Non-ProZ.com Sep 2, 2004:

FWIW, after examining the UN terminology database (http://157.150.197.21/dgaacs/unterm.nsf) it looks like they consistently use different Arabic terms for three distinct senses of "survey". 1. Geological (oceanagraphic, atmospheric, etc.) survey = ���; 2. Enumeration/list compilation of e.g. property ownership = ���; 3. everthing else (i.e. acquiring various data via inquiry) = ������. So it looks like Moushira was right after all; sorry about that! ;)

Moushira El-Mogy Sep 1, 2004:

����� ������� is good too but it is more used for numbers. population etc...

Non-ProZ.com Sep 1, 2004:

Hmmm. I can see arguments for each suggestion proposed so far. I've also seen ����� ������� , which prompted this query, because it seems to narrow.

As for ����� ���������, I admit that Moushira's examples use it like "survey". But could it not be construed as simply "thorough, detailed study" or the like? In other words, it doesn't _necessarily_ imply use of data collection techniques characteristic of surveys. On the other hand, ��� seems to combine the sense of "land survey" and the broader sense of "survey", as in English.