Oct 31, 2011 23:40
13 yrs ago
French term
le vêtir ou à le dévêtir à son avantage
French to English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Film
Anny se sentait plus forte. Non seulement le réalisateur l'impressionnait moins, mais elle gagnait de l'ascendant sur David. Pour se prouver son indépendance, elle avait trompé David. Puis elle s'était aussi assurée que le réalisateur la chérirait toujours. N'avait-elle pas remarqué, ces derniers jours, que Zac perdait beaucoup de temps à éclairer David, qu'il veillait à le vêtir ou à le dévêtir à son avantage ?
Anny– a young movie star
David, l'acteur – her boyfriend and partner
Zac, le réalisateur – the director of a movie starring Anny and David
Anny has just made love to Zac in a hotel room (for the first time) and this is what
she thinks about it.
My question is: what le vêtir ou à le dévêtir means here and who is meant by “le” and “son” – Anny, David, Zac?
No further context concerning the film is available.
Anny– a young movie star
David, l'acteur – her boyfriend and partner
Zac, le réalisateur – the director of a movie starring Anny and David
Anny has just made love to Zac in a hotel room (for the first time) and this is what
she thinks about it.
My question is: what le vêtir ou à le dévêtir means here and who is meant by “le” and “son” – Anny, David, Zac?
No further context concerning the film is available.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Nov 1, 2011 10:22: writeaway changed "Field (specific)" from "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings" to "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters"
Proposed translations
22 mins
Selected
...cared for dressing or undressing him to his best
le=David
son=David
son=David
Note from asker:
| Thanks for your answer. However the whole passage remains unclear to me. OK, Zac did something to make David look better. It seems logical as it’s his job as a director. But he’s also David’s rival so he might have done just the opposite. Why does Anny think that this deessing and undressing proves «que le réalisateur la chérirait toujours» ? It doesn’t make sense to me. Could you please explain me how you understand the entire passage? |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
1 hr
Verginia Ophof
Belize
Belize
Native in English
Specializes in field
Belize
Near Native Proficiency in Source langua
Native in: English
Works in: Portuguese to English, Dutch to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
53
made sure to dress him up or dress him down to his advantage
suggestion
IMHO : he monitored and coached him closely to portray him at his best.
IMHO : he monitored and coached him closely to portray him at his best.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sandra Petch
: Although I would use "dress" and "undress"
8 hrs
|
|
Thank you Sandra !
|
|
| neutral |
writeaway
: dress up and dress down have totally different meanings than vêtir or dévêtir. 'to his advantage' sounds very much like translationese
8 hrs
|
|
hence the added note.....
|
+1
13 hrs
he was careful to dress him or undress him to show him at his best.
I think what we have here is a technical comment about Zac's activities as a director. He is literally lighting David, ie angling the lights/camera - so as to show him - sorry, repetition is inevitable- in his best light. and similarly, costuming him or showing him unclad so as to make him look good.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2011-11-01 16:45:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Yes, Nikki is right, there are too many 'him's. Presumably you could use the names of the people to make it clearer: Zac was careful to dress or undress David (or show him, clothed or unclothed,)to show him is his best light
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2011-11-01 16:45:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Yes, Nikki is right, there are too many 'him's. Presumably you could use the names of the people to make it clearer: Zac was careful to dress or undress David (or show him, clothed or unclothed,)to show him is his best light
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: Yes : was careful/took care in + -ING: etc; "dress or undress him" no need to repeat 'him' and I like "to hi advantage" whcich is close to the original, but has the merit of being succint. Makes the sentence sound balanced in my view.
3 hrs
|
|
Thank you Nikki!
|
Something went wrong...