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dans le sens du vent… et du soleil !

English translation: sailing with the wind ... and the sun

01:10 Oct 29, 2009

French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Alternative energy

French term or phrase: dans le sens du vent… et du soleil !

I'm looking for creative input, which is why I have posted this as literary and not energy. This is the phrase in question:

"Lors du lancement de Remap, nous étions, semble-t-il, véritablement dans le sens du vent… et du soleil !"

The context is that the REMAP pre-empted the Mediterranean Solar Plan (PSM), so the woman is saying that they were ahead of the game. Any creative suggestions, using the sun and wind?

Cath St Clair KudoZ activity Questions: 86 (3 open) (10 closed without grading) Answers: 110 Spain
Local time: 05:40

English translation:sailing with the wind ... and the sun

Explanation:
another

Selected response from:

polyglot45

Grading comment

Many thanks to everybody for your creative offerings :) I particularly liked the poetry of John Detre's suggestion but having tried it, it didn't seem to flow naturally within the person's speech. This simple phrase expressed the fact that the group was on the right track and it sat naturally within the speech. Thank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +9

we had the wind at our back and our sights on the sun

John Detre

3 +2

going with the flow...and the glow!

Emma Paulay

flying with the wind...and the sun!

laura-francaise

wind and sun.....everything was going our way !

Verginia Ophof

3 +1

we were heading into the sun with a following wind

Gilla Evans

3 +1

sailing with the wind ... and the sun

polyglot45

3 +1

the way the wind blows and the sun glows

Travelin Ann

3 +1

we had the wind in our sails and the sun straight ahead.

telletubby

as if the wind and... the sun were backing us

S halder

With wind (and solar) assistance, we found it a breeze

Carol Gullidge

3 -1

the launch was mind-blowing

Hugo

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

the way the wind blows and the sun glows

Explanation:
"the way the wind blows" is a common usage, so I tried for a little poetic combination

Travelin Ann
United States
Local time: 06:40
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

19 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +9

we had the wind at our back and our sights on the sun

Explanation:
maybe

John Detre
Canada
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

9 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

the launch was mind-blowing

Explanation:
...quite a sunny outlook!

just a suggestion

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-29 02:11:42 GMT)
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a burst of fresh air

just brainstorming :)

Hugo
United States
Local time: 05:40
Native speaker of:

Spanish,

French

Notes to answerer

Asker: Do.... brainstorm as much as you like :)

5 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

going with the flow...and the glow!

Explanation:
I'm not sure it's a great idea to use wind and sun here. "Aller dans le sens du vent" means [to be heading in the right direction/following the crowd/going with the flow] and that's the idea you should really keep in the translation, rather than specifically "wind", I think.

Headed the right way, towards the rays!

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 12:40
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 44

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

we had the wind in our sails and the sun straight ahead.

Explanation:
Although this is a nautical image it gives the sense of both terms as well as indicqating you were both head of the game and on the right track.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2009-10-29 07:42:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

..........as well as indicating you were ahead of the game and on the right track

telletubby
France
Local time: 12:40
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

sailing with the wind ... and the sun

Explanation:
another

polyglot45
Native speaker of:

English,

French
PRO pts in category: 12

Grading comment

8 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

we were heading into the sun with a following wind

Explanation:
another option

Gilla Evans
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

10 hrs confidence:

as if the wind and... the sun were backing us

Explanation:
Another choice!

S halder
France
Local time: 12:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

14 hrs confidence:

flying with the wind...and the sun!

Explanation:
Another variation on the theme...I thought that the idea of "flying" might capture a bit of the essence of being ahead.

laura-francaise
United States
Local time: 06:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

16 hrs confidence:

wind and sun.....everything was going our way !

Explanation:
:)

Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 05:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

17 hrs confidence:

With wind (and solar) assistance, we found it a breeze

Explanation:

OR
assisted by a fair wind (and the sun), it was a breeze
OR
... " " " " ... we breezed in first past the post

Anway, there are 2 "wind" metaphors here to compensate for the lack of a respectable play on words

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 46