on a tendu la ou les planchettes

English translation: the panel or panels were tensioned using

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:on a tendu la ou les planchettes
English translation:the panel or panels were tensioned using
Entered by: angela3thomas

00:00 Jul 12, 2017
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Archaeology / ancient art
French term or phrase: on a tendu la ou les planchettes
Hi again!
DOC: 1907 Museum catalog of ancient Egyptian mirrors. Catalog entry.
CONTEXT: 44101. Boîte à miroir. - Bois et ivoire. - (pl. XXIII). [....] TECHNIQUE. Le corps de la boîte, en bois de sycomore, est formé d'une planchette de fond découpée à la forme voulue, et de planchettes latérales de 4 à 5 millimètres d'épaisseur assemblées avec de la colle de boyau.
Pour la partie ronde de la paroi, ***on a tendu la ou les planchettes*** par un moyen qui ne devait pas différer de ceux de nos jours. La partie ligneuse du couvercle est, comme le fond de la boîte, une planchette unique de 5 millimètres d'épaisseur, découpée suivant le contour voulu. End of paragraph.
Color pic: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vsTHNyj6BK8/VaYHwjyjTuI/AAAAAAAAsj...
ATTEMPT: For the round portion [-of the wall?], the small boards were stretched? using a method which is no different from the methods of our day.
ISSUE: la ou? That's what it says but it must be wrong!
Thank you in advance for any guesses as to what's missing as my author is long dead -- asking is out of the question.
angela3thomas
United States
the panel or panels were tensioned using
Explanation:
la ou les = the (one or several) — very common construction in FR! In EN, we can make it simpler by saying 'the panel(s)'

'planchette' = small, flat piece of wood; given the way the curved walls of this round box have been made, i.e. not from one strip of wood bent, but from several smaller pieces arranged around a curve, I think 'panel' is appropriate; or 'segment' if you prefer, though that's not strictly geometrically correct!

And 'tendu' only means 'stretched' in mainly everyday senses; clearly, they must be referring to the way the panels were held together for glueing, so 'tension', while not strictly speaking technically accurate (they would in fact have been held in compression!), will give the right general idea.

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Note added at 6 heures (2017-07-12 06:59:53 GMT)
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Mmrafe has raised an interesting point: maybe these are after all single strips of wood bent around the circular shape? That would be consistent with the use of 'planchette' (like a tiny plank!) — BUT I am curious as to why the author should then have used the verb 'tendu'? I'd have thought there were many other verbs available in FR for 'bending' in this way before getting to 'tendre'; unless there is some suggestion that they are actually 'sprung' into place; all depends, I guess, on the exact constructional method used.

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Note added at 5 jours (2017-07-17 16:41:46 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

tendre / tendu is common everyday language, by no means confined to specific technical fields — a bungee cord is a 'tendeur'; 'tensioning' is just a more specific usage, perhaps less common in everyday language.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 08:40
Grading comment
la ou les -- I don't remember coming across it before, if I did, it didn't phase me. Georgesitis?
Thank you all so much for the incredibly valuable feedback.
However, "tendu"/ "tensioning" doesn't qualify as a pro translation? I've never used tensioning before in my whole life, but then I don't speak carpentry! I'm just grateful you three do.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4the panel or panels were tensioned using
Tony M


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the panel or panels were tensioned using


Explanation:
la ou les = the (one or several) — very common construction in FR! In EN, we can make it simpler by saying 'the panel(s)'

'planchette' = small, flat piece of wood; given the way the curved walls of this round box have been made, i.e. not from one strip of wood bent, but from several smaller pieces arranged around a curve, I think 'panel' is appropriate; or 'segment' if you prefer, though that's not strictly geometrically correct!

And 'tendu' only means 'stretched' in mainly everyday senses; clearly, they must be referring to the way the panels were held together for glueing, so 'tension', while not strictly speaking technically accurate (they would in fact have been held in compression!), will give the right general idea.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 heures (2017-07-12 06:59:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Mmrafe has raised an interesting point: maybe these are after all single strips of wood bent around the circular shape? That would be consistent with the use of 'planchette' (like a tiny plank!) — BUT I am curious as to why the author should then have used the verb 'tendu'? I'd have thought there were many other verbs available in FR for 'bending' in this way before getting to 'tendre'; unless there is some suggestion that they are actually 'sprung' into place; all depends, I guess, on the exact constructional method used.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 jours (2017-07-17 16:41:46 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

tendre / tendu is common everyday language, by no means confined to specific technical fields — a bungee cord is a 'tendeur'; 'tensioning' is just a more specific usage, perhaps less common in everyday language.

Tony M
France
Local time: 08:40
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 96
Grading comment
la ou les -- I don't remember coming across it before, if I did, it didn't phase me. Georgesitis?
Thank you all so much for the incredibly valuable feedback.
However, "tendu"/ "tensioning" doesn't qualify as a pro translation? I've never used tensioning before in my whole life, but then I don't speak carpentry! I'm just grateful you three do.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  mrrafe: I think "bent" describes the panels; there are several methods, in which the tension/compression/stretching is only temporary. http://www.wikihow.com/Bend-Wood
1 hr
  -> I'm aware of these techniques, but at the same time, 'tendu' is a curious word to use for bending something like this.
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