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  3. Poetry & Literature

fut vraisemblablement telle

English translation: it probably went down this way.

01:52 Sep 6, 2006
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
French term or phrase: fut vraisemblablement telle
the first line of a chapter in Alfred Jarry's La Dragonne, entitled "La Marche."

La première rencontre, que suivit l'accointance, de Taupin et de Jeanne Sabrenas, fut vraisemblablement telle.

L'escouade de Taupin, au 'pas de route,' l'arme à la bretelle, son caporal familièrement épousant ce pas qui nén est pas un, scandait le classique chant de guerre en temps de paix:
Nous en avons, nous en avons...
(Nous abrégons pour une cause pudique.)

I don't get it.
Tegan Raleigh
United States
English translation:it probably went down this way.
Explanation:
HTH
Selected response from:

sarahl (X)
Local time: 13:05
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +9was probably like this
Richard Benham
4 +2it probably went down this way.
sarahl (X)
4 +1is likely to have happened like this
Janet Ross Snyder
3 +1was no doubt something like this.
Diane de Cicco
4In all likelihood...transpired in this manner
MatthewLaSon


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
it probably went down this way.


Explanation:
HTH

sarahl (X)
Local time: 13:05
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 46

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  swisstell: or "most likely" ...
4 mins
  -> thanks Erich
neutral  Richard Benham: Right meaning, but a bit awkward, and not the right register. To "go down" in the sense of "happen" is strictlyNorth American colloquial.
2 hrs
  -> just trying to help her "get it", cobber.
neutral  Diane de Cicco: I agree with Richard
4 hrs
neutral  Ben Gaia: I agree with the above, but Jarry is very colloquial and it kinda suits the style, eh.
17 hrs
  -> then you agree?
agree  MatthewLaSon: A decent translation for a North American audience
22 hrs
  -> thanks ICETRANCE
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48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
is likely to have happened like this


Explanation:
I wouldn't use 'went down' here. Even though it has the same denotation, the connotation it suggests to me is underclass or underworld speech.

Janet Ross Snyder
Canada
Local time: 17:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Benham: This is OK, if a bit stilted.
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Richard
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +9
was probably like this


Explanation:
Why not?

Richard Benham
France
Local time: 22:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jennifer White
2 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  Rob Grayson: Or "probably went something like this"
2 hrs
  -> That works too. Thanks.
agree  Angela Dickson (X): the simplest solution.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  writeaway: standard literary French.
3 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  Rachel Ward
3 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  Julie Barber
3 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  Alison Jenner
4 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  Marion Sadoux: I think that this is by far the most suited translation to the register of Jarry's text
6 hrs
  -> Thanks Marion. Good to see you here!
agree  NancyLynn: with Rob Grayson
8 hrs
  -> Thanks Nancy.
neutral  MatthewLaSon: Right meaning, wrong style. Try for more creativity. Make it literary-sounding.
19 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
was no doubt something like this.


Explanation:
another suggestion

Diane de Cicco
France
Local time: 22:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Benham: It may be a case of contamination, but I think "no doubt" is a bit strong, and prefer "doubtless", although it's getting a bit dated.
1 hr
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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
In all likelihood...transpired in this manner


Explanation:
Hello,

I would strive for a very literary-sounding translation.

I'd put the "in all likelihood" at the beginning of the sentence.

fut telle = transpired in this manner (went about in this fashion)

I hope this helps.


    Reference: http://home.gwi.net/~dpoore/VOL3-CHAP4.HTM
MatthewLaSon
Local time: 16:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
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