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French to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Electronics / Elect Eng / Lighting
French term or phrase:chenillard
The passage below comes in a patent regarding a "guirlande lumineuse", which I propose to translate as "lighting chain". A "chenillard" is normally a track-laying vehicle and the image is clear and explained in the text. Apparently it is also used in the plural, in the context of recording, to mean "sound bars". I don't think I can say "an optical effect of the track-laying vehicle [or sound-bar] type". Any other suggestions?
L'animateur peut ... alimenter alternativement une sortie puis une autre et allumer ainsi une série d'ampoules puis une autre, ce qui crée un effet optique du type **chenillard** qui donne l'impression que la lumière avance le long de la guirlande lumineuse.
Explanation: In the exact context you give, it is clear they are talking about what we call a 'chaser effect' --- by lighting the lamps in sequence, you get the impression the light is moving along --- you know, the sort of thing you see on Christmas tree lights, theatre/cinema displays etc.
On the other hand, I have serious misgivings about your 'lighting chain' --- to me as a lighting engineer, that would NOT immediately suggest the 'guirlande lumineuse' you are seeking to translate, and would in fact suggest to my mind something completely different.
I'm racking my brains to think of the exact equivalent term, though I suspect in fact that one does not actually exist in English.
In a Christmas decorations context, we would call them 'fairy lights'
In disco lighting and similar applications, these types of things are often enclosed (for safety and convenience) inside a plastic tube (more or less flexible) --- in such instances, they are called a 'ropelight'
But in other applications, I can't for the life of me think of a single, dedicated term; I would describe it as a 'string of multi-channel chaser lights', but that seems terribly cumbersome! Maybe you could use it the first time, and thereafter refer to it simply as 'light string'
It all depends a bit, too, on what your patent is actually FOR? As far as I know, these kinds of thing have existed for a very long time, so I presume this must be some new and original feature? Is it the actual string of lights itself, or is it maybe the controller for them? The generic name for this type of controller, which can often produce various different (more or less complex) patterns of 'moving lights', is a 'sequencer'
Hope this is some help!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 13 mins (2005-01-26 11:08:05 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I think in almost all other contexts (municipal festive street lighting, etc...), we would talk about a \'string of lights\' --- certainly in layman\'s terms, but in all my years in lighting, I can\'t think of having heard a more technical term.
I know we're supposed to wait 24 hours before grading, but your answer was so exactly what I needed that I'm awarding you points now. You're right, the patent concerns the sequencer ("animateur"). I've also adopted your "light string" solution. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Gillian, see my note to Dusty's answer concerning the "guirlandes" :-)
11:23 Jan 26, 2005
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
7 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
a crawling optical effect/perception
Explanation: je le verrais comme ça ;-)
Francis MARC Local time: 10:52 Native speaker of: French PRO pts in category: 134
11 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
chaser
Explanation: In the exact context you give, it is clear they are talking about what we call a 'chaser effect' --- by lighting the lamps in sequence, you get the impression the light is moving along --- you know, the sort of thing you see on Christmas tree lights, theatre/cinema displays etc.
On the other hand, I have serious misgivings about your 'lighting chain' --- to me as a lighting engineer, that would NOT immediately suggest the 'guirlande lumineuse' you are seeking to translate, and would in fact suggest to my mind something completely different.
I'm racking my brains to think of the exact equivalent term, though I suspect in fact that one does not actually exist in English.
In a Christmas decorations context, we would call them 'fairy lights'
In disco lighting and similar applications, these types of things are often enclosed (for safety and convenience) inside a plastic tube (more or less flexible) --- in such instances, they are called a 'ropelight'
But in other applications, I can't for the life of me think of a single, dedicated term; I would describe it as a 'string of multi-channel chaser lights', but that seems terribly cumbersome! Maybe you could use it the first time, and thereafter refer to it simply as 'light string'
It all depends a bit, too, on what your patent is actually FOR? As far as I know, these kinds of thing have existed for a very long time, so I presume this must be some new and original feature? Is it the actual string of lights itself, or is it maybe the controller for them? The generic name for this type of controller, which can often produce various different (more or less complex) patterns of 'moving lights', is a 'sequencer'
Hope this is some help!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 13 mins (2005-01-26 11:08:05 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I think in almost all other contexts (municipal festive street lighting, etc...), we would talk about a \'string of lights\' --- certainly in layman\'s terms, but in all my years in lighting, I can\'t think of having heard a more technical term.
Tony M France Local time: 09:52 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 1427
Grading comment
I know we're supposed to wait 24 hours before grading, but your answer was so exactly what I needed that I'm awarding you points now. You're right, the patent concerns the sequencer ("animateur"). I've also adopted your "light string" solution.
6 hrs confidence:
processionary, or "light processionary"
Explanation: By way of a fanciful suggestion, like a chain of pine processonaries, a sort of furry caterpillar that moves in linked chains across the ground to invade another tree.
IanDhu France Local time: 09:52 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
