ce n'est pas mettre la vie en équation, mais en adéquation
English translation: is a matter not of equations but of approximations
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19:56 Jan 5, 2012
French to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / analysis
French term or phrase:ce n'est pas mettre la vie en équation, mais en adéquation
I doubt there is a published translation of this piece of wisdom. Can anybody come up with something equally pithy? I usually love this sort of thing!
"Ne pas oublier que l’économie est avant tout à la croisée de sciences humaines (sociologie, psychologie, etc …) et que les modèles quantitatifs n’en sont qu’une tentative d’explication. Ce sont les comportements qui sont traduits dans les modèles et non les modèles qui conditionnent les comportements. Delatour, ce jeune philosophe le décrit fort bien lorsqu’il dit que « vivre ensemble ce n’est pas mettre la vie en équation, mais en adéquation ».
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 hrs (2012-01-06 01:26:51 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
être en équation = be equal to
être en adéquation = be a match for
exact vs. good enough
A translating maxim? That too.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 days (2012-01-10 20:01:22 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
A good place for some adequation here ("adequation n. 4. A semantic process whereby the meaning of a word or phrase changes under the influence of the type of context in which it typically occurs.").
I'm getting a lot about achieving harmony but is it that positive? Am I right in thinking that it is "forget a perfect fit, go for an acceptable compromise" (as per rkillings, and perhaps applicable to translating!)
with equating and adequating? - no, I suppose not.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
17 mins confidence:
fitting in with the world, not making the world fit in with us
Explanation: I think it's something along these lines: in other words, you can't argue with reality, so you might as well try and live with it and understand it. It's a bit like the idea that dictionaries should describe, not prescribe.
philgoddard Local time: 14:03 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 20
'Life is not about making us equal, it is about finding concordance'
Explanation: Because:...
Adequation
1. The act of equalizing; act or result of making adequate; an equivalent. 3 synonyms = accord, adaptation, concordance.
Equation
1. The state of being equal.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 hrs (2012-01-06 01:31:49 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
or 'living together is not about making us equal, but about finding concordance'
Dr Lofthouse United Kingdom Native speaker of: English, Italian
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 hrs (2012-01-06 01:26:51 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
être en équation = be equal to
être en adéquation = be a match for
exact vs. good enough
A translating maxim? That too.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 days (2012-01-10 20:01:22 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
A good place for some adequation here ("adequation n. 4. A semantic process whereby the meaning of a word or phrase changes under the influence of the type of context in which it typically occurs.").
As kashew was suggesting. ;-)
rkillings United States Local time: 12:03 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: your note sounds like a translating maxim! btw your link drew a blank
Asker: me too, it sums up pretty well my reading of it (i.e. it's a question of a good match rather than a perfect fit)
Asker: so you go more for my own interpretation above - a good match rather than an exact fit ?
1 hr confidence:
living together is about harmonisation, not equations
Explanation: Hello,
Might that work?
You can't expect to make a mathematical formula out of living together (magical forumula: this + that - those/these = happiness; the goal is to just top learn how to cohabitate in harmony).
I was trying to plug life into an equation that doesn't exist. I was creating my own anxiety and disfunction and blaming it on my circumstances.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr (2012-01-05 21:53:38 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Trying to keep a little rhyming in there as is in the French. LOL.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2012-01-05 21:58:37 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Perhaps I'd rather say:
Living together is about life in harmonisation, not equations.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 days (2012-01-11 01:46:10 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
I do not think that "harmonisation" is too strong here.
You might also say "Living together is not about making life into equation but a compatible situation" (you can't try to obtain happiness or good cohabitation situation with a magical mathematical equation).
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 days (2012-01-11 01:49:17 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
In other words, good cohabitation doesn't come from mathematical formulas from models etc but simply compability.
"Living together is not about turning life into an equation but a compatible situation"
MatthewLaSon Local time: 15:03 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 28
The translation workplace 
