English translation: XXX does the hard work and lets the skier enjoy the ride
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08:14 Oct 24, 2009
French to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Sports / Fitness / Recreation / Magazine article
French term or phrase:le skieur dévale et c’est le XXX qui trinque
XXX is a "device" for descending the ski-slopes, being reviewed in a magazine. The text is singing the praises of XXX as an innovative product.
The problem is that the text contains some plays on words and the verbs here can be interpreted several ways - skiers go fast / crash ; XXX toasts / gets damaged
Text: Le XXX permet à tous de prendre toutes les pistes sans ressentir la moindre courbature. **le skieur dévale et c’est le XXX qui trinque.** Pour couronner le tout, ...
The penny has just dropped! I thought they were comparing a skier to a rider of this new XXX - thanks to your input I can see they are one and the same, and all becomes clear!
My problem was that trinquer can have different meanings, so can dévaler. It was choosing the correct meanings to translate that I was finding defficult. It could be anything from "the skiers fall over and the X-ers cheer", to "the skiers whizz past and the X-ers get damaged"
the word may mean to toast" as in "Your good health" but colloquially "trinquer" means to pick up the tab or take the blows/knocks, be the fall guy. In your sentence you are reading too much into it if you see a double meaning with "toast" there
the skier rips down the slope and it's XXX that takes the rap
Explanation: the skier tears down the slope but it's XXX that takes the knocks
But I don't think the play on words is quite strong enough here.
Sorry, rather a hasty response. May get back to this later if inspiration strikes - perhaps st using "blood, sweat and tears" on the part of XXX (or perhaps not!)
Carol Gullidge United Kingdom Local time: 01:17 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 16
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Carol. I did in fact use "takes the knocks"
The translation workplace 
