0
edits
French Letter Writing Guide: Difference between revisions
Added category
(Importing text file) |
(Added category) |
||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
* Determine exactly where your ancestor was born, married, or died. Because most genealogical records were kept locally, you will need to know the specific town where your ancestor's records were kept. See the [[Tracing Immigrant Origins]] Research Outline from the Family History Library for help in finding hometowns. | * Determine exactly where your ancestor was born, married, or died. Because most genealogical records were kept locally, you will need to know the specific town where your ancestor's records were kept. See the [[Tracing Immigrant Origins]] Research Outline from the Family History Library for help in finding hometowns. | ||
* Determine if the Family History Library has records from the area where your relative lived. The best sources of information in French-speaking areas are records of births, marriages, and deaths kept by civil registration offices (or parishes in Quebec). The library has microfilmed these records for many localities, but not all. Use the Family History Library Catalog to determine what records are available through the Family History Library and Family History Centers. If records are available from the library or Family History Centers, it is usually faster and more productive to search these records first. The library's [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/5c88dff7c1e3927d2e0e8bd4e46782d6 France Research Topics], [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/0da240e3af32c68a676e4347891cabc4 Canada Research Topics], and [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/1232e565b7e24453f14ed12a6648abe7 Quebec Research Topics ]explain how to research records at the library or at Family History Centers. If the records you want are not available at these locations, you can use the research outlines to help you decide what records to search. Write to the Family History Library (35 North West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-3400) for the addresses of nearby Family History Centers, or go to www.familysearch.org.<br | * Determine if the Family History Library has records from the area where your relative lived. The best sources of information in French-speaking areas are records of births, marriages, and deaths kept by civil registration offices (or parishes in Quebec). The library has microfilmed these records for many localities, but not all. Use the Family History Library Catalog to determine what records are available through the Family History Library and Family History Centers. If records are available from the library or Family History Centers, it is usually faster and more productive to search these records first. The library's [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/5c88dff7c1e3927d2e0e8bd4e46782d6 France Research Topics], [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/0da240e3af32c68a676e4347891cabc4 Canada Research Topics], and [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/1232e565b7e24453f14ed12a6648abe7 Quebec Research Topics]explain how to research records at the library or at Family History Centers. If the records you want are not available at these locations, you can use the research outlines to help you decide what records to search. Write to the Family History Library (35 North West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-3400) for the addresses of nearby Family History Centers, or go to www.familysearch.org.<br> | ||
* Determine where records from your ancestor's hometown are stored today. Records for smaller localities may be kept with records of a nearby larger community. You can use a gazetteer to determine which community serves your ancestor's locality in France, Belgium, or Luxembourg. For help locating records, see the library's research outline for France. For help locating parish records in Quebec, see the library's research outlines for Canada and Quebec. | * Determine where records from your ancestor's hometown are stored today. Records for smaller localities may be kept with records of a nearby larger community. You can use a gazetteer to determine which community serves your ancestor's locality in France, Belgium, or Luxembourg. For help locating records, see the library's research outline for France. For help locating parish records in Quebec, see the library's research outlines for Canada and Quebec. | ||
| Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
Address the envelope to: | Address the envelope to: | ||
Monsieur le Président <br | Monsieur le Président <br>(Name of the society) <br>(Address) <br>(Postal code) (Town) <br>(NATION) | ||
Names and addresses of researchers for hire can be found in genealogical periodicals. | Names and addresses of researchers for hire can be found in genealogical periodicals. | ||
| Line 53: | Line 53: | ||
Civil registration offices. (France, Belgium, and Luxembourg only.) Address the envelope to: | Civil registration offices. (France, Belgium, and Luxembourg only.) Address the envelope to: | ||
Monsieur l'officier de l'état-civil <br | Monsieur l'officier de l'état-civil <br>Mairie de (Town) <br>(Postal code) (Town) | ||
'''FRANCE, BELGIUM, or LUXEMBOURG''' | '''FRANCE, BELGIUM, or LUXEMBOURG''' | ||
| Line 63: | Line 63: | ||
=== France === | === France === | ||
Monsieur le Directeur <br | Monsieur le Directeur <br>Archives départementales <br>(Postal code) (Town) <br>FRANCE | ||
=== Belgium === | === Belgium === | ||
Monsieur le Directeur<br | Monsieur le Directeur<br>Archives de la Province<br>(Postal code) (Town) | ||
'''BELGIUM''' | '''BELGIUM''' | ||
| Line 73: | Line 73: | ||
Catholic parishes. (Quebec only.) | Catholic parishes. (Quebec only.) | ||
Address the envelope to<br | Address the envelope to<br>Monsieur le Curé <br>(Town), Québec | ||
'''CANADA''' (Postal code) | '''CANADA''' (Postal code) | ||
| Line 89: | Line 89: | ||
An easy and inexpensive way to send money to Europe or Quebec from the United States is to telephone Ruesch International Financial Services at 800-424-2923. Ask for an international bank draft for the equivalent of $10 (or another amount) in either Canadian dollars or Belgian, Luxembourg, Swiss, or French francs. There is a $2 service charge. Have the check made payable to the organization you are contacting (the Paroisse [parish] in Quebec). Ruesch will give you a transaction number to write on your payment check. Send the payment to: | An easy and inexpensive way to send money to Europe or Quebec from the United States is to telephone Ruesch International Financial Services at 800-424-2923. Ask for an international bank draft for the equivalent of $10 (or another amount) in either Canadian dollars or Belgian, Luxembourg, Swiss, or French francs. There is a $2 service charge. Have the check made payable to the organization you are contacting (the Paroisse [parish] in Quebec). Ruesch will give you a transaction number to write on your payment check. Send the payment to: | ||
