déjà

English translation: begin by, in a context comparing two options where "deja" is used to preface a suggestion

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	déjà
English translation:	begin by, in a context comparing two options where "deja" is used to preface a suggestion
Entered by:	FigMint

00:07 Jul 26, 2005

French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Tech/Engineering - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / general language question

French term or phrase: déjà

Is the 'déjà' here totally redundant? If not, what does it convey? I am afraid I have no more context at all - the passage below stands entirely alone!

Essayer déjà manuellement d'indexer en manouvrant en avant ou en arrière les chaînes d' avance couvercles en débloquant les Ring Block des pignons .
(ou uniquement le Ring Block de la chaîne à régler) .
Une fois la chaîne en position, bloquer le Ring block

French2English KudoZ activity Questions: 1536 (7 open) (8 without valid answers) (21 closed without grading) Answers: 117 United Kingdom
Local time: 20:30

begin by

Explanation:
As in, begin by doing it this way, leaving the possibility of doing it some other way...

Selected response from:

FigMint
Local time: 21:30

Grading comment

Makes sense to me! Thanks
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +7

begin by

FigMint

4 +3

comment

Bourth (X)

First, try this:

sarahl (X)

Start by.................

Anne McKee

At first.

Juan Jacob

Answers

19 mins confidence:

déjà (in this context) At first.

Explanation:
Luck.

Juan Jacob
Mexico
Local time: 13:30
Native speaker of:

Spanish,

French

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

déjà (in this context)

begin by

Explanation:
As in, begin by doing it this way, leaving the possibility of doing it some other way...

FigMint
Local time: 21:30
Native speaker of:

English

Grading comment

Makes sense to me! Thanks

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

déjà (in this context) comment

Explanation:
It's not totally redundant. As suggested, it implies "start by(doing ...)", and can be said to imply that this first action will not be successful (but is worth doing - having a go at - anyway; you never know your luck). It seems a little familiar for written French.

In less formal, spoken English, it might be conveyed by "try anyway", or "have a go at (doing ...)".

Is "attempt doing" any more pessimistic than "try doing"?

Bourth (X)
Local time: 21:30
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 204

1 hr confidence:

déjà (in this context) First, try this:

Explanation:
agree with Alex, they're implying it's probably not going to help.

sarahl (X)
Local time: 12:30
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 21

4 hrs confidence:

déjà (in this context) Start by.................

Explanation:
A possibility

Anne McKee
Local time: 21:30
Native speaker of:

English

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déjà

English translation: begin by, in a context comparing two options where "deja" is used to preface a suggestion

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déjà

English translation: begin by, in a context comparing two options where "deja" is used to preface a suggestion

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