Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
ont retenu par devers eux
English translation:
kept (to themselves)
Added to glossary by
Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
Oct 21, 2007 14:02
16 yrs ago
4 viewers *
French term
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Italian to English, and 1 more.
ont retenu par devers eux
French to English
Law/Patents
Law (general)
complaint
"il est manifeste que des representants de societes du groupe ont retenu par devers eux la contre-lettre (SIDE LETTER) que Maitre (X) leur avait adresse aux fins de signature et de regularisation conformement aux accords intervenus.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +1 | kept (to themselves) |
Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
|
| 4 +2 | maintained possession |
Michael Lotz
|
| 2 +3 | retained, held back |
cjohnstone
|
| 3 | have retained in their possession |
MatthewLaSon
|
Change log
Oct 29, 2007 14:57: Ghyslaine LE NAGARD Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
17 mins
Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
New Caledonia
New Caledonia
Native in French
&
English
Specializes in field
New Caledonia
Professional, reliable and confidential
Native in: French (Variant: Standard-France) , English (Variants: US, British)
Works in: English to French, French to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
40
Selected
kept (to themselves)
.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2007-10-21 14:29:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The Larousse - Chambers indicate: to keep something to oneself garder quelque chose pour soi
which is what "devers eux" (plural) means
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2007-10-21 14:31:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
so does the Larousse - Harrap's !
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2007-10-21 14:34:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Both Larouse - Chambers and Larousse - Harraps indicate for
par-devers soi "in one"s possession" which is kept !
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2007-10-21 14:29:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The Larousse - Chambers indicate: to keep something to oneself garder quelque chose pour soi
which is what "devers eux" (plural) means
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2007-10-21 14:31:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
so does the Larousse - Harrap's !
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2007-10-21 14:34:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Both Larouse - Chambers and Larousse - Harraps indicate for
par-devers soi "in one"s possession" which is kept !
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: refs?/Hachette and Larousse list keep in one's possession for garder/conserver quelque chose par-devers soi. to keep to themselves means they were being secretive about it and the French doesn't mean that at all.
1 min
|
| agree |
Attorney DC Bar
: Agree. See the following for an example that makes this clear. "...ait cru devoir, trois jours durant, retenir par devers eux, puis ne reveler que tres partiellement..."
5 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "point duly noted writeaway - but the context of the letter definitely shows that they were holding the letter back, so I just went with "kept" (less than "kept to themselves" but still....)
Thanks to all."
+2
26 mins
maintained possession
the expression "retenir par devers eux" is high register for maintaining possession, not releasing to another something.
examples of "par devers eux":
'Seuls les voyageurs non résidents sont autorisés à conserver par devers eux, pendant la durée de leur séjour en Tunisie, les devises importées pour faire face à leurs dépenses courantes."
OR
"leur sera délivré un bon avec lequel ils pourront de suite retirer cette même retenue qu’ils pourront alors garder par devers eux"
examples of "par devers eux":
'Seuls les voyageurs non résidents sont autorisés à conserver par devers eux, pendant la durée de leur séjour en Tunisie, les devises importées pour faire face à leurs dépenses courantes."
OR
"leur sera délivré un bon avec lequel ils pourront de suite retirer cette même retenue qu’ils pourront alors garder par devers eux"
Reference:
http://www.tunisie.com/economie/Changes.html
http://echo-fabrique.ens-lsh.fr/document.php?id=3600&format=search
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
writeaway
: as findable in various dictionaries
53 mins
|
|
thanks writeaway
|
|
| agree |
Valeska Nygren
11 hrs
|
|
thanks Valeska
|
+3
1 hr
cjohnstone
France
France
Native in French
&
English
Specializes in field
France
Experience and feel
Native in: French , English (Variant: British)
Works in: English to French, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
47
retained, held back
ideas, but as Writeaway said noy that clear
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
katsy
: I'd go with 'retained' - which leaves interpretation open as to whether they were trying to be secretive or not
35 mins
|
|
thks
|
|
| agree |
writeaway
: retained or mainted possession-there is nothing secretive in the French. just kept it in their possession
6 hrs
|
| agree |
Valeska Nygren
11 hrs
|
15 hrs
have retained in their possession
Hello,
I've seen it written like this before in legalese.
I hope this helps.
I've seen it written like this before in legalese.
I hope this helps.
Discussion