Anne Bohy Apr 28, 2010:

In French-from-France, the equivalent of "ménagère" (in the context of this ad) would be "employée de maison". Not sure what is the best translation in English.

chris collister Apr 28, 2010:

Excellent piece of research... so "housekeeper" gets it (with a 33% chance of being right). Less PC (but maybe acceptable in the context) would be "maid" or "housemaid".

Carruthers (X) Apr 28, 2010:

you're right bohy. ST translations is nearest the mark.

Anne Bohy Apr 28, 2010:

Recherche Google... En effectuant une recherche dans les pages francophones (pas France !) avec la chaîne 'une ménagère' je suis tombée sur une offre d'emploi dont voici un extrait : "
Cameroun/Douala/Offres d'Emploi/Autres
A88850: recherche d'une menagere urgent
Signalez un abus sur cette annonce [ 2010-03-19 ] - [ 2010-04-02 ] - 638 hits

je recherche urgemment une menagere quelque soit l'age propre aimant les enfants,les horaires sont de 12h a 21h30 a bonamoussadi si vous etes interresser vous pouvez me joindre au..."
Hope it helps!

canaria (asker) Apr 28, 2010:

The document dates from 5 years ago.

Anne Bohy Apr 28, 2010:

Particularités linguistiques de Belgique... La République démocratique du Congo a été une colonie belge. Il ne faut pas oublier ce point.
Ceci me rappelle un acte d'état civil (naissance) de la région de Liège, datant du XIXe siècle, où le métier d'une mère célibataire était "ménagère". Un généalogiste que j'avais consulté m'avait dit qu'il fallait comprendre "femme de ménage", ce qui semblait tout à fait plausible pour cette fille sans ressources. Je ne sais si cette particularité linguistique a toujours cours en Belgique ?

chris collister Apr 27, 2010:

Housewife...? It's only we in the affluent West who have become obsessed with euphemising anything with which we are vaguely uncomfortable. My highly educated mum was very happy to be described in Cambridge as a housewife, which she considered an important task. Who's to say that modern Congolese women aren't the same?

Philippa Smith Apr 27, 2010:

That is a beautiful language - what is it?
My instinct still says she's a "Bean a(n) Ti": I imagine the scenario as, she had to write down something in the "occupation" box for the marriage formalities, didn't have a paid, office-or-other job, runs her home, so puts down "ménagère"... I've never seen it mean a hired "home help", only 'aide ménagère".

Travelin Ann Apr 27, 2010:

I would still like to know if the marriage certificate is of recent date. I've just spent quite a bit of time working with similar official documents, from the mid-20th century, and a woman not employed outside the home is often classified as "at home" or "domestic."

Philippa Smith Apr 27, 2010:

probably not a housekeeper I really don't the think the "housekeeper'" avenue is valid: someone can be a "menagère" without actually being married - her (unpaid) job is looking after the home and probably kids 'n all, which she could be doing in an unmarried state.

Travelin Ann Apr 27, 2010:

I agree that housewife may be considered old-fashioned, but housewife/domestic/homemaker/at home are often used in official documents.

Is the marriage certificate of recent date?

canaria (asker) Apr 27, 2010:

Country of origin is Democratic Republic of Congo. I know what it means, obviously, but somehow, housewife doesn't fit the bill for 2 reasons - 1, it's an old fashioned term, and 2, she wouldn't have been any kind of wife before marriage, let alone a housewife.

Travelin Ann Apr 27, 2010:

Country of origin of the s/t will help us help you.
Thanks.