Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
le pont passait par là et allait en face
English translation:
the bridge was here and crossed to the other bank
Added to glossary by
Tony M
Jul 1, 2017 09:21
6 yrs ago
French term
le pont passait par là et allait en face
Non-PRO
French to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Bonjour,
j'ai un peu de difficulté à traduire cette expression. Je vous donne toute la phrase:
Là-bas il y a la pile du pont Napoléon III, le pont passait pas là pour aller en face, il amenait les marchandises et les gens sur Nimes.
On parle donc d'un pont qui a été détruit, il ne reste plus que les piles. La personne qui parle est probablement d'un coté du fleuve et indique la pile avec le doigt.
Je ne sais pas comment traduire, c'est exprimé assez mal meme en français je trouve.
Je pensais peut-etre de changer un peu la phrase comme ça "the bridge was there and reached the opposite side".
j'ai un peu de difficulté à traduire cette expression. Je vous donne toute la phrase:
Là-bas il y a la pile du pont Napoléon III, le pont passait pas là pour aller en face, il amenait les marchandises et les gens sur Nimes.
On parle donc d'un pont qui a été détruit, il ne reste plus que les piles. La personne qui parle est probablement d'un coté du fleuve et indique la pile avec le doigt.
Je ne sais pas comment traduire, c'est exprimé assez mal meme en français je trouve.
Je pensais peut-etre de changer un peu la phrase comme ça "the bridge was there and reached the opposite side".
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +4 | the bridge was here and crossed to the other bank |
Tony M
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Change log
Jul 6, 2017 10:08: Tony M Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+4
37 mins
Selected
the bridge was here and crossed to the other bank
I'm sure it's clear enough when you have the images to go with.
However, the exact translation you need to use is going to depend on exactly what is shown. This could be one way of handling it; I think adding 'the other bank' is justified because of needing to use the verb 'cross' in EN; 'went' simply doesn't sound idiomatic.
Depending on what is indicated, it might be better to say 'the bridge started from her (or 'there') and...' or even 'this is the point (from) where the bridge crossed over to the other bank' — there are so many possible ways to handle it!
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Note added at 1 jour9 heures (2017-07-02 18:57:12 GMT)
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Obviously, you could equally easily say: 'the bridge went from here to the other side' — but I think that would be poor style, since 'go' is a very weak word to use for a bridge, especially when EN has so many more interesting possiiblities.
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Note added at 5 jours (2017-07-06 10:10:07 GMT) Post-grading
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You would almost certainly want to adapt the text according to the visuals, for example "This is where the bridge crossed the river, starting from those piles over there..." etc. etc.
However, the exact translation you need to use is going to depend on exactly what is shown. This could be one way of handling it; I think adding 'the other bank' is justified because of needing to use the verb 'cross' in EN; 'went' simply doesn't sound idiomatic.
Depending on what is indicated, it might be better to say 'the bridge started from her (or 'there') and...' or even 'this is the point (from) where the bridge crossed over to the other bank' — there are so many possible ways to handle it!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 jour9 heures (2017-07-02 18:57:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Obviously, you could equally easily say: 'the bridge went from here to the other side' — but I think that would be poor style, since 'go' is a very weak word to use for a bridge, especially when EN has so many more interesting possiiblities.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 jours (2017-07-06 10:10:07 GMT) Post-grading
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You would almost certainly want to adapt the text according to the visuals, for example "This is where the bridge crossed the river, starting from those piles over there..." etc. etc.
Note from asker:
| Thank you Tony! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
AllegroTrans
: or "used to be here...etc."
48 mins
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Thanks, C!
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| agree |
mrrafe
2 hrs
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Thanks, mrrafe!
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| agree |
janthenor
: agree
4 hrs
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Thanks, janthenor!
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| disagree |
GILLES MEUNIER
: Cross me semble insensé. Aller en face signifie qu'il menait de l'autre côté.....
19 hrs
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Why? That's obviously true — but in EN, we say that a bridge crosses a river from one bank to another. I can't see what you are complaining about? It's just a difference in the way things are expressed between FR and EN.
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| agree |
rokotas
1 day 19 hrs
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Thanks, rokotas!
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| agree |
chris collister
: Some might say that "crossed to the other side" is a bit redundant; after all, why build a bridge that doesn't?
1 day 23 hrs
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Thanks, Chris! Well, I'm assuming it fits with the images / gesture. Otherwise, presumably they'd have said "there used to be a bridge here".
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Discussion
Also, you have misquoted your text: pour aller en face and not et allait en face.