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consulter la toile

English translation: to surf the web

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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	consulter la toile
English translation:	to surf the web
Entered by:	monbuckland

Options:
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14:07 May 21, 2008

French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

French term or phrase: consulter la toile

This is part of a text about an art work.
La nouvelle « société » nous plonge de plain-pied dans une relation avec le monde où les repères tangibles se font de plus en plus rares. On ne s’envoie plus de lettres, on préfère consulter la toile plutôt que de feuilleter un dictionnaire, on ne se sert plus d’une plume pour dire à un ami qu’il nous manque…

monbuckland KudoZ activity Questions: 201 (1 open) (5 without valid answers) (17 closed without grading) Answers: 54
Local time: 19:25

to surf on the web

Explanation:
... rather than flip through a dictionnary.

This is how I would put it.

Selected response from:

Arnaud d Halluin
France
Local time: 19:25

Grading comment

I like this one. Thanks to all who posted suggestions
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +12

the web = Internet = www

xxxCMJ_Trans

4 +2

to surf on the web

Arnaud d Halluin

check on the web

rossignol

web/network

Hélène Treloar

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

3 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +12

the web = Internet = www

Explanation:
we prefer to ask questions via ProZ rather than look things up for ourselves in a dictionary - sorry JOKE but I couldn't resist.
No names, no pack-drill

xxxCMJ_Trans
Local time: 19:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 211

13 mins confidence:

web/network

Explanation:
That's what it is

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2008-05-21 14:21:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

oops, not fast enough

Hélène Treloar
Local time: 12:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

French,

English
PRO pts in category: 4

44 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

to surf on the web

Explanation:
... rather than flip through a dictionnary.

This is how I would put it.

Arnaud d Halluin
France
Local time: 19:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: French

Grading comment

I like this one. Thanks to all who posted suggestions

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

Martin Cassell: pas "on" -- pour moi, cela le rend trop concret (comme "surf on a surfboard") // c'était pas pour critiquer -- il en est de même pour nous autres rosbifs qui osons profaner la langue de Molière !

12 mins

-> Certainement. Toujours ces sacrés idiomatismes qui nous échappent à nous, les non-natifs.

agree

jthink: the expression is simply "surf the web"

29 mins

-> Merci

agree

sdavidson

9 hrs

-> Thanks Shelley

neutral

Richard Nice: "consulter" implies one knows where to look, whereas surfing goes with the flow?

21 hrs

-> Thanks Richard. I agree with your point. My suggestion does not stick to the exact meaning of words but I believe the parallel between "surfing the web" and "flipping through a dictionnary nicely reflects the idea of the author.

6 hrs confidence:

check on the web

Explanation:
Instead of taking the time to write to a friend, or check words on a dictionary, nowdays, one prefers to check things on the W.W.W . Internet

rossignol
United States
Local time: 10:25
Native speaker of:

French,

English

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Changes made by editors

May 21, 2008 - Changes made by Tony M:
Level	PRO => Non-PRO

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consulter la toile

English translation: to surf the web

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consulter la toile

English translation: to surf the web

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Answers

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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.