English translation: Or it acts as a shield to prevent the eye from looking directly at the blurry outlines.
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:
la vision directe des contours flous
English translation:
Or it acts as a shield to prevent the eye from looking directly at the blurry outlines.
French to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / Review on work of Visual Artist
French term or phrase:la vision directe des contours flous
This is a review/description of the work of a visual artist who uses phonograms (photographs of the frames of films), as the basis of his artwork. This section is discussing the effect his artwork has on the observer.
The context around this phrase is as follows:
"La multiplication des stimuli visuels perturbe le spectateur/lecteur qui ne sait plus où regarder, où se placer. Le texte ne coïncide pas nécessairement avec l’image. Il joue le rôle de paravent qui empêche LA VISION DIRECTE DES CONTOURS FLOUS devant lesquels il s’impose. Il s’agit chaque fois de faire la mise au point sur un des plans proposés."
I do not fully understand what the sentence is saying in terms of "contours flous" and "vision directe", therefore I cannot make a comprehensible translation from this, I have translated it so far as:
"It acts as a separation device, PREVENTING THE CLEAR VISION OF THE BLURRED OUTLINES in front of which it is imposing itself"
Explanation: Once again...get the idea, and write it yourself, anything else won't sound like English
I'm one for turning intellectual texts into something as simple and understandable as possible no matter which languages you work in. Otherwise you end up with something that sounds really odd. In the end, it all depends on your level of English. Read the text to yourself and you say, would I really say that ? It's impossible to not be subjective when translating.
basically : it separates the viewer from the blurry outlines
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2011-12-25 20:41:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Another translation.
Due to excessive visual information, the viewer/reader no longer knows where to look or from which angle to observe. The text doesn't necessarily go with the image. Its purpose is to create a kind of imposed filter that prevents the eye from looking directly at the blurry contours. It's about focusing on one aspect of the work.
the French use nouns where we would often use verbs - the screen effect hides the blurred outlines it stands in front of, removing them from our direct line of sight
Hi Lara, without seeing the artwork or knowing the artist this is difficult to interprete. From what you've given us it would seem to me that the text acts as a sort of screen or filter that hinders the spectator from focusing directly on the image 'behind' it. Not sure if that makes much sense? I imagine a sort of layering of images and text...
The standard English term would be 'screen' which is problematic here. "Separation device" sounds too mechanical here. Trying to think of something else...
Or 'phoTograms?
Phono is to do with sound, photo with light.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
38 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
direct vision of blurred outlines
Explanation: "La multiplication des stimuli visuels perturbe le spectateur/lecteur qui ne sait plus où regarder, où se placer. Le texte ne coïncide pas nécessairement avec l’image. Il joue le rôle de paravent qui empêche LA VISION DIRECTE DES CONTOURS FLOUS devant lesquels il s’impose. Il s’agit chaque fois de faire la mise au point sur un des plans proposés. »
What a nightmarish piece to translate !
The multiplicity of visual stimuli perturbs the viewer/reader who no longer knows quite where to look, where to be. Text and image do not necessarily coincide.
It = logically, the ‘image’ as the last named noun, but not sure that is in fact the case here. Indeed, I feel it is more likely to be referring to the text.
acts as a screen = need to be careful as screen here is for seeing when in fact this type of screen is for obscuring
blocking out/obscuring a direct view of blurred outlines of the image
In fact, it can only make sense if referring to the text blocking out part of the image. The ‘contours flous’ could not be in reference to the text, but to a solid form, thus image. If this is an acceptable understanding, it makes the original misleading in terms of grammar.
A suggested rendering, a very tentative suggestion at that ! :
« Text and image do not necessarily coincide. The text obscures access to a direct vision of what are blurred outlines it superposes. Each of the shots requires refocusing. “
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 42 mins (2011-12-25 17:23:07 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
O gawd, I can improve on that !
"... the text obscures direct visual access to the blurred outlines of the frame it conceals".
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr (2011-12-25 18:04:41 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I like superimposed. I had superposed in once version, a bit French!
Nikki Scott-Despaigne Local time: 07:42 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 6
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you. You make it sound easy.!
Asker: I liked cc comment and wanted to keep superimpose, I attempted: "The text obscures direct observation of the blurred outlines of the superimposed frame. " Would that work?
Or it acts as a shield to prevent the eye from looking directly at the blurry outlines.
Explanation: Once again...get the idea, and write it yourself, anything else won't sound like English
I'm one for turning intellectual texts into something as simple and understandable as possible no matter which languages you work in. Otherwise you end up with something that sounds really odd. In the end, it all depends on your level of English. Read the text to yourself and you say, would I really say that ? It's impossible to not be subjective when translating.
basically : it separates the viewer from the blurry outlines
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2011-12-25 20:41:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Another translation.
Due to excessive visual information, the viewer/reader no longer knows where to look or from which angle to observe. The text doesn't necessarily go with the image. Its purpose is to create a kind of imposed filter that prevents the eye from looking directly at the blurry contours. It's about focusing on one aspect of the work.
jasonwkingsley France Local time: 07:42 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 8
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
