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.
French to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / legitimacy of power
French term or phrase:dans tous ses états
"Pour saisir la légitimité « dans tous ses états », l’XXX adopte une démarche pragmatique en essayant de comprendre pourquoi et comment les acteurs (institutions étatiques, institutions et structures non étatiques, y compris le secteur privé, individus, groupes sociaux…) acceptent ou rejettent un pouvoir ou une institution particulière"
The quote marks are in the original. The client especially asks that this phrase remain close to the original.
"N’a-ton pas une expression plus proche sur le sens que celle en français même si plus éloignée dans le cording? "
Thanks for all the help.
The client was quite attached to the triple play on words - which actually formed part of the original title. I think she liked having an upbeat title for a very serious and consequential paper on changing views about the legitimacy of governance and government. She realizes now that it is near-impossible to keep all the meaning. But yes, it is probably the light "popular" side of the expression that most interests her.
David, how have you translated "saisir"? If you use "grasp" it might be easier to keep the personification.
The client says they want to keep "le sens du Français"? But is it the triple play on words they want to keep or do they actually have one particular meaning in mind? They're probably going to have to state (!) which meaning is most important.
I assumed the XXX were to indicate the name of a person. Is that so? or is it a country? or a company? I'm not sure the answer will help anyone help you, but you never know!
Yes, especially given the quote marks in the original, to me it is clear as Emma says that this is a triple play on words. "Dans tous ses états" implies something somewhat chaotic. Exactly what "états" (or emotional states) depends on the person involved - and here the 'person' is legitimacy.
I see the same two meanings as Gabrielle, plus a possible third meaning depending on context: to be "dans tous ses états" is "to be in a bit of a state". Is the person the leader of a country?
The play on words seems fairly clear to me: expression "dans tous ses états" = in all its forms, from all angles, in its various states of full, semi- and challenged legitimacy (from solidly anchored to open to contestation); and legitimacy in all the States (countries) that are contemplated or where legitimacy is an issue. N'est-ce pas?
How I understand it - if there is a play on words here it's sort of 'the state of the state'. It's questionning the legitimacy of the functionning/creation of the 'state' itself, only the play on the word state really translates as society here,hence the difficulty of an English equivalent for 'tous ses états'. goodness does that make any sense to anyone else?Food for thought anyway...
The sort of straight-forward translations suggested so far is exactly what the client has rejected - they hope to find an expression that will maintain something of the play on words in the original.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
4 mins confidence:
every aspect of
Explanation: .
philgoddard Local time: 16:45 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 20
Explanation: To grasp (understand) the legitimacy « (in) of all its component parts », the XXX .....
I believe that what is meant here is that the "institutions étatiques, institutions et structures non étatiques, y compris le secteur privé, individus, groupes sociaux" are the component parts that are being studied and thereofre referred to as " tous ses états"
L.J.Wessel van Leeuwen South Africa Local time: 23:45 Native speaker of: English, Dutch PRO pts in category: 4
Explanation: Although I would try to convince the client that it would be best to drop the play on words in the EN translation, if they insist, you might try something like:
'To get an "authoritative" understanding of legitimacy, XXX is taking a pragmatic approach in attempting to understand why and how the various actors...accept or reject specific authorities or institutions.'
It's a bit of a long shot, but it might work.
Good luck!
Jocelyne
Jocelyne S France Local time: 23:45 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 47
Explanation: I am not sure about this phrase (hence the low confidence level), but it seems to cover the play (!) on words required and it is commonly used.
Linda Sansome France Local time: 23:45 Works in field Native speaker of: English
The translation workplace 
