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The term "crossbreeding" is used on humans?

Here in the Wiki, maybe? there's a word used by Brittish, or even "half breeded" could suit as well?

I changed it to "mixed heritage". We also say "mixed race", but I don't think that's what he meant. Check out this wikipedia page.

Hi Kafetzou,

I think it's the first time we "meet".

In my humble opinion, the author is a french-cameroonian half cast and wishes to express his half cast's point of view on french literature.

I agree that the word "race" has nothing to do in a text abot a human being, as their is only one race, the human race.

Samanthalee,

Unfortunately, yes, "crossbreeding" also applies to human beings.

Francky

On dit "crossbred" et non "crossbreeded".

"crossbreed" can be used as an adjective, as in "crossbreed litterature", which is why I used this term in the first paragraph. When applied to such a domain, it loses its pejorative edge.

Bises à tous

Tantine

Hi Tantine - it's nice to "meet" you.

Like samanthalee, I have never heard the term "crossbred" or "crossbreed" used for human beings. Also, the term "crossbreed literature" (one "t" ) yields no results in a google search. Can you give a citation for this?

Half-caste refers to people in a place where there is (was?) a caste system, such as India.

It is naïve to say that race does not exist, particularly as a translator. Race is a HUGE issue in much of the world today. But in this case it is not relevant.

Is there a problem with the way I have edited your translation?

It seems it is turning into an Anglo/american debate about the proper term to be used (I'm glad I'm French, because we haven't got hundreds of expressions when talking about "métissage"!)
I'll let you argue; just one word about "literature" typed with two "t" which is kind of a typo Tantine certainly did, as she typed it correctly a few lines above...
(Then about "races" I think it is rather a wise reflexion than a naive one to say there's one race on earth, mankind, like we say ,about these reflexions you did,Tantine and kafetzou "vous en avez trop dit, ou pas assez", so maybe it would be interesting to develop respective points of views, by opening a topic in the French or English forum?)

I do not think this is a matter of the Anglo/American differences, Francky. I could not find any references on google for crossbreed or crossbred that did not refer to animals. That's why I asked for a citation. If it really does exist, I'm happy to be enlightened.

BTW, I've certainly heard "halfbreed" used (derogatorily) to refer to people.

Hi Kafetzou,

I would never dream of attempting a translation using google. I may be a little old fashioned, but I use dictionaries. Several at once usually, in order to cross check what I uphold. I also own up when I am wrong.

So concerning the word "crossbreed", I must admit that I muddled with "half-breed".
One point to you!

However, I get to be snide, arrogant and pernickety now, since you are going to have to admit that you make mistakes yourself:

Chamber's Combined Dictionary Thesaurus, 1995 edition, p.575:

"half-caste" (often offensive) - noun - a person having parents of different races, especially an Indian mother and European father. - adj. concerning or relating to half-castes. See also HALF-BREED.

Chamber's 20th Century Dictionary 1981 reprint 1972 edition, p. 587:

"half-caste, a half-breed, especially a Eurasian."

No mention in either of these dictionaries of either an exclusively Indian element, or any mention of the caste system.

The author of this text did not use politically correct euphemisms in speaking of his status of half-caste or half-breed, so nor did I. A translation must be just as loyal to the tone as to the text itself. I did not read “héritage mixte” in the original, I read “métissage”.

I would also like to know why you changed the adjectives pluri-cultural and trans-cultural? Both of these being valid words in the English language, by apposition of their respective prefixes, I do not see the reason for substituting them other adjectives. If these terms were good enough for the work I did for the UNESCO, I am sure that they are just as good for Poppy.

Bises

Tantine

I did not change the words to be nit-picky - I changed them to the only terms I have heard for these two concepts. In particular the word "pluricultural" sounds quite odd to me. Are you saying you used this word in your work with UNESCO?

I never said I used google to translate - I only said I used it to check whether a particular usage exists in modern parlance - it's actually quite good for that.

But being properly chastised, I have now scurried to my Oxford dictionary, which tells me that "cross-breed" is used only for animals or plants. For "half-breed" it says, "[offensive] a person of mixed race". I do not think that this person would want to refer to herself with an offensive term.

"transcultural" is given in the Oxford - the definition is "pertaining to or involving more than one culture; cross-cultural". I would still defend my choice, though, as it is the much more common term.

"pluricultural" is not in the Oxford. It really would surprise me if it were used in UNESCO work (in English).

As for "half-caste", my Oxford has the same definition as your Chambers. I doubt it's coincidence that the example has one Indian parent, although the meaning has apparently evolved a bit. Still, it is not used in North America at all.

BTW, I checked both the Canadian Oxford and the English Oxford - they agreed on all of the above.

P.S. Of course I make mistakes - LOTS of them! But I don't think I did here.