Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
dans ses côtes
English translation:
in his blood, in his bones
Added to glossary by
clarice zdanski
Jun 29, 2009 12:01
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
Clarice Zdanski
Native in: English 
Works in: Italian to English, French to English, German to English
dans ses côtes
French to English
Art/Literary
Architecture
For a monograph on a leading architect, I have this sentence: ... trace la ligne droite de l’évolution à laquelle j’aurais aimé participer. Le relais était déjà dans son esprit et dans ses côtes dès sa jeunesse.
Could someone help with 'dans ses côtes', translation should be of an academic register.
Thank you! czdanski
Could someone help with 'dans ses côtes', translation should be of an academic register.
Thank you! czdanski
Proposed translations
(English)
| 1 +2 | in his blood, in his bones |
Bourth (X)
|
| 3 +1 | his destiny was planned out |
Emma Paulay
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| 2 | ribs |
Lidia Morejudo
|
Proposed translations
+2
27 mins
Selected
in his blood, in his bones
I'm not familiar with the expression as it appears to be used, and in much the same way as "gorge" can mean "seins" and "bas ventre" can mean "sexe", I am assuming that - in reverse - côtes here is to be taken to mean tripes.
Note from asker:
| I, too, thought about 'in his bones' before appealing to the forum. The anatomical reference is there, and the structure paralells the previous 'dans son esprit'. Thank you! czdanski |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I, too, thought about 'in his bones' before appealing to the forum. The anatomical reference is there, and the structure paralells the previous 'dans son esprit'. "
45 mins
Lidia Morejudo
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
ribs
I think the author is playing with the double meaning of "côte" as the bone: rib, and the architectural term: rib.
As in French the word in English is the same for both the bone and the archit term, I would leave it as ribs.
As in French the word in English is the same for both the bone and the archit term, I would leave it as ribs.
+1
1 hr
French term (edited):
dans ses cotes
his destiny was planned out
I think this should actually be written without the circumflex accent ie "cotes" as in "dimensions/measurements". That would fit with the architect speak in the previous sentence ("ligne droite"). The idea is that he was "drawn up" to be an architect.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sandra Petch
: This is how I read it too (without spotting the superfluous circumflex!)
12 mins
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Glad I'm not alone. I only noticed because I double-checked the meaning in the dictionary.
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