Lara Barnett Apr 8, 2021:

@ Connor I see the English use of Time and Position here due to standard technical terms carried across the channel with the former Europe/English connection, especially in forms and industrial communication where transport of goods was so easy and regular.

Maya ElAlaoui Apr 8, 2021:

Hi,

I agree that at this point the best thing to do is to confirm the abbreviations (bos and TOS) with your client, though I suspect you don't need to translate them. Many manufacturing/export forms are left as such in French companies. If we take look at the pictured tabs on the autodesk link I tried to post below, it's a mix of French and English, with élévations et coordonnées : COP, BOS etc. and what they stand for (in English.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/fr/support/autocad-plant-3d/l...

Conor McAuley Apr 7, 2021:

Well, English is creeping into the French language just about everywhere, mostly for the worse, I would say, but that's waaay off-topic!

I would almost always go down the "Ask the client"/"(unknown abbreviation)" note route, after searching on the internet of course.

Bashiqa Apr 7, 2021:

@ Asker
Re your comment
bos/tos
BOTTOM OF STACK/TOP OF STACK
bottom of sheet/top of sheet
Think you need to ask client.

John Farebrother (asker) Apr 7, 2021:

I'm not sure why some of the text on the report is in English.
But I have another one, almost identical, and this one has "TOS/000/2:20"

Conor McAuley Apr 7, 2021:

Nobody else has raised this issue, but is "Time" in English when the rest of the text is in French?

Time stamp would be horodatage.

Otherwise, bos = beginning of s...? (Guess.) If "Time" is in English, then why not "bos" too?

But it's really one where you have to ask the client or leave it as it is (in italics, maybe) with a note saying "(unknown abbreviation)". There is absolutely no shame in the latter approach.
This probable abbreviation is unlikely to be the key word in your text.

Lara Barnett Apr 6, 2021:

@Bashiqa I did not say that haphazardly entering information implied intentionally doing so!! It is commonly known that many doctors, engineers, etc can sometimes enter reported information quickly and without adhering to the "rules" of good writing, such as perfect grammar, capitals etc etc.... Why would my comment be implying anything more than that??

Lara Barnett Apr 5, 2021:

Position I suggested "company name" in my extra note of 15:05 hrs, following my mention of a place-name. Basically, I am sure that it refers to some sort of physical location, whatever that may be, as a response to "position", while "11.30" obviously responds to the "time" half of the phrase.

Sarah Bessioud Apr 5, 2021:

bos = position I don't believe bos is referring to a place name but to a location within the factory where this 'plaque' is inspected. I think John is right to believe it's a technical abbreviation. b = bande, perhaps? Difficult to know without more context...

Saeed Najmi Apr 5, 2021:

Were it for something technical, why is it associated with Time? Just wondering.

Sarah Bessioud Apr 5, 2021:

More context? It would help to know what the factory produces, What is the 'plaque', for example?

John Farebrother (asker) Apr 5, 2021:

I suspect it is a technical abbreviation

Saeed Najmi Apr 5, 2021:

Then Lara is right.

John Farebrother (asker) Apr 5, 2021:

Yes And after each introductory noun

Saeed Najmi Apr 5, 2021:

Is there a colon after Position/Time?