Whether on the radio, on TV, or in the news more broadly, one topic just won’t go away—at least not anytime soon: tariffs.
As it happens, a number of our clients are affected by tariffs, so naturally, we find ourselves translating content on the subject. What may not be obvious is the behind-the-scenes discussion that took place before choosing the French equivalent of this seemingly straightforward term.
That’s because the word tarifs in French isn’t actually the most accurate translation of the English word tariffs! If you check a dictionary, you’ll find that tarif in French means “a table showing the amounts of duties to be paid,” or “a list of fixed prices for certain goods or services.” The term tarif douanier refers collectively to the full schedule of taxes imposed on imported goods. But when referring to individual taxes, the more accurate term is droit de douane. Droit translates back into as English as either “tariff” or “duty,” depending on regulatory context and preference, hence the potential confusion for translators.
Even the Grand dictionnaire terminologique of the OQLF cautions against confusing the two—before acknowledging that, in practice, the distinction is often blurred.
That means that translation teams have a decision to make when it comes to choosing the most appropriate translation for tariffs. Should we aim for semantic precision and use the exact term (droits de douane), or prioritize clarity by choosing the term that’s more widely recognized (tarifs douaniers)?
As is often the case in translation, there’s no single right answer. What matters is asking the right questions, and being able to explain your choice if needed. At Larrass, we’ve chosen the second option. Another team might decide differently. That’s the beauty (and the complexity) of language!
