KudoZ home » French to English » Architecture

chassé-croisé

English translation: By a curious twist of fate

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:	chassé-croisé
English translation:	By a curious twist of fate
Entered by:	Miranda Joubioux

Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

14:19 Nov 25, 2011

French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Architecture

French term or phrase: chassé-croisé

Target=UK
Article for a magazine on architecture

Context:
Selon un curieux chassé-croisé : alors que le monde s’appliquait à confirmer ses thèses, on ne lisait plus Lefebvre

It's Friday, so maybe that's why I can't think of anything to use for this.

Lefebvre wrote a book at a time when nobody was listening to his theories and his only followers were his students, then certain events turned his book into a sort of bible that reinforced the protests at that period.
A lapse of time passed and his book was left by the wayside again.

I can only think of swings and roundabouts, but have come up with nothing really suitable.

Miranda Joubioux KudoZ activity Questions: 474 (none open) (46 closed without grading) Answers: 616
Local time: 18:04

By a curious twist of fate

Explanation:
Just a thought

Selected response from:

Andrew Mason
France
Local time: 18:04

Grading comment

This read really well, so I chose this.
I don't think in this particular context that it is possible to stay close to the orignial meaning of chassée-croise, which according to the FR dictionary means a reversal of situation, so this seemed the best English solution.
I was wary of using the word irony. Many thanks to everyone for your help on this one. Some of the answers may work in different contexts.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +3

irony

Pablo Strauss

4 +1

In an ironic twist

emiledgar

4 +1

as the tables curiously/strangely turned

LaraBarnett

all the fun of the fair

xxxBourth

strange/bizarre back-and-forth mentality (idea: What is it here? Do you like him or not?)

MatthewLaSon

confluence of events

Conor McAuley

comings and goings

1045

3 +1

turn of events

Chris Pott

3 +1

reversal of fortunes/of fate

Martin Cassell

2 +1

By a curious twist of fate

Andrew Mason

changing of horses

kashew

life can turn on a dime/sixpence

Verginia Ophof

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

By a curious twist of fate

Explanation:
Just a thought

Andrew Mason
France
Local time: 18:04
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

turn of events

Explanation:
Fits but perhaps too general.

Chris Pott
Local time: 17:04
Native speaker of:

English

23 mins confidence:

changing of horses

Explanation:
Or something from: dithering, hesitation, indecision, beating-around-the -bush, and crossing over.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 minutes (2011-11-25 14:52:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

How about TURNABOUT!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 36 minutes (2011-11-25 14:56:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or turnaround; via volte-face.

kashew
France
Local time: 18:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 57

46 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

reversal of fortunes/of fate

Explanation:
.

Martin Cassell
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:04
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Notes to answerer

Asker: This was a good one too, except that I didn't feel that fortune came into it and the usual expression is 'reversal of fortunes'. In another context it could well work.

55 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

irony

Explanation:
It's ironic that...

The most abused word in EN actually seems to fit here.

Pablo Strauss
Canada
Local time: 12:04
Native speaker of:

English

1 hr confidence:

comings and goings

Explanation:
* chassé-croisé, nom masculin
* pluriel: des chassés-croisés
* définition: mouvement de personnes qui se croisent sans
parvenir à se rencontrer
* anglais: comings and goings (toujours au pluriel)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 heure (2011-11-25 15:31:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Deuxième définition: Échange réciproque et simultané de deux
choses, deux situations ...

1045
Canada
Local time: 12:04
Native speaker of:

French

3 hrs confidence:

life can turn on a dime/sixpence

Explanation:
life is fleeting, it can turn on a dime and tables are turned.

"At cross-purpose (s)" also comes to mind

Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 10:04
Native speaker of: English

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

In an ironic twist

Explanation:
what it means

emiledgar
Belgium
Local time: 18:04
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

French

7 hrs confidence:

all the fun of the fair

Explanation:
Roll up, roll up, ladies and gents, see and smell our ferocious lions and tigers, marvel at the daring of the trapeze flyers, goggle at the bearded ladies ... http://www.cartes-france.com/cartesgrd/fbarbe.jpg

Not swings and roundabouts for me, but "a sort of see-saw movement" or even a "roller-coaster succession of events/phases".

Oh the grand old Duke of Lefebvre, he wrote an ignored book ... and when he was up it was down, and when he was down it was up ...

"Topsy-turvy" could be worked in too.

xxxBourth
Local time: 18:04
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 535

18 hrs confidence:

confluence of events

Explanation:
or

paradox

Due to...

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 18:04
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

15 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

as the tables curiously/strangely turned

Explanation:
This is from the expression, 'the tables turn'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2011-11-26 16:22:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"turn the tables (on someone)
Fig. to cause a reversal in someone's plans; to make one's plans turn back on one. I went to Jane's house to help get ready for a surprise party for Bob. It turned out that the surprise party was for me! Jane really turned the tables on me! Turning the tables like that requires a lot of planning and a lot of secrecy.
turn the tables (on somebody/something)
to change a situation so that someone's position is the opposite of what it was She turned the tables by playing a better game and recently has won most of her matches. Hendricks turned the tables on the media when he borrowed a camera from a TV crew and started filming. Dan was always the one in trouble, but now the tables are turned and he's doing very well."
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/turn the tables

LaraBarnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 15

2 days2 hrs confidence:

strange/bizarre back-and-forth mentality (idea: What is it here? Do you like him or not?)

Explanation:
Hello,

The meaning here, imho: se dit des mouvements qui changent constamment de direction sans donner de résultat.
http://www.diction-naire.com/definition/chasse-croise.html

I really enjoyed his back and forth mentality, attempting to make up his mind and act, yet being held back by an unseen force--I feel like this often!

http://www.amazon.com/Catch-ebook/product-reviews/B004XJ50BI

I'm not sure that the other answerers are really getting at the essence of the French here.

curieux = strange/bizarre (before an adjective)

I hope this helps.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2011-11-27 16:35:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

un chassé-croisé (here) = going everywhere or in opposite directions with the impression of going nowhere/or not to any real destination (movement in vain)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2011-11-27 16:42:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I thought of "all-over-the-place mentality", but since we're talking about "contradiction" (two attitudes), I would just opt for "back-and-forth".

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 12:04
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 16

Return to KudoZ list

Changes made by editors

Nov 25, 2011 - Changes made by Steffen Walter:
Field	Other => Art/Literary
Field (specific)	General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters => Architecture

KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

Overview

Latest translation questions

Ask a translation question

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

chassé-croisé

English translation: By a curious twist of fate

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

Answers

Sign in to your ProZ.com account...

Or create a new account

ProZ.com ideas

KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

chassé-croisé

English translation: By a curious twist of fate

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

Answers

Sign in to your ProZ.com account...

Or create a new account

ProZ.com ideas

KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.