Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
officier de l\'état civil / agent de l\'état civil
English translation:
Civil Registrar (UK)/Registrar of Vital Statistics (US) // Civil Registry Officer
Added to glossary by
Elizabeth Niklewska
Nov 18, 2021 13:36
2 yrs ago
74 viewers *
French term
United Kingdom
More than 10 years' experience
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, French to English, Polish to English
officier de l'état civil / agent de l'état civil
French to English
Law/Patents
Law (general)
In the signature and stamp bit of a birth certificate from the Republic of the Ivory Coast
L'officier de l'état civil
L'agent de l'état civil
signature
name of offiical
I would usually translate these in the same way (e.g. Civil Registrar or registrar of Vital Statistics (USA) or official - for both agent and officier - of the Office of Vital Statistics (USA)) , but these must represent different positions, because one has been crossed out. Also, I would not use "agent" in English, as this is a "false friend".
I can't find anything in French indicating the difference in status / role that these play.
L'officier de l'état civil
L'agent de l'état civil
signature
name of offiical
I would usually translate these in the same way (e.g. Civil Registrar or registrar of Vital Statistics (USA) or official - for both agent and officier - of the Office of Vital Statistics (USA)) , but these must represent different positions, because one has been crossed out. Also, I would not use "agent" in English, as this is a "false friend".
I can't find anything in French indicating the difference in status / role that these play.
Change log
Nov 18, 2021 21:36: Yolanda Broad changed "Term asked" from "L\'officier de l\'état civil / L\'agent de l\'état civil " to "officier de l\'état civil / agent de l\'état civil "
Proposed translations
+6
11 mins
Conor McAuley
France
France
Native in English
Specializes in field
France
Excellence, Expertise & Experience
Native in: English (Variants: Irish, British, Wales / Welsh, UK, Scottish)
Works in: French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
210
French term (edited):
L'officier de l'état civil / L'agent de l'état civil
Selected
Civil Registrar (UK)/Registrar of Vital Statistics (US) // Civil Registry Officer
I think this clearly make a distinction regarding seniority.
Definition - Civil status registry | Inseehttps://www.insee.fr › metadonnees
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13 oct. 2016 — The mayor is the de facto ***civil registry officer,*** but may delegate his or her functions to a deputy, to a municipal councillor or to a ...
TCTerms – Encargado del Registro Civil (English)https://www.translatorscafe.com › qu...
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23 mars 2020 — I usually say ***Civil Registry Officer***. 3/22/2020 8:19 PM Katarina Peters. Disagree. A register office or The General Register Office, ..
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Note added at 17 mins (2021-11-18 13:54:09 GMT)
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Vital Statistics Officer:
Related Links - Responses to Information Requests ...https://irb-cisr.gc.ca*** › rir › Pages
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To obtain a copy of an attachment, please e-mail us. ... The date, location and signature of the ***vital statistics officer (officier de l'état civil)*** appear ...
FAQs • Burlington County, NJ • CivicEngagehttps://www.co.burlington.nj.us*** › Faq
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... but can also be obtained from the ***Vital Statistics Officer*** in the municipal jurisdiction of the death location, or by contacting the New Jersey ...
chargé d'état civil | French to English | Law (general) - ProZ.comhttps://www.proz.com › kudoz › law...
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7 sept. 2010 — In addition to these U.S. requirements for adoptive parents, ... will have to satisfy the ***Vital Statistics officer*** of your good faith for .
For me, "official" doesn't sound right.
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Note added at 48 mins (2021-11-18 14:25:01 GMT)
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To Elizabeth:
L'officier de l'état civil = Registrar of Vital Statistics: YES.
L'agent de l'état civil = Officer of the Office of Vital Statistics? NO, just "Officer of Vital Statistics" or "Vital Statistics Officer".
I think "officier" "outranks" an "agent". Usually in these things you see "powers delegated to" such and such a person (the "agent"), but obviously not here.
Obviously most mayors of big municipalities are too busy to do these kinds of things themselves.
Definition - Civil status registry | Inseehttps://www.insee.fr › metadonnees
Traduire cette page
13 oct. 2016 — The mayor is the de facto ***civil registry officer,*** but may delegate his or her functions to a deputy, to a municipal councillor or to a ...
TCTerms – Encargado del Registro Civil (English)https://www.translatorscafe.com › qu...
Traduire cette page
23 mars 2020 — I usually say ***Civil Registry Officer***. 3/22/2020 8:19 PM Katarina Peters. Disagree. A register office or The General Register Office, ..
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2021-11-18 13:54:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Vital Statistics Officer:
Related Links - Responses to Information Requests ...https://irb-cisr.gc.ca*** › rir › Pages
Traduire cette page
To obtain a copy of an attachment, please e-mail us. ... The date, location and signature of the ***vital statistics officer (officier de l'état civil)*** appear ...
