apprivoiser

English translation: tame/domesticate/dependent

17:29 Aug 13, 2006
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / literature
French term or phrase: apprivoiser
I need a translation of this term when used for humans, not animals or inanimate objects.
I do not like "tame". The best I found is "to win over", can anyone suggest something better that captures the French meaning? I am reading-- at my daughter's wedding --a translation of the chapter of Le Petit Prince, when he meets the fox
Ninfa I. redmond
English translation:tame/domesticate/dependent
Explanation:
I see your problem .. maybe domesticate would work but the 'official' versions all seem to use tame
you do not live here," said the fox, "what is it you are looking for?" "I am looking for men," said the little prince. "What does that mean---tame? ...
unr.edu/homepage/shubinsk/fox.html - 22k
www.des.emory.edu/mfp/lpfox.html - 9k
fsinfo.cs.uni-sb.de/~lynx/texts/petitprince.html.en - 10k
pages.sbcglobal.net/bluestripe/little_prince_meets_the_fox.htm - 43k

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2006-08-13 17:58:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

a different version
www.am-soft.com/lprince.removed.htm - 13k
and one specially written for a wedding
Second reading, Read by Alex Appleman and Duva Amberson

Paula: [introduction to the story of The Little Prince will be provided by Alex & Duva]


"Come and play with me," proposed the little prince. "I am so unhappy."

"I cannot play with you," the fox said. "I am not your friend."

"What does that mean, friend?"

The fox said, "Well, to me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you befriend me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world...

"I'm beginning to understand." said the Little Prince, "There is a rose ... I think she is my friend."

"If you befriend me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow... [I am a fox, I eat chickens, not bread...] Wheat is of no use to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back to the thought of you, and I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat ... Think how wonderful that will be when you are my friend!"

Later, the little prince saw a garden of roses. "You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has befriended you, and you are no one's friend. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world...

He went on. "To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered, because it is she that I have listened to, because she is my rose."
What does that mean, friend?" The fox said, "Well, to me, ...
www.stanford.edu/~cfairman/wedding.html - 14k

Selected response from:

suezen
Local time: 20:54
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5tame/domesticate/dependent
suezen
5make (someone) more sociable
Maria Luisa Duarte
5captivate
skyandre
4domesticate/knock someone into shape
CMJ_Trans (X)
4soften
Maria Karra
3 +1to bring out the best (qualities) in
IanW (X)
4to earn someone's trust
Janet Ross Snyder
4to capture;to captivate;to attract
Ana Albergaria
3 +1to win his confidence
iol


  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
make (someone) more sociable


Explanation:
`^+

Maria Luisa Duarte
Spain
Local time: 20:54
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you. My only problem is that it assumes that one is not sociable with anyone, it really is person-specific

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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
domesticate/knock someone into shape


Explanation:
though a lot depends on your register i.e. what you are trying to say.

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 20:54
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 94
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, thank you. I will use befriend and frien. Thank you for sending me that version especially for a wedding

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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
tame/domesticate/dependent


Explanation:
I see your problem .. maybe domesticate would work but the 'official' versions all seem to use tame
you do not live here," said the fox, "what is it you are looking for?" "I am looking for men," said the little prince. "What does that mean---tame? ...
unr.edu/homepage/shubinsk/fox.html - 22k
www.des.emory.edu/mfp/lpfox.html - 9k
fsinfo.cs.uni-sb.de/~lynx/texts/petitprince.html.en - 10k
pages.sbcglobal.net/bluestripe/little_prince_meets_the_fox.htm - 43k

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2006-08-13 17:58:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

a different version
www.am-soft.com/lprince.removed.htm - 13k
and one specially written for a wedding
Second reading, Read by Alex Appleman and Duva Amberson

Paula: [introduction to the story of The Little Prince will be provided by Alex & Duva]


"Come and play with me," proposed the little prince. "I am so unhappy."

"I cannot play with you," the fox said. "I am not your friend."

"What does that mean, friend?"

The fox said, "Well, to me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you befriend me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world...

"I'm beginning to understand." said the Little Prince, "There is a rose ... I think she is my friend."

"If you befriend me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow... [I am a fox, I eat chickens, not bread...] Wheat is of no use to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back to the thought of you, and I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat ... Think how wonderful that will be when you are my friend!"

Later, the little prince saw a garden of roses. "You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has befriended you, and you are no one's friend. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world...

He went on. "To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered, because it is she that I have listened to, because she is my rose."
What does that mean, friend?" The fox said, "Well, to me, ...
www.stanford.edu/~cfairman/wedding.html - 14k



suezen
Local time: 20:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 82
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: I love "befriend", I am going to use this one


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yakov Tomara: with "befriend" in this case
17 mins
  -> thanks Yakov

agree  PFB (X): I vote for "befriend" too
45 mins
  -> thanks Philippe

agree  Anna Quail: Complete translation and very fitting here. Perfect! (Your added note, I mean - not the original suggestion).
46 mins
  -> thanks Fto E :-)

agree  Fiorsam: Yes, befriend
3 hrs
  -> thanks Fiorsam

agree  Gina W
3 hrs
  -> thanks G!
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
soften


Explanation:
to soften someone, to soften one's heart

Another option would be "to mold"

Maria Karra
United States
Local time: 14:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GreekGreek
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, It is not exactly what I am looking for. Thank you

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to bring out the best (qualities) in


Explanation:
My first instinct - apart from tame - would be "to bring out the best (qualities) in", but it really depends on what you're trying to say. Any chance of more info?

IanW (X)
Local time: 20:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Maria Karra
6 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to earn someone's trust


Explanation:
When you tame a wild animal, you teach them that they can trust you. You teach them that you can be counted on to treat them with kindness and respect for their individuality.

Example sentence(s):
  • I tamed the fox. He became so tame that he would eat out of my hand.
Janet Ross Snyder
Canada
Local time: 15:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, I like it but I am looking for a shorter verb form

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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to capture;to captivate;to attract


Explanation:
A more simple meaning, as the book you refer is also very simple.
My suggestion.

Ana Albergaria
Local time: 19:54
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in FrenchFrench
Notes to answerer
Asker: I like captivate, thanks

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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to win his confidence


Explanation:
ou encore "to bring him out of his shell"..

iol
France
Local time: 20:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, a bit difficult to use in several sentences. Too long to translate, for example "apprivoise moi" Thank you gor taking the time to write


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  skyandre: Anna, "to captivate" is 100% on the money!!!
2313 days
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2314 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
captivate


Explanation:
To captivate is to gain someone's (or something's) trust. It is a perfect fit for the translation, which was done poorly by the way.

Cheers!

Example sentence(s):
  • his audience was captivated by him...
  • the audience was "in love with", "adored", "trusted" him...
skyandre
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