ProZ.com global directory of translation services
The translation workplace
Ideas
KudoZ home » French to English » Poetry & Literature

adjuvant

English translation: companion


Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs
(or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
15:47 Nov 26, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
French term or phrase: adjuvant
Bonjour, je cherche le terme exact pour le mot "adjuvant" dans le sens "auxiliaire" (personne), dans le domaine du théâtre. Par exemple, Frère Laurent et la Nourrice sont tous deux adjuvants de Roméo et Juliette... Merci
capucines
English translation:companion
Explanation:
I think this is the term used in the theatre. I've also heard "partner" used.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2009-11-26 15:57:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Also in a theatrical context, and especially referring to Juliet's nurse I think "confidant" would be an appropriate translation.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2009-11-26 15:59:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

see for example:
"Juliet and the Nurse share a very close bond, one that surpasses one of a girl and her servant. Since being her wet nurse the Nurse has become over the years Juliet's close companion, confidant, friend, mother; and later on in the play her co-conspirator. "

from http://pages.towson.edu/quick/romeoandjuliet/nurse.htm

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2009-11-26 16:01:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"confidant" is used here too:

"Friar Laurence is Romeo and Juliet's confidant"

from http://www.answers.com/topic/romeo-and-juliet-play-2
Selected response from:

Gilla Evans
Local time: 18:14
Grading comment
thanks :) I've chosen "confidant"
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5companion
Gilla Evans
4 +2secondary character
Carol Gullidge
5supporting or secondary
Rosa Paredes
4sidekick
jmleger
3acccomplices
Verginia Ophof
3adjuvantxxxBourth
Summary of reference entries provided
Not necessarily a person even!Colin Rowe

  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
companion


Explanation:
I think this is the term used in the theatre. I've also heard "partner" used.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2009-11-26 15:57:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Also in a theatrical context, and especially referring to Juliet's nurse I think "confidant" would be an appropriate translation.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2009-11-26 15:59:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

see for example:
"Juliet and the Nurse share a very close bond, one that surpasses one of a girl and her servant. Since being her wet nurse the Nurse has become over the years Juliet's close companion, confidant, friend, mother; and later on in the play her co-conspirator. "

from http://pages.towson.edu/quick/romeoandjuliet/nurse.htm

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2009-11-26 16:01:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"confidant" is used here too:

"Friar Laurence is Romeo and Juliet's confidant"

from http://www.answers.com/topic/romeo-and-juliet-play-2

Gilla Evans
Local time: 18:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48
Grading comment
thanks :) I've chosen "confidant"

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chris Hall: agree with "confidant".
26 mins
  -> thanks Chris!
agree  Linda Sansome: "Confidant" was the term my English literature prof. used. Good memories!
27 mins
  -> yes, thanks Linda, my theatre days are coming back to me, and "confidant" is pretty definitely the most usual term.
agree  Verginia Ophof: confidant !
1 hr
  -> thanks Verginia!
agree  Helen Shiner: confidant/e was exactly what I was about to post.
6 hrs
  -> thanks Helen!
agree  xxx::::::::::
2 days15 hrs
  -> thanks you!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
acccomplices


Explanation:
allies,

Latin: ad- to, juvare- to help

Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 12:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Travelin Ann: in English, accomplice is a person who actively participates in the commission of a crime
29 mins
  -> therefore I added : allies.....
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
sidekick


Explanation:
Ca ne s'applique peut-être pas à ce que vous cherchez, notez bien.
Robin est le sidekick de batman. Laurel est le sidekick de Hardy, etc.

Même si ça ne convient pas, vous aurez peut-être appris un mot nouveau... Who knows?

jmleger
Local time: 12:14
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Chris Hall: Yes, I know this word well. It works for Batman and Robin in Gotham City, but not with a Shakespeare play such as Romeo & Juliet, which is what is required in this case.
19 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
secondary character


Explanation:
in a play (or novel, etc), these are the characters who don't play the major parts, but nevertheless have an important role in the development of the drama

secondary characters
Secondary characters who helped them were Friar Lawrence and the Nurse. The conflict starts when Romeo meetamp39s Juliet at a banquet and falls in love with her. ... Krogstad, the third secondary character, was perhaps the most influential of ... Secondary characters play a very key role in both of these novels, ...
www.megaessays.com/essay_search/secondary_characters.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-11-26 17:33:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------



the alternative is "auxiliary character"



Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 52

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Chris Hall: You make a relevant point, but it doesn't fit within this specific context i.e. Friar Laurent and the Nurse are both *secondary characters" of Romeo and Juliette. This doesn't work, whereas "confidants" fits perfectly.
9 mins
  -> well, I believe the question is in the wider sense of the "domaine du théâtre", rather than the narrower and specific relationship of Nurse to Juliette. The general term in theatre is "secondary" or "auxiliary character"
agree  Colin Rowe: Certainly sounds like a good solution to me.
54 mins
  -> many thanks Colin!
agree  S halder
1 hr
  -> thanks S halder!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
adjuvant


Explanation:
Google "adjuvant opponent protagonist" and see what you find.

The word "adjuvant" does exist in English, though largely only in dictionaries.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2009-11-26 22:46:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Were this psychodrama rather than "real" drama, it could almost be an "auxiliary ego" (aka ego auxiliary) which I will leave you to research.

xxxBourth
Local time: 19:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 110

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Chris Hall: I never even knew that this word existed in English. You certainly do know your stuff (a walking dictionary if I may say so). However, I am not sure of its relevancy here within this context. Many thanks for teaching me something though Bouth...
3 hrs
  -> I have my own reservations, but it just might be a specialized theatre term. I'm not sure how genuinely English those ghits are, however.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
supporting or secondary


Explanation:
No research or references, just my own experience.

Rosa Paredes
Canada
Local time: 10:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




Reference comments


2 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Not necessarily a person even!

Reference information:
"En théâtre et littérature, un adjuvant (ou auxiliaire) est un personnage, une chose ou un événement qui aide le personnage principal à accomplir l'action."

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjuvant

Colin Rowe
Germany
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
neutral  Chris Hall: Yes, good definition, but in this context it is most certainly a person.
4 hrs
agree  xxxBourth: Yes, a very specific meaning for theatre. Maybe we have no equivalent. I'm not entirely happy with any of the proposals so far, including my own.
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




Return to KudoZ list


KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.



See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations

Terminology | Jobs and directories | Member activities | Education | Tools
About ProZ.com | ProZ.com basics | Advertising | Support | FAQ | Terms of use
Print page
Copyright © 1999-2012 ProZ.com - All rights reserved. Privacy