FAQs • Burlington County, NJ • CivicEngagehttps://www.co.burlington.nj.us*** › Faq
Traduire cette page
... but can also be obtained from the ***Vital Statistics Officer*** in the municipal jurisdiction of the death location, or by contacting the New Jersey ...
chargé d'état civil | French to English | Law (general) - ProZ.comhttps://www.proz.com › kudoz › law...
Traduire cette page
7 sept. 2010 — In addition to these U.S. requirements for adoptive parents, ... will have to satisfy the ***Vital Statistics officer*** of your good faith for .
For me, "official" doesn't sound right.
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Note added at 48 mins (2021-11-18 14:25:01 GMT)
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To Elizabeth:
L'officier de l'état civil = Registrar of Vital Statistics: YES.
L'agent de l'état civil = Officer of the Office of Vital Statistics? NO, just "Officer of Vital Statistics" or "Vital Statistics Officer".
I think "officier" "outranks" an "agent". Usually in these things you see "powers delegated to" such and such a person (the "agent"), but obviously not here.
Obviously most mayors of big municipalities are too busy to do these kinds of things themselves.
Note from asker:
| Yes, you a right about officer not official So, you suggest L'officier de l'état civil = Registrar of Vital Statistics L'agent de l'état civil = Officer of the Office of Vital Statistics? |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Manoj Chauhan
: Exactly
7 mins
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Thanks!
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| agree |
philgoddard
43 mins
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Thanks Phil!
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| agree |
Samuël Buysschaert
50 mins
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Merci Monsieur!
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| agree |
AllegroTrans
: Avoid "Vital Statistics" which is virtually meaningless (and confused with ladies' measurements) outside USA - country-neutral option is much better
2 hrs
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Thanks Chris! "Vital Records Registrar" and "...Officer" are used, which I like as "international English" options. Then you always have "Births, Marriages, Civil Unions and Deaths..." if you want to be 100% clear.
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| agree |
Yolanda Broad
7 hrs
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Thanks Yolanda!
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| agree |
Katarina Peters
10 hrs
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Thanks Katarina!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for the answer and the context given. Discussion reference also helped."
2 hrs
Adrian MM.
Austria
Austria
Native in English
Specializes in field
Austria
Retd.T&I, Barrister & Austro-Advokat
Native in: English (Variants: British, Scottish) 
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, French to English, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
359
French term (edited):
L'officier de l'état civil / L'agent de l'état civil
Superintendent Registrar / Deputy Officer of Births, Marriages and Deaths (E&W)
Beware of the ambiguity of Vital Statistics and 'Civil' - namely polite - Registrars who, as we had been chided for at school in the Home Counties, may not always keep a 'civil tongue in their heads'.
Ref: "deputy officer” means a deputy superintendent registrar, a deputy registrar of births and deaths or a deputy registrar of marriages
Ref: "deputy officer” means a deputy superintendent registrar, a deputy registrar of births and deaths or a deputy registrar of marriages
Example sentence:
IATE: officier de l'état civil en Superintendent Registrar administrative law Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths
En deuxième lieu, la réhabilitation doit porter sur la formation des agents de l'état civil. Secondly, rehabilitation must cover the training of civil registration officials.
Reference:
http://iate.europa.eu/search/result/1637250182274/1
http://context.reverso.net/traduction/francais-anglais/agent+de+l'état+civil
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: These are anglocentric translations which, like Vital Statistics, should, imo, be avoided in favour of country-neutral renderings
9 mins
|
1 day 6 hrs
Robert Miki
Cameroon
Cameroon
Native in French
&
English
Works in field
Cameroon
19 years of apt sense translating
Native in: English (Variants: British, Canadian, US) , French (Variants: Standard-France, African, Cameroon, Canadian)
Works in: French to English, English to French
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Civil Status Registrar / Civil Status Secretary
In terms of hierarchy, the former (usually the mayor or deputy or another delegated official) is the manager/boss of the latter.
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Note added at 1 day 6 hrs (2021-11-19 19:53:42 GMT)
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In those days, the calligraphers did most of the writing. Today, the Secretary does most of the writing and apposition of stamps while the Registrar vets and signs the documents.
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Note added at 1 day 6 hrs (2021-11-19 19:53:42 GMT)
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In those days, the calligraphers did most of the writing. Today, the Secretary does most of the writing and apposition of stamps while the Registrar vets and signs the documents.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: I would not call an "agent" a secretary, much more likely to be a clerk
2 hrs
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Yes, an office clerk is a secretary (typist) as opposed to an executive assistant/secretary
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Discussion
Programme de modernisation de l'état civil en Côte d'Ivoire
(Ministère de l'intérieur - Session de formation des officiers et agents de l'état civil)
http://jafbase.fr/docAfrique/CotedIvoire/Cote-dIvoire-état c...