Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Hebrew term or phrase:
בחינת מתכונת
English translation:
preliminary exam in the matriculation exam format (“Matkonet”)
Added to glossary by
wizard_of_words
Oct 16, 2011 15:37
12 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Hebrew term
WORKING MIRACLES FOR YOU
Native in: Hebrew 
Works in: English to Hebrew, Hebrew to English
בחינת מתכונת
Hebrew to English
Social Sciences
Education / Pedagogy
The question is addressed to native speakers of English raised or living abroad and familiar with educational system terminology in English:
Is there an equivalent for “בחינת מתכונת” (preceding the matriculation exam) and what is the English term for it?
Thanks for your help!
Is there an equivalent for “בחינת מתכונת” (preceding the matriculation exam) and what is the English term for it?
Thanks for your help!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +1 | preliminary exam |
Lingopro
|
Proposed translations
+1
4 mins
Selected
preliminary exam
.
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Note added at 6 mins (2011-10-16 15:43:33 GMT)
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Also called "matric preliminary exam"
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Note added at 7 mins (2011-10-16 15:44:12 GMT)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelims
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Note added at 24 mins (2011-10-16 16:01:33 GMT)
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I attended Secondary school in the UK (ages ago) and had mock 'O' Levels (there are also mock 'A' Levels, the equivalent to Israel's matrics). But, I think the term mock is very UK English oriented, and therefore didn't suggest it. “Prelims” is a known but perhaps not often spoken version, as preliminary exams are. It could well be that there have been changes in the Ed. system over the years, but, as you can see in the link, the extended version of preliminary exams is used around the world.
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Note added at 33 mins (2011-10-16 16:10:24 GMT)
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Mock exams by definition are a trial run (I read the terms is also used in the US) before the actual exam and don't count for the calculation of the final grade, whereas in some places prelims do count for the final grade. See this link: http://studentrecords.umaine.edu/academics/final-exams/
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Note added at 2 hrs (2011-10-16 18:01:41 GMT)
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I think the reason you're getting results for India is because in the US they don't use the term matriculation.
In the US they have "finals" and the only prelims are in the middle of the semester and are called "midterms" (got this from my American SIL).
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Note added at 2 hrs (2011-10-16 18:08:49 GMT)
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These midterms (prelims) go towards the final grade.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2011-10-16 19:23:56 GMT)
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I'm sticking with preliminary exams because I think it is understood in English speaking countries. You may want to add a reference of origin in parenthesis.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2011-10-16 15:43:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Also called "matric preliminary exam"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2011-10-16 15:44:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelims
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2011-10-16 16:01:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I attended Secondary school in the UK (ages ago) and had mock 'O' Levels (there are also mock 'A' Levels, the equivalent to Israel's matrics). But, I think the term mock is very UK English oriented, and therefore didn't suggest it. “Prelims” is a known but perhaps not often spoken version, as preliminary exams are. It could well be that there have been changes in the Ed. system over the years, but, as you can see in the link, the extended version of preliminary exams is used around the world.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2011-10-16 16:10:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Mock exams by definition are a trial run (I read the terms is also used in the US) before the actual exam and don't count for the calculation of the final grade, whereas in some places prelims do count for the final grade. See this link: http://studentrecords.umaine.edu/academics/final-exams/
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-10-16 18:01:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I think the reason you're getting results for India is because in the US they don't use the term matriculation.
In the US they have "finals" and the only prelims are in the middle of the semester and are called "midterms" (got this from my American SIL).
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-10-16 18:08:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
These midterms (prelims) go towards the final grade.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2011-10-16 19:23:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I'm sticking with preliminary exams because I think it is understood in English speaking countries. You may want to add a reference of origin in parenthesis.
Note from asker:
| Hi Lingopro, Thanks a lot for the speedy reply! Since you grade your level of confidence 4, are you familiar with the term or just translating? Thanks again |
| Thanks, but it seems to me that the Wikipedia is not definite about it – the term has quite a different meaning in the US and UK. |
| Well, in Israel “בחינות מתכונת” obviously count for the calculation of the final grade, providing students with “ציון מגן”. I’m inclined to go for “matric preliminary exam”, although most references to the term in Google are to the combined Matric Preliminary Examination conducted in India for selecting candidates for the Main Examinations for recruitment of clerks and stenographers to the Civil Service. I would like to know if it’s used in the US in its Israeli meaning. |
| Thanks again, Lingopro, and Gad, too. Apparently, you cannot bridge over linguistic gaps where there are cultural differences ... It seems that the notion of “בחינת מתכונת” or “בחינת מגן”, as it’s known here (since, as noted, it provides students with “ציון מגן”), is unfamiliar in other places. ‘Preliminary exams’ or ‘prelims’ refer to academic level screening exams. Anyway, ‘matric preliminary exam’ or perhaps ‘standardized preliminary exam’ may convey the idea. |
| The only problem is that “בחינות מתכונת” take place just before the matriculation, not at midterm, and serve a different purpose (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midterm_exam). What’s more, the Hebrew term “מתכונת” means ‘according to a certain standard or format’, namely the matriculation format, so that either ‘matric preliminary exam’ suggested by you or ‘standardized preliminary exam’ seem to be more suitable options, unless somebody comes up with another brilliant idea… |
| Thanks a lot, Lingopro, and you deserve a star for the determination :) |
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks a lot for your helpful advice, Lingopro.
Since it emerges from the discussion that there is in fact no parallel in foreign educational systems, I opted for an explanatory translation: ‘preliminary exam in the matriculation exam format (“Matkonet”)’.
"
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