Ruesch International Financial Services <br | Ruesch International Financial Services <br>International Division, 10th floor <br>1350 Eye Street N.W. <br>Washington, DC 20005 | ||
When they receive your payment, Ruesch will promptly send you a foreign currency draft (check) you can mail to Europe or Quebec. | When they receive your payment, Ruesch will promptly send you a foreign currency draft (check) you can mail to Europe or Quebec. | ||
| Line 129: | Line 129: | ||
Be brief and simple. Do not ask for more than one or two pieces of information in a single letter. | Be brief and simple. Do not ask for more than one or two pieces of information in a single letter. | ||
The following English-to-French translations will help you compose your letter. Read the sentences in English and choose those that best express what you want to say. Alternative phrases are shown in double brackets (« »). Be sure that your sentences are arranged logically. You may want to write your letter first in English using the following sentences, then replace the sentences with their French translations. However you proceed, make sure you type or neatly print your letter and, when necessary, add any diacritical marks and special characters (such as à, â, ç, é, è, ê, ë, î, ï, ô, ö, û, ù) with a pen. | The following English-to-French translations will help you compose your letter. Read the sentences in English and choose those that best express what you want to say. Alternative phrases are shown in double brackets (« »). Be sure that your sentences are arranged logically. You may want to write your letter first in English using the following sentences, then replace the sentences with their French translations. However you proceed, make sure you type or neatly print your letter and, when necessary, add any diacritical marks and special characters (such as à, â, ç, é, è, ê, ë, î, ï, ô, ö, û, ù) with a pen. | ||
'''Gender'''. Three of the words in the French translations need to match your gender. The words are intéressé(e), obligé(e), and reconnaissant(e). The feminine ending is listed in parentheses. If you are a man, use intéressé, obligé, and reconnaissant. If you are a woman, use intéressée, obligée, and reconnaissante. | '''Gender'''. Three of the words in the French translations need to match your gender. The words are intéressé(e), obligé(e), and reconnaissant(e). The feminine ending is listed in parentheses. If you are a man, use intéressé, obligé, and reconnaissant. If you are a woman, use intéressée, obligée, and reconnaissante. | ||
| Line 140: | Line 140: | ||
{| class="plain" | {| class="plain" | ||
| | |- | ||
| | | January <br> | ||
| | | janvier <br> | ||
| | | July <br> | ||
| juillet <br> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| February | | February | ||
| Line 173: | Line 174: | ||
'''Letter to a Genealogical Society''' | '''Letter to a Genealogical Society''' | ||
'''English ''' | '''English''' | ||
'''French''' | '''French''' | ||
| Line 229: | Line 230: | ||
(fill in your name and address) | (fill in your name and address) | ||
=== Letter | === Letter to Professional Researcher === | ||
'''English ''' | '''English''' | ||
'''French''' | '''French''' | ||
| Line 253: | Line 254: | ||
5. Would you be able to research the ancestors of the husband? «the wife?» «both spouses?» | 5. Would you be able to research the ancestors of the husband? «the wife?» «both spouses?» | ||
5. Pensez-vous que vous pourriez rechercher les ancêtres de l'époux? «l'épouse ?» «des époux?» | 5. Pensez-vous que vous pourriez rechercher les ancêtres de l'époux? «l'épouse ?» «des époux?» | ||
6. I would like to find all the children of each family as well as the children's death dates when they died under the age of eight years. | 6. I would like to find all the children of each family as well as the children's death dates when they died under the age of eight years. | ||
| Line 277: | Line 278: | ||
11. If I use your services, it is my intention to pay you with a draft in converted currency. Please tell me the name to write on the draft. | 11. If I use your services, it is my intention to pay you with a draft in converted currency. Please tell me the name to write on the draft. | ||
11. Si je décide d'employer vos services, je compte vous payer par mandat international en monnaie de votre pays. Veuillez bien me dire le nom de la personne à qui le mandat doit être libellé ! | 11. Si je décide d'employer vos services, je compte vous payer par mandat international en monnaie de votre pays. Veuillez bien me dire le nom de la personne à qui le mandat doit être libellé ! | ||
12. Please find enclosed three international reply coupons for return postage. | 12. Please find enclosed three international reply coupons for return postage. | ||
| Line 297: | Line 298: | ||
=== Letter to Civil Registration Office === | === Letter to Civil Registration Office === | ||
'''English ''' | '''English''' | ||
'''French''' | '''French''' | ||
| Line 310: | Line 311: | ||
{| class="plain" | {| class="plain" | ||
|- | |||
| my father | | my father | ||
| mon père | | mon père | ||
| Line 344: | Line 346: | ||
|} | |} | ||
<br | <br>3. (Supply pertinent information) | ||
3. (Supply pertinent information) | 3. (Supply pertinent information) | ||
| Line 536: | Line 538: | ||
[Use these sentences in follow-up letters as needed.] | [Use these sentences in follow-up letters as needed.] | ||
'''English ''' | '''English''' | ||
'''French''' | '''French''' | ||
| Line 566: | Line 568: | ||
Date 20 juillet 1994 | Date 20 juillet 1994 | ||
Addressee Monsieur l'officier de l'état-civil<br | Addressee Monsieur l'officier de l'état-civil<br>Mairie de Nulle Part<br>67999 Quelque Part<br>FRANCE | ||
Greeting Monsieur l'officier de l'état-civil, | Greeting Monsieur l'officier de l'état-civil, | ||
| Line 590: | Line 592: | ||
Signature | Signature | ||
Return Address Jane Doe<br | Return Address Jane Doe<br>674 "Q" Street<br>Salt Lake City, UT 84103<br>USA | ||
[[Category:France]] | |||