Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
au profit de
English translation:
in favour of
French term
United States
Legal / Contracts / Business / Technical
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: French to English
au profit de
Certificat ci-après annulé suite à la vente aux enchères de 4 600 actions au profit de M. [NAME].
For "au profit de," my first guess is that the named person won the auction, but the more I come across it the more I want to double check with you all. In the context it seems highly unlikely that it is some sort of charity/benefit auction for this person, but it's giving me the runaround so I could use some help.
Thanks!
| 5 | in favour of |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
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| 5 +4 | to |
Jennifer Levey
|
| 4 +3 | for/on behalf of |
philgoddard
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| 3 | for the benefit of |
Bashiqa
|
Oct 7, 2011 20:46: Tony M changed "Term asked" from "au profit de (this context)" to "au profit de"
Non-PRO (2): Rob Grayson, Evans (X)
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Proposed translations
Psychologist, Court-certified legal
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English
in favour of
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Note added at 4 hrs (2011-10-08 01:15:00 GMT)
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I can see where an ambiguous reading may be made of this one. The meaning is no doubt clearer if you bear in mind that the "vente" is "au profit de", that the sale is for someone's benefit, i.e., the person who receives the proceeds from the sale, thus the titleholder whose certificate has been cancelled.
Put more simply, X has sold his shares and received the proceeds of sale.
The potential ambiguity arises when you consider that "profit" in terms of benefit may arguably be attributed to the purchaser who has acquired the shares. You may think that it is a question of standpoint and that the idea of benefit depends on whose shoes you are in.
My reading is in line with Phil Goddard's reading, that there is no ambiguity in fact and that the benefit is for the one who receives the money (vendor) and not the one who has acquired the shares (purchaser).
When describing who has benefitted from a sale, commercial contexts consider into whose hands fall the proceeds, who has gained financially.
| neutral |
Jennifer Levey
: Re your note at 4 hrs: The certificate wouldn't be concerned with who has 'gained financially' - that would be unknown when the certificate is issued, and variable with time.
4 hrs
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I have not used gain in that sense but - as I state - in the ordinary commercial sense of "proceeds of sale". The certificate relates to title of course. I had hoped to clarify things with my additional note but perhaps I've done the contrary?!
|
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
for/on behalf of
| agree |
Rebecca Davis
47 mins
|
| agree |
Gabriella Bertelmann
: agree
3 hrs
|
| agree |
AllegroTrans
14 hrs
|
for the benefit of
Chile
Human-scale Globalization
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
to
vente aux enchères de 4 600 actions au profit de M.
-->
sale by auction of 4,600 shares to M.
or
sale to M, by auction, of 4,600 shares
The complicated bit is not forgetting to put the comma separator 'twixt the thousands groups (assuming you want UK English conventions).
| agree |
John Detre
12 mins
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Thanks John :)
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| agree |
Marian Vieyra
3 days 8 hrs
|
| agree |
Simo Blom
3 days 18 hrs
|
| agree |
writeaway
: imo this answer was best for the context. no additional interpretative innuendos not in the Fr /I have a text with transfer of risks 'au profit de' -to works really well. French can be so flowery...
2275 days
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Discussion
"Transfert d'actions suite à la cession d'actions au profit de
M. [NAME 1] par M. [NAME 2]"
I *really* appreciate the help. It seems that it would be obvious to a native speaker and I just can't grasp it.
Solde du certificat n° 13 après cession de 5000 actions au
profit de M. [NAME].
Does this change anything? Was he transferrring or receiving the transfer? Does this shed more light on the original term? Another context in this document:
"Nantissement au profit de [COMPANY] (2004)"
I really appreciate your help, I just feel like the possible translations mean the exact opposite of one another so I want to know which it is!