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French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Management | | French term or phrase: "on est aux prises" | | This talks about challenges facing managers of complex organisations. "Il est imperatif de planifier mais on est aux prises avec un degre d'incertitude eleve". I can think of various colourful translations of "on est aux prises" but I'd welcome suggestions ("caught on the horns of..."?) ...? |
|  Rimas BalsysKudoZ activityQuestions: 121 ( 1 open) ( 9 without valid answers) ( 3 closed without grading) Answers: 67
| Local time: 00:53
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| | grappling/wrestling with | Explanation:
Is there any particular reason for rejecting the same literal and metaphorical equivalents that we have in English?
"Une prise" is a "hold" in wrestling.
Hence the image is one of "grappling" or indeed "wrestling with".
Perhaps you think these are too "colourful", but I reckon if it is OK with the author to conjure up images of men in big pants rolling around on a mat, you can too :-)
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| Selected response from:
Charlie Bavington
Local time: 08:53
| Grading comment Actually, I think "wrestling with", "grappling with", "at grips with", "contend with", "deal with", "faced with" - if you look at them - are all the same thing but in decreasing order of oomph. I
(Though "faced with" is probably too weak.)
In my particular context (a fairly punchy marketing spiel) I think "wrestling with" works best, but any of several would work depending on the actual tone of the surrounding text.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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Automatic update in 00:
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3 mins confidence: 
10 mins confidence:  peer agreement (net): +2 we're looking at/facing
Explanation:
You can handle the colourful translations, so here's a down to earth one. Choice of verb depending on desired level of formality.
| siragui
Local time: 09:53
Native speaker of:  English
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13 mins confidence:
18 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +3 we are up against/we have to contend with
Explanation:
it is more than just "faced" which is passive. We are really up against this problem
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Note added at 18 mins (2007-10-29 09:23:27 GMT)
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even - we are struggling with
we are caught up in
| xxxCMJ_Trans
Local time: 09:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 38
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The translation workplace 
