Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

appartement de fonction

English translation:

the apartment which he held ex officio within the confines of Versailles

Added to glossary by coquis
Jul 16, 2007 00:45
16 yrs ago
3 viewers *
French term

appartement de fonction

French to English Other History architecture
"Petite fille d'un architecte X (23 août 1767 – 1er octobre 1821), ancien vérificateur des Bâtiments de la Couronne qui avait son appartement de fonction dans le domaine de Versailles,"
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Proposed translations

11 hrs
Selected

the apartment which he held ex officio within the confines of Versailles

As the OED citation demonstrates, Phillippe has the U.K. term, but it is unknown in the U.S. (at least to me).

Being a perk of his office, he had this convenient accomodation "ex officio," which is a term in current American usage.

It's a bit akward, but I can't think of anything else which works in the U.S.

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Note added at 15 hrs (2007-07-16 16:04:43 GMT) Post-grading
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Versailles is an interesting town, which I've only visited once, during a winter, so that there weren't all that many tourists. As best I can recall, there are 17th-18th c. government buildings across the street from the palace and the appartment of our "vérificateur des Bâtiments" might have been there.

Or, there is a very delightful little 17th c. "place" (near the cathedral, I believe) which might have been built to house such higher level functionaries.

In any event, something like these areas are what I had in mind when translating the vague "domaine de Versailles" by the equally vague "confines of Versailles."

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Note added at 15 hrs (2007-07-16 16:25:13 GMT) Post-grading
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Definitely not my field of expertise, but I can't recall seeing any administrative buildings on the "grounds" of the Chateau, just those buildings across the street (one of which housed the Archives in the '80s). But the gouvernment was, after all, somewhat centered at the palace, so it would be logical to have the upper level functionaries of the state somewhat nearby, if possible.

What the "domaine de Versailles" might have meant in this historical and topographical context requires a level of knowledge which is quite beyond my pay grade.
Peer comment(s):

neutral writeaway : what do you mean by confines of Versailles? /I'd expect they meant (back then) somewhere on the property belonging to the chateau (ie State). I lived in the confines of Versailles for 7 years, but the confines of the town, not State-owned property. :-)
1 hr
Whatever the hell the original author meant by his vague "domaine de Versailles." Not the palace, but in one of the outbuildings, perhaps across the street, where the government offices were (the Archives Departementales used to be there, in the '80s).
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks!"
-2
4 mins

official residence

apartment for official functions
Peer comment(s):

disagree writeaway : it's the apartment that the person can occupy as long as s/he holds the job.
5 hrs
disagree Tony M : No, this is quite different, as might be appropriate for the president or something
5 hrs
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+3
6 hrs

grace and favour appartment/flat

This came to mind when I saw your question, given the time and place mentioned in your context.
I know the phrase is used in the UK, but I don't know about the US (where you appear to be).
News | Telegraph- [ Traduire cette page ]He will also have to move out of his grace and favour flat in the 18th century Admiralty House, which he has occupied since 1999 when he became Defence ...
www.telegraph.co.uk/.../news/2006/05/25/nblair25.xml&sSheet... - 37k - En cache - Pages

OED:

grace and favour
n adjective British denoting accommodation occupied by permission of a sovereign or government.


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Note added at 6 hrs (2007-07-16 06:53:44 GMT)
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Sorry: please read 'apartment'

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Note added at 10 hrs (2007-07-16 11:20:38 GMT)
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I take Tony's point below that we don't actually know the nature of the accommodation. I just used 'flat/appartment' because the context mentions 'appartement' (rather than, for example, 'logement de fonction'). If your text makes it clear what the actual nature of the place is, then feel free to adapt my suggestion accordingly.
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M : Sounds ideal for me, at least in a European context; given the period, I might even be tempted to say 'lodgings', since of course we don't know if it mightn't have been a cottage, house, etc.
4 mins
Quite. Thanks. Please see above (lack of space here)
agree writeaway : good solution for this historical context
9 mins
Thanks
disagree Richard Nice : But "grace and favour" is by definition not directly tied to doing a job that requires one's presence in the vicinity (cf. school caretakers, lighthouse keepers...) (ie EITHER fonction or grace & favour).
1 hr
Not sure I understand your objection, but thanks for your contribution.
agree B D Finch : As this was on the Versailles estate, it seems absolutely appropriate. It is far more likely that the home was granted as a matter of status rather than to enable him to be living close to his work.
1 hr
Thanks
agree Christopher Crockett : This works fine for U.K. English, but is unknown in the U.S., even if "favor" is spelled correctly.
5 hrs
Thanks for this - as mentioned above, wasn't sure whether my suggestion could be used in the US.
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