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French to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Mechanics / Mech Engineering
French term or phrase:chaînages
This is talking about a machine called a 'fardier', used to transport heavy items:
'Aujourd'hui, c'est hydraulique, mais à l'époque, il faut rappeler que c'était à la main, avec de gros 'crics', avec des *châinages* manuels, c'était très pénible, avec des chevaux évidemment qui tiraient les fardiers'.
Explanation: I see no reason to think chaînages means anything other than chaînes. You might consider "systems of chains" however.
Your fardier could well be a dray, originally a sled(ge), susbsequently a solidly-built cart for hauling heavy loads, such as a brewer's dray. Probably etymologically related to the horses pulling said drays, draught horses.
Note however that contrary to French, English does not in my experience use the old term for modern fardiers.
It sounds like a chain hoist, but I am not confident enough to suggest it as an answer. By the way, I think a fardier is a cart.
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Answers
39 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
chains
Explanation: I see no reason to think chaînages means anything other than chaînes. You might consider "systems of chains" however.
Your fardier could well be a dray, originally a sled(ge), susbsequently a solidly-built cart for hauling heavy loads, such as a brewer's dray. Probably etymologically related to the horses pulling said drays, draught horses.
Note however that contrary to French, English does not in my experience use the old term for modern fardiers.
xxxBourth Local time: 20:48 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 802
Grading comment
I used 'systems of chains'; thank you for the idea!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Bourth; I was wondering if the 'chaînages' might have been some kind of clamps used to secure cargo onto the 'fardier', but I believe they are just chains after all. Thanks too, Marco, for your input!
1 hr confidence:
heaving on chains
Explanation: I think it says châinages' rather than just 'châines' becaue it is implying an action - that of pulling on chains to hoist stuff onto the fardier.
Given that the author is trying to convey the arduous nature of the work in past times, I suggest:
avec des *châinages* manuels
-->
with men heaving on chains
BTW: as Bourth suggests, a fardier is a device for carrying heavy loads, derived from 'fardeau' = 'load' (and, incidentally, a 'fardo' in Spanish, pronounced the same as in French, is a bale, as in bale of hay, cotton or whatever).
xxxmediamatrix Local time: 14:48 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 99
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
