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détenait...les leviers

English translation: was in control

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:détenait...les leviers
English translation:was in control
Entered by: emiledgar

21:02 Feb 14, 2008
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - History / History Book
French term or phrase: détenait...les leviers
Contexte:

"Le moine cistercien Bernard d'Aquis Salvia fut élu pape sous le nom d'Eugène III en 1145. L'ordre cistercien **détenait** ainsi, nous dit (professeur), avec Suger à Paris et Eugène III à Rome, **les leviers** des décisions politiques de l'Occident."

Does this mean the the Order "put a check on" or "controlled" the political decisions?

Merci!

femme
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 08:16
was in control
Explanation:
They controlled the situation. To "hold the levers" is to control the situation.
Selected response from:

emiledgar
Belgium
Local time: 14:16
Grading comment
Thanks for confirming my translation!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3was in control
emiledgar
5 +1had its hands on the levers of power
Christopher Crockett
4pulled the strings/pushed the buttons
Emma Paulay


  

Answers


45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
was in control


Explanation:
They controlled the situation. To "hold the levers" is to control the situation.

emiledgar
Belgium
Local time: 14:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thanks for confirming my translation!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  rkillings: As in 'held the reins', if you're looking for an analogous metaphor.
7 mins
  -> Yes, thank you.
agree  Attorney DC Bar: of policy-making...
9 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Jack Dunwell: Louis VII, to gain support for the 2nd Crusade, turned to Bernard , Cistercian, founder of Clairvaux, where Eugenius III had been one of his monks. Abbot Suger, the King's adviser, was against him going. Bernard, the Cistercian took complete "CONTROL
2 days 18 hrs
  -> Merci.
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
pulled the strings/pushed the buttons


Explanation:
If you want to keep a similar metaphor

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 14:16
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 26
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
had its hands on the levers of power


Explanation:
The whole premise of the sentence is quite false, of course.

Suger was *NOT* a Cistercian [which should be capitalized in English], but rather a Benedictine.

So, the Cistercians did not "have their hands on the levers of power" in both Paris (St. Denis was just outside the walls of the city) and Rome.

But, this author is *so* sloppy (to say nothing of Just Plain Wrong), you might as well use the English expression which most closely parallels the French.

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 08:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 100

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mary Carroll Richer LaFlèche: very powerful!!
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Mary Carroll
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