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Just a simple question : what is the best way to translate screen ratio in French?

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3 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

In general, we'll use format d'image, or if context is clear, only format. For example:

Écran de résolution 1600 x 900 et de format 16:9.

If you want to emphasize that it's a ratio, you can also use rapport d'aspect or rapport de l'image.

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No, this is technically wrong. It might be understood by the general public, but format de l'image would be the file format (i.e. JPEG, PNG…) if talking about computer files. Format de l'image is the proper term for the ratio only in the context of cinema. Considering screen ratio places us most likely in the first category. – MattiSG Sep 9 '12 at 15:15
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This might be one of the "across the pond" differences, because everywhere I look in Canadian references give me format d'image for computer monitors. It's also universally used by people. – Kareen Sep 9 '12 at 15:41
The OP didn't mention this, but his profile says he's from Quebec, so a Canadian answer is probably the right one. – Jefromi Sep 9 '12 at 15:44
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@RomainVALERI Je ne parlais pas d'une image, mais de l'image projetée par l'écran, comme on parle de l'image projetée par un téléviseur. Les boutiques électroniques indiquent d'ailleurs bien format d'image ou de l'image dans la liste des caractéristiques des écrans qu'elles ont à vendre. – Kareen Sep 11 '12 at 0:33
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Dans le contexte spécifique d'une image de télévision, effectivement, la confusion n'est pas possible. Par contre, cette idée n'est pas présente dans la question initiale, et en informatique le choix du terme image introduit une confusion qui peut probablement être évitée. – Romain VALERI Sep 11 '12 at 7:07
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up vote 1 down vote

The technical term is “ratio d'aspect”.

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It's just an Anglicism. Rapport d'aspect is just as technical and is based on French words. – Stéphane Gimenez Sep 15 '12 at 15:20
@StéphaneGimenez No, rapport d'aspect is not technically correct, while ratio d'aspect is. Compare the academic results for both searches: rapport d'aspect brings up mostly results about physical objects, and no result in French-only pages. Ratio d'aspect, on the other hand, brings French-specific results, almost all fitting the described context. – MattiSG Sep 15 '12 at 17:03
From what I could see in these pages, I don't think the distinction between physical or projected objects is relevant in any way. Google Scholar on French documents (even though google counts are often completely wrong) gives 30 times more results for "rapport d'aspect" (1120) than for "ratio d'aspect" (33). Google Scholar statistics are against you. – Stéphane Gimenez Sep 15 '12 at 17:17
@StéphaneGimenez No, they aren't. They simply display non-French results on "rapport d'aspect". Take a look at the right column and try to click on “Rechercher les pages en français”, it won't work. Moreover, this argument would be nonsense anyway: I am saying the term is technically wrong for the given meaning. That does not preclude it from being technically correct in a different, more often used, context. – MattiSG Sep 15 '12 at 17:28
Btw, if it's “not technically correct”, then it means something different. How is it different? – Stéphane Gimenez Sep 15 '12 at 17:31
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up vote 0 down vote

Wikipedia suggests format d'image. Another, maybe more technical term, could be rapport d’aspect, analogous to rapport d'aspect de pixel.

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Downvoter: care to explain? – Frank Sep 11 '12 at 8:14
I did downvote (after your comment, though. I always justify them ;) ), because rapport d'aspect is not technically correct. See my comment above about comparing academic search results: rapport d'aspect brings up results mostly about physical objects, and no result in French-only pages. Ratio d'aspect, on the other hand, brings French-specific results, almost all fitting the described context. – MattiSG Sep 15 '12 at 17:05
I don't see you point, more than half of those few “ratio d'aspects“ are used for physical objects as well. Anyway "rapport d'aspect" together with "pixel" yields 95 results where "ratio d'aspect" yields 15… – Stéphane Gimenez Sep 15 '12 at 17:27
@MattiSG: While I do not agree, I appreciate that you (contrary to the two previous downvoters) explained your motivation. :) – Frank Sep 15 '12 at 20:47
I could imagine downvoting if I perceived this was the exact Kareen answer reposted (HTH). – Nikana Reklawyks Nov 2 '12 at 22:25

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