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ce n'est qu'un ensemble épars

English translation: nothing more than random collection


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:ce n'est qu'un ensemble épars
English translation:nothing more than random collection
Entered by: Lilian Magalhães
Options:
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18:18 Aug 31, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / etnografia
French term or phrase: ce n'est qu'un ensemble épars
Le journal de terrain est constitutif du métier d'ethnographe; mais ce n'est qu'un ensemble épars de notes hétérogènes. Sa publication, en respectant un classement chornologique, crée la fiction romanesque d'un narrateur-ethnographe. Censurer la publication permet de ne pas censurer l'écriture. Les matériaux censurés ne sont pas de l'ordre de l'intime mais de l'ordre du non (encore) intelligible.
Lilian Magalhães
Local time: 18:45
nothing more than a disparate collection
Explanation:
my suggestion
Selected response from:

Eutychus
Local time: 23:45
Grading comment
merci
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +6nothing more than a disparate collection
Eutychus
4 +1is only a collection of scattered notes
Karen Vincent-Jones
3 +2Is nothing but a scattered set of …Mariana CHIRILA
4 +1this is only a scattered group of ...margaret caulfield
3just a flimsy collectionpolyglot45


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
nothing more than a disparate collection


Explanation:
my suggestion

Eutychus
Local time: 23:45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
Grading comment
merci

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: But don't you think it is important to render the 'épars' as well? / I thought that was more 'hétérogène'?
1 min
  -> I sort of thought "disparate" covered that...?

agree  Travelin Ann: a good literary turn of phrase
37 mins

agree  Helen Shiner
53 mins

agree  B D Finch
3 hrs

agree  Jacqui Audouy: absolutely
14 hrs

agree  Emma Paulay: Maybe "...of random notes" to convey the "épars". Personally, I don't think "scattered" goes with "collection".
14 hrs

agree  · george ·
1 day1 hr

neutral  Karen Vincent-Jones: 'nothing more' sounds a bit literal as a translation
3 days13 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
this is only a scattered group of ...


Explanation:
.

margaret caulfield
Local time: 23:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Melissa McMahon: I prefer "scattered" for "epars" - would combine with eutychus for "scattered collection" :)
10 hrs
  -> Thanks, Melissa!
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Is nothing but a scattered set of …


Explanation:
Is nothing but a scattered set of or group of……….

Mariana CHIRILA
France
Local time: 23:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in RomanianRomanian, Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jim Tucker: scattered collection
3 hrs

agree  mimi 254: scattered collection of....
13 hrs
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
just a flimsy collection


Explanation:
of scattered jottings

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 18
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1 day15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
is only a collection of scattered notes


Explanation:
I don't think you need to translate 'rien que' literally here, that gives it too much emphasis. And logically, it is not the collection that is scattered but the notes, which have now been assembled into a collection. This is a common expression, which you can find many examples of if you google it.


    Reference: http://www.genetical.com/dc/ScientificResearch/Thesis/Append...
    Reference: http://archageis.tripod.com/html/notes.html
Karen Vincent-Jones
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jim Tucker: yes - but the hypallage ("scattered collection") is not a problem either, and sounds quite natural
1 day21 hrs
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