French: Dire que la LRA existe depuis des décennies.English translation: (And) to think that ... 
KudoZ The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators ... More  |
|
| GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW) | | French term or phrase: | Dire que ... | | English translation: | (And) to think that ... | | Entered by: | Bianca AH |
| Options:
- Contribute to this entry |
French to English translations [PRO]
Linguistics / Use of infinitive (here) | | French term or phrase: Dire que la LRA existe depuis des décennies. | I'm confused about the use of the infinitive in this short sentence. Some context:
"Mais pour autant dire que la raison fondamentale est le pillage des richesses congolaises, Kampala se tait. Dire que la LRA existe depuis des décennies. Plus exactement depuis 1998 que ce group armé défi Museveni ..."
So far I've simply translated the sentence as:
"The LRA have been around for decades, since 1988 to be precise when ..."
What I'd really like is an explanation of the use of the infinitive here.
TIA! |
| | Clarification request(s) and responseGeorges Tocco: 12:41pm Oct 24, 2005: i believe ther might not be a period after decennies but a comma. What is the rest of the sentence?
-
Bianca AH: 12:43pm Oct 24, 2005: Georges - I've pasted the sentence exactly as it appears in the ST. Might be worth mentioning that this is from a Kinshasa-based newspaper.
Philippe Boucry: 12:44pm Oct 24, 2005: I think there should be an exclamation point after "décennies" -
Bianca AH: 12:45pm Oct 24, 2005: Philippe - I think that the "Mais pour autant dire" means "But as far as" (...is concerned). That's how I've translated it anyway.
Bianca AH: 12:45pm Oct 24, 2005: Philippe - I think that the "Mais pour autant dire" means "But as far as" (...is concerned). That's how I've translated it anyway.
Bianca AH: 12:48pm Oct 24, 2005: Georges - The rest of the sentence (though I don't know if it makes any difference ;op): "...défi Museveni que est arrivé au pouvoir à la suite d'un coup d'Etat en 1986.
|
|
| | Selected response from:
 Philippe Boucry
France
| Note from asker to answererMerci Philippe :o)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
|
4 mins confidence:   peer agreement (net): +5 |
| When you think that...
Explanation:
"Dire que..." is colloquial in French.
| irat56
France
Native speaker of:  French
PRO pts in category: 4
|
|
|
| |
The translation workplace 
