Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy. | GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW) | | French term or phrase: | implantation de sociétés de chasseurs-pêcheurs-cueilleurs déjà bien informées de leur présence, loin vers l'orient | | English translation: | colonies of hunters-gatherers-fishermen who were already well aware that neolithic communities existed far to the East | | Entered by: |   Yolanda Broad |
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French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Archaeology | | French term or phrase: une forte implantation de sociétés de chasseurs-pecheurs-cueilleurs | I am confused about the last part of this sentence (between asterisks) of an archaeological text.
Toutes les stèles repérées en son sein, témoignent seulement d'une étape chronologique antérieure à 4300 ans av. J.-C., période formative précédant la construction des premières tombes à couloir, première période de développement de la tumulation funéraire après que des populations néolithiques en provenance du Bassin parisien se soient installées sur les terres fertiles des loess d'Armorique, vers 4900, et *qu'elles aient rencontré sur les rivages une forte implantation de sociétés de chasseurs-pecheurs-cueilleurs déjà bien informées de leur présence, loin vers l'orient.*
I understand all the words, but it is the pronouns that I am confused about. I am not sure who is informed about whose presence, and what is far to the east. Note that this text was judged to be poorly written by a native French speaker and editor. |
| Jeanne ZangKudoZ activityQuestions: 1402 ( 3 open) ( 35 without valid answers) ( 15 closed without grading) Answers: 132
| Local time: 12:02
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| | who were already well aware that neolithic communities existed far to the East | Explanation:
OR who were already well aware that neolithic societies/colonies existed far to the East
It’s true that this text is really badly written. I get the impression that it may be (at least partially) a translation.
The main point is to realize that, as Chemoumi said, << The pronoun "elles" refers to the "populations néolithiques" >>.
Also, note that « après que des populations néolithiques se soient installées » continues in the subjunctive tense with « (_après_) qu'elles aient rencontré... ».
Here is a quick fairly literal translation of the last section:
<< ... the first period of development of burial tumuli after neolithic populations [OR communities/ peoples?] from the Paris area had settled in the fertile loess land of Armorica around 4900 [BC], in the coastal areas of which they had encountered [OR come across] well-established colonies/communities/societies of hunters-gatherers-fishermen who were already well aware that neolithic communities/societies existed far to the East [?]. >>
It’s clear that it was the << sociétés de chasseurs-pecheurs-cueilleurs >> who were informed about the presence/existence of the neolithic communities. For clarity, I would add “neolithic communities/societies ” towards the end of the last sentence.
As we know, French authors avoid such repetition like the plague - thereby often creating confusing, entangled sentences, whereas, in English, we add such repetition if it is necessary for the sake of clarity.
In fact, for the sake of clarity, I would probably divide up this confusing, overloaded sentence into two or three sentences.
It’s true that the text is not very clear as to what is “far to the East”.
I think it means that the << sociétés de chasseurs... >> were previously aware of the fact that the << populations néolithiques >> were present in _other_ areas far to the East, even before these neolithic peoples came to the coastal areas of Armorica.
I also find it difficult to convey << forte implantation de sociétés de chasseurs-pecheurs-cueilleurs >>. Implantation is often settlement or colony, but _settlement_ as such is often not usually very appropriate for hunter-gatherers, and I’m not sure if colony is totally appropriate.
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| Selected response from:
Peter McCavana
Local time: 18:02
| Grading comment Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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1 hr confidence: 
1 hr confidence:  peer agreement (net): +3 and they encountered on the banks a strong implantation of hunter-fisherman-picker societies
Explanation:
already well-aware of their presence, far to the East.
In other words:
- the hunter societies were aware of the neolithic populations (mentioned earlier, and also the "they" at the beginning of the marked paragraph).
- these neolithic populations were far to east from the hunter societies. Their presence=the presence of the neolithic societies
I hope it helps...
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The translation workplace 
