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15:51 Oct 6, 2009
French to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Government / Politics / Building new world governance
French term or phrase:privilèges brodés
In the sentence:
"Nous sommes compartimentés par des frontières qui nous ont soudainement été imposées, celles des passeports, celles qui divisent les têtes et les cœurs. Mais il y a aussi *les privilèges brodés* qui font toujours mal au peuple, cette vieille cicatrice toujours béante, notre autonomie éclatée, la fraternité entre nos peuples anéantie et l’harmonie millénaire avec la “Pachamama”, notre aimante terre mère, trahie…"
The document is talking about South American people overcoming historical resentments built on past injustice, domination, etc.
I can't get my head round what the author means here: is he referring to the many privileges enjoyed by the ruling classes from the conquistadors onwards, or being ironic, as in "we have the dubious privilege of being marked out for special treatment" type of thing....
Any help brainstorming this one greatly appreciated!
Explanation: Since it's talking about how they overcame the past injustices, my guess would be that it's refering to how the people came and granted themselves privileges out of the blue just because they felt like they were superior.
To me it seems like a way of putting together the privileges of those people with how they divided the lands without concerns for anything local... therefore, I'd say that he considers the privileges they had just as artificial as the unrealistic straigths lines they drew to divide south america as part as their own country's property.
But I might over analyze the text you provided so I rated it the way I did.
Thanks a lot for your help Ukyuu, invaluable! You did not at all over analyse the text - it's the sort of text that needs that sort of intelligent analysis. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Les privilèges de l'autonomie, de la fraternité, bradés par les conquérants... C'est une formulation un peu bizarre, mais déjà plus plausible, à mon avis.
Travelin Ann Local time: 21:51 Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: It is a nice turn of phrase, but I'm not sure if it fits: the privileges are innate to whom, those oppressing the indigenous peoples? Surely they would not be innate, but 'stolen', so to speak....
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 18 hrs (2009-10-07 10:29:16 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Sorry, but I do not agree with your disagreement.
It's correct to say that "it does not sound right in English". But please believe me: "privilèges brodés" does not sound right at all in French either.
So, I don't see the reason why the English translation should "sound right" when (purposedely or not), the original text does not !
Michel F. Morin France Local time: 03:51 Specializes in field Native speaker of: French PRO pts in category: 34
Notes to answerer
Asker: Michel, I have to agree with the "does not sound right", and in answer to your comment: surely one of our great challenges as translators is to render what "doesn't sound right" into something that does; the texts we translate may - and often do - sound like nonsense, but we cannot allow ourselves to hand back equally nonsensical words....harsh reality! Thanks anyway for your input.
51 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
priviléges brodés
artificial privileges
Explanation: Since it's talking about how they overcame the past injustices, my guess would be that it's refering to how the people came and granted themselves privileges out of the blue just because they felt like they were superior.
To me it seems like a way of putting together the privileges of those people with how they divided the lands without concerns for anything local... therefore, I'd say that he considers the privileges they had just as artificial as the unrealistic straigths lines they drew to divide south america as part as their own country's property.
But I might over analyze the text you provided so I rated it the way I did.
Ukyuu France Local time: 03:51 Native speaker of: English, French PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks a lot for your help Ukyuu, invaluable! You did not at all over analyse the text - it's the sort of text that needs that sort of intelligent analysis.
The translation workplace 
