I'd just throw this out there; a bit of grammar to go with Molly's faux amis sexuelles. If you want to be a language professional and don't understand some terms below, like 'restrictive relative clause', let me know and I will very happily keep posting this stuff. Very happily. And who knew doc Ox "hmph'd"?

Is there any difference between the use of that and which ?

Is this:
'Any book that gets children reading is worth having.'
the same as this?
'Any book which gets children reading is worth having.'

The general rule in British English is that, in restrictive relative clauses, where the relative clause serves to define or restrict the reference to the particular one described, which can replace that. However, in non-restrictive relative clauses, where the relative clause serves only to give additional information, that cannot be used: this book, which is set in the last century, is very popular with teenagers.
but not
this book, that is set in the last century, is very popular with teenagers.

In US English which is generally used only for non-restrictive relative clauses.
Hmph.

For adults only Part 2!

Another word that can cause issues of this nature is the word fanny. Now for an American it means your rear end so it is acceptable to say “I fell over yesterday and hurt my fanny”. However, if you said this to an English person it will be received with peals of laughter as fanny is the term for the female genitalia in England. Not only is this a problem for obvious reasons but the use of the American “fanny” is acceptable in everyday conversation whereas the English “fanny” isn’t.

To be continued . . .

For adults only . . .

These articles are not going to be obscene but they are going to look at what can happen when you get the cultural contexts of words wrong. I have already discussed this but I will be specifically looking at how an innocent term in one context can be slightly naughty in others. To avoid making a tit of yourself I suggest you read on.

Speaking of tits, in England there are birds that are referred to as tits; blue tits, great tits, etc. Now for bird watchers, or if said in the right context, this is not a problem. But what if you weren’t in this context or from say America or Canada, and someone pointed out a magnificent bird in a tree by saying “ look at those amazing tits!”, you can imagine the snorts of laughter and the giggles that would ensue. This would not be such a great opener if you were meeting someone for the first time or on a wonderfully romantic first date, the other person may take it the wrong way.

Another English, English word that can cause a problem is fag. Now in England if one wants a cigarette then you can go up to someone and ask to “bum a fag”. If you are English and reading this you may not see the issue. However if you are from the lands beyond the sea you may identify the problem with this remark. To an American you have just asked him to have anal sex with someone who is gay. Depending upon your orientation or the context of the encounter, you might not want to express this.
Pants, although not an offensive word, it can sometimes cause a slight problem: in England, pants or knickers are your underwear, whereas in America your pants are your trousers. Many a funny situation can ensue if you use the wrong one.

To be continued . . .