From Albanian to French: without word-for-word traps

In Albania and Kosovo, gjimnazi refers to upper secondary education (equivalent to the French lycée, 3 years after compulsory school). In Metropolitan French, gymnase first evokes a sports hall. Note: in Romandy (French-speaking Switzerland), gymnase also means lycée, which reduces the trap for that audience. For France and Belgium, always translate as lycée.

Fakulteti in Albanian strictly designates the administrative unit of the university (Fakulteti i Drejtësisë = Faculty of Law). In French, faculté can also mean an aptitude (facultés intellectuelles), a sense absent in Albanian. To translate the Albanian sense, faculté on its own is correct, but composante d'université can be specified in administrative texts.

The word exists in both languages, but an Albanian or Kosovar diplomë universitare does not automatically equal a French diploma. Going through the ENIC-NARIC France Centre is mandatory to obtain an attestation de comparabilité. Cost 20 EUR on application, 100 EUR at evaluation, maximum 4-month delay. Without this attestation, the diploma remains a non-binding foreign document.

In Albanian, akt is almost exclusively administrative and legal: akti i lindjes (birth certificate), akti i martesës (marriage certificate). In French, acte also covers a deed (un acte courageux), a theatrical division (acte II), an archival piece. This polysemy is absent in Albanian, which can surprise translators.

In Albanian administrative usage, kabineti is above all the doctor's office (kabineti i mjekut) and the ministerial bureau. In French, cabinet also covers lawyer, notary, recruitment, and has an old-fashioned sense for toilets (aller au cabinet). To translate kabinet, specify cabinet médical or cabinet ministériel depending on context.

Senses are close, but collocations diverge. In Albanian medical usage, kontroll means a routine visit or check-up. In French, one would rather say consultation or examen médical. Conversely, French contrôle technique automobile is rendered as kontrolli teknik in Albanian. Adapt according to the domain.

Shefi in Albanian has a professional hierarchical sense (the boss, the director). The French culinary sense (chef cuisinier) is rendered as kuzhinier or shef kuzhine when precision is needed. The French military sense (chef de section) is rendered as komandant. Without specification, shef in Albanian always evokes the professional superior, never the cook.

In Albanian, profesori strictly designates a university professor, a title granted after habilitation. In French, professeur covers everything from middle school to university (professeur des écoles, professeur de collège). For the Albanian secondary level, the term is mësues (m.) or mësuese (f.). Frequent error: translating mësues as professeur tout court when enseignant or instituteur is needed depending on the level.

Magjistër in Albanian designates a master's (M2) degree holder. In French, magister is obsolete (a medieval title) and magistère refers to a very specific university qualification (a 3-year track after bac+2). Always translate magjistër as master or titulaire d'un master, never as the calques.

The legal sense is identical in both languages. But in French, avocat also designates the fruit (Persea americana), a polysemy absent in Albanian, where avokado is used for the fruit. Albanian learners regularly confuse the two in written French: "j'aime l'avocat" can mean either the fruit or the profession depending on context.