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comment il les taille de sa curiosité

English translation: how he shapes them with his spirit

21:32 Feb 14, 2006
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Food & Drink / Brochures for an orchard
French term or phrase: comment il les taille de sa curiosité
This is a description of a festival that takes place annually at a fruit grower's orchard, including refreshments and a tour. People are visiting the production facility and then sitting down with the owner for a meal among the trees. I have translated this a few ways and am not convinced that I have captured the phrase properly. (It is a large project and my brain is starting to fry). Here is the sentence.

Et Mario leur raconte ses arbres, et ***comment il les taille de sa curiosité***, les nourrit de son appétit.

Your thoughts would be helpful.

MTIA
Elizabeth Lyons
United States
Local time: 03:03
English translation:how he shapes them with his spirit
Explanation:
I am not convinced "spirit" is appropriate. But I do think "shapes" is an acceptable translation of "taille" which sounds plausible in English.
IMHO, the orginal phrasing is one of those poetic things that people accept upon reading it that we translators, forced to understand every thought and word, expose as being meaningless drivel.

The more I think of it, the more I suggest it would be best to do a very "free" translation.
Selected response from:

Joshua Wolfe
Local time: 06:03
Grading comment
Thank you so much, here is how I phrased it in the final document sent:

And Mario tells them about his trees, and how, as he shapes them from his inquisitiveness, he feeds them with his enthusiasm.

All of you came up with good suggestions, but I believe Joshua eased my mind the most. I have not heard back from the client about it yet; I will pass along any comments because you all helped me so much.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1how he prunes them with his inquiring mind
sporran
2 +2how he shapes them with his spirit
Joshua Wolfe
3how his inquisitive mind affects his pruning
iol
2see sentence
Sandra Petch
1 -1how he cut the curiositious branches
IC --
1 -1How he cut the curious branches
IC --


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): -1
comment il les taille de sa curiosité
how he cut the curiositious branches


Explanation:
I think the curiosité here is kind of metaphore for tree branches that stretching toward all directions... Just guessing

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2006-02-14 21:45:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry, it should be

how he cut the curious branches



IC --
Local time: 12:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  chaplin: curiositious does not exist. A very big typo!! A good check in the dictionary is very useful sometimes
40 mins
  -> it was a typo
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): -1
comment il les taille de sa curiosité
How he cut the curious branches


Explanation:
curiosié: métaphore for branches

IC --
Local time: 12:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  chaplin: he cutS
38 mins
  -> Thanks
disagree  Joshua Wolfe: I don't think it is the branches that are curious
1 hr
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
comment il les taille de sa curiosité
how he prunes them with his inquiring mind


Explanation:
and feeds/nourishes them with his enthusiasm/love of life

a couple of ideas

sporran
France
Local time: 12:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
Notes to answerer
Asker: Sporran, this was another equally viable alternative that I could have used. Thank you for it!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  chaplin
3 mins
  -> thnaks Ségolène:-)
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
comment il les taille de sa curiosité
how he shapes them with his spirit


Explanation:
I am not convinced "spirit" is appropriate. But I do think "shapes" is an acceptable translation of "taille" which sounds plausible in English.
IMHO, the orginal phrasing is one of those poetic things that people accept upon reading it that we translators, forced to understand every thought and word, expose as being meaningless drivel.

The more I think of it, the more I suggest it would be best to do a very "free" translation.

Joshua Wolfe
Local time: 06:03
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you so much, here is how I phrased it in the final document sent:

And Mario tells them about his trees, and how, as he shapes them from his inquisitiveness, he feeds them with his enthusiasm.

All of you came up with good suggestions, but I believe Joshua eased my mind the most. I have not heard back from the client about it yet; I will pass along any comments because you all helped me so much.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sandra Petch: Couldn't agree more with your comment. So much of my work falls into that category!
10 hrs
  -> Thanks for your support (delay in my reply due to an inability to post responses till today)
agree  IC --: Indeed!! I enjoy your interpretation and open spirit!!!
11 hrs
  -> thank-you for the compliment! (delay in my reply due to an inability to post responses till today)
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
comment il les taille de sa curiosité
how his inquisitive mind affects his pruning


Explanation:
Well...a bit difficult ;..but I believe that's what he means...Always trying to find new methods of pruning and improve the results.

iol
France
Local time: 12:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
Notes to answerer
Asker: As you can see, iol, I did take your suggestion of inquisitiveness. I wish I could award points to all. Thank you so much.

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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
comment il les taille de sa curiosité
see sentence


Explanation:
A very loose interpretation!


And Mario tells them about his trees, about how they grow with him and his moods.

Sandra Petch
Local time: 12:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2
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