English translation: the strictly functional nature
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French to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / dysfunctional families/domestic violence
French term or phrase:la tonalité opératoire
My hunch is that "opératoire" is talking in this context (twice) about a climate of control/power struggle - simply because it seems to fit, and not because I have any real idea...
Any clues from the experts would be very welcome!
TIA
... ce sont des familles où l’on ne se parle pas, presque toutes expriment le regret de n’avoir pu échanger avec leurs parents, le fait de s’être senties pendant leur enfance et leur adolescence seules et désemparées.
Cette problématique de la survie explique en partie ***** la tonalité opératoire *****, aux antipodes de la passion et a fortiori de l’amour, que revêtent certaines relations dont il est question ici. ...
Quand la relation n’est pas présentée comme opératoire, et donc comporte une tonalité amoureuse,...
Cette problématique de la survie explique en partie ***** la tonalité opératoire *****, aux antipodes de la passion et a fortiori de l’amour, que revêtent certaines relations dont il est question ici. ...
Ths whole issue of survival goes part of the way towards explaining the workmanlike/functional/flat style of some of the relationships described here, a world away from the notion of passionate and, by extension, loving relationships
This is a very rough quick translation but it is in this direction that you should be looking.
There may be a specific term - this is just in case nobody suggests one
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 10 mins (2007-08-01 12:09:20 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
in other words, I think you were barking up the wrong tree....
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 37 mins (2007-08-01 12:36:06 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
mechanical
pedestrian
still thinking - though actually trying to write an article in French, so don't expect miracles
thanks, CMJ! Pending a response from the author (on holiday?), this is what I'll use. Whatever the outcome, your "barking up the wrong tree" comment was most helpful! 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Thanks to everybody: all your answers and peer comments point in the same direction, and alternatives for a 2nd occurrence could also prove very helpful
Cette problématique de la survie explique en partie ***** la tonalité opératoire *****, aux antipodes de la passion et a fortiori de l’amour, que revêtent certaines relations dont il est question ici. ...
Ths whole issue of survival goes part of the way towards explaining the workmanlike/functional/flat style of some of the relationships described here, a world away from the notion of passionate and, by extension, loving relationships
This is a very rough quick translation but it is in this direction that you should be looking.
There may be a specific term - this is just in case nobody suggests one
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 10 mins (2007-08-01 12:09:20 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
in other words, I think you were barking up the wrong tree....
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 37 mins (2007-08-01 12:36:06 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
mechanical
pedestrian
still thinking - though actually trying to write an article in French, so don't expect miracles
xxxCMJ_Trans Local time: 23:43 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 68
Grading comment
thanks, CMJ! Pending a response from the author (on holiday?), this is what I'll use. Whatever the outcome, your "barking up the wrong tree" comment was most helpful!
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks, CMJ! I hadn't thought of that interpretation, as the situation highly-charged with violence, but I see that it is a perfectly valid way of looking at it... And I thought this was going to be straightforward!
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +7