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évoluer par approximations successives dans leurs impressions

English translation: each will gradually build up a picture of the other through...

09:36 Nov 10, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Human Resources
French term or phrase: évoluer par approximations successives dans leurs impressions
Hello,

This is from a guide for managers whose responsibilities include conducting recruitment interviews.

"Les deux interlocuteurs évoluent par approximations successives dans leurs impressions, leur langage et leur compréhension."

I can kind of grasp the "impressions" part. As the interview progresses, the interviewer and the candidate will develop an impression one of the other. Still, it's a pretty wooly understanding and I'm stumped as to what "évoluer par approximations successives dans leur langage et leur compréhension" might mean.

Many thanks in advance for your help.
Sandra Petch
Local time: 02:16
English translation:each will gradually build up a picture of the other through...
Explanation:
Something like this? "Approximations successives" is used in mathematics as a process for gradually finding a solution - so maybe that it was is happening here; with speech etc. almost serving as "feedback mechanisms" in creating impressions.

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Note added at 20 mins (2009-11-10 09:57:10 GMT)
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"that is what.."
Selected response from:

John Peterson
Local time: 01:16
Grading comment
Thanks for your ideas. I don't think the sentence is clear in French at all. I figured out my own sentence in the end and John's input that this is a maths term helped a lot. Thanks again!
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +2each will gradually build up a picture of the other through...
John Peterson
4Through successive estimations, both participants' feelings tend to evolve...
Michel F. Morin
3Speakers' impressions, etc evolve as if they're in the process of fitting the pieces of a puzzle
MatthewLaSon


  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
each will gradually build up a picture of the other through...


Explanation:
Something like this? "Approximations successives" is used in mathematics as a process for gradually finding a solution - so maybe that it was is happening here; with speech etc. almost serving as "feedback mechanisms" in creating impressions.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2009-11-10 09:57:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"that is what.."

John Peterson
Local time: 01:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 26
Grading comment
Thanks for your ideas. I don't think the sentence is clear in French at all. I figured out my own sentence in the end and John's input that this is a maths term helped a lot. Thanks again!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks John - that's an interesting answer as an earlier part of the text says the interviewer must "saisir tous les aspects du candidat" which I've translated as "have a complete picture of the candidate"!

Asker: PS I had no idea this was a term in maths. That's useful to know, thanks!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kari Foster: I understood it the same way ('gradually get to know each other/get a feel for each other' (although "feel" is probably a bad word to use here)
16 mins
  -> thanks - feel would be fine to my mind, but I suspect - as you imply - that they are looking for something emerging from a more "structured" process
agree  mimi 254: really nice!
1 hr
  -> thanks
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Through successive estimations, both participants' feelings tend to evolve...


Explanation:
Encore une curieuse rédaction en Français, et un usage bizarre de la construction, de la grammaire et des mots !

Il s'agit donc là d'une proposition d'interprétation, plus que d'une traduction au sens rigoureux des termes.

Michel F. Morin
France
Local time: 02:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 76
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Speakers' impressions, etc evolve as if they're in the process of fitting the pieces of a puzzle


Explanation:
Hello,

This is how I read.

approximations successives = trial and error (in math)

I hope this helps.

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 20:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 52
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