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  2. French to English

Il suivit sa nouvelle amie dans la grande rue du ciel.

English translation: He followed his new companion on the celestial highway.

14:09 Dec 7, 2003
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary
French term or phrase: Il suivit sa nouvelle amie dans la grande rue du ciel.
A bird had been sitting on a branch for a long time, and when it saw another bird fly by, it followed suit.
laurawheeler
France
Local time: 17:15
English translation:He followed his new companion on the celestial highway.
Explanation:
Another option
Selected response from:

William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 09:15
Grading comment
very nice. thanks, William.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3He flew off after his new friend into [down] the grand road of the sky
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
4 +2It followed its new friend on the endless highway of the sky.
IanW (X)
4 +1He followed his new companion on the celestial highway.
William Stein
4The new friend took off in the wide sky and it followed in its wake.
Narasimhan Raghavan
4He followed his new friend along heaven's route...
Jacques Saleh
3Along the open road of the sky, he followed his new-found friend
John Peterson
3He followed his new friend onto the great path in the heavens
Chris Hughes
2 +1He followed his new friend onto the great skyway
Chris Hughes
3It followed his new friend on the main street of the sky.
Guetta


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Along the open road of the sky, he followed his new-found friend


Explanation:
A suggestion

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Note added at 2003-12-07 14:20:52 (GMT)
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I\'m assuming \"amie\" implies \"he\", but may want to stick with \"it\"

John Peterson
Local time: 16:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1014
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
He followed his new friend onto the great path in the heavens


Explanation:
You could also say sky, but heavens sounds a little more literary" I think

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Note added at 2003-12-07 14:27:44 (GMT)
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Possibly \"into the great beyond\" or \"into the horizon\" too

Chris Hughes
Local time: 17:15
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): onto implies that the bird is walking or waddling,
5 hrs
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
He flew off after his new friend into [down] the grand road of the sky


Explanation:
something along these lines


literary

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Note added at 2003-12-07 14:35:53 (GMT)
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OR She

I* would avoid IT as this is a story and probably it should be he or she.

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Note added at 2003-12-07 14:52:22 (GMT)
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Please note: if you say new friend, YOU MUST personify the pronouns!! With he or she...:)

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in pair: 8576

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bourth (X): Yes, INTO
1 hr
  -> No one seems to like my verb fly..I mean followed is so dreary in English when we have the lovely fly off into or above or whatever....:) Yes, INTO, of course..:)
neutral  IanW (X): "Mary had a little lamb, ITS fleece was white as snow", not "his" or "hers" or "his/hers". As we're talking about birds here, I imagine the same logic applies, regardless of how close the friendship between the birds is.
2 hrs
  -> Ian, Think about it. Since when did "its" have friends? My dog has a new friend. IT?? C'mon man...be honest here. Once you say friend you are quasi-obliged to anthropomorphise it, really...:)Mary's little lamb did not have a friend...:)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
2 hrs
agree  Christopher Crockett: Ian's objection (and example) notwithstanding, personifying the poor bird "humanises" it, and is a plus, literarily. And, "into" works better for "dans".
4 hrs
  -> of course, in English you have to say into..anything else smacks of translation...:)
neutral  Chris Hughes: isn't flying into the road a little dangerous
7 hrs
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
It followed its new friend on the endless highway of the sky.


Explanation:
Another suggestion:
"It followed its new friend on the endless highway of the sky."


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Note added at 11 mins (2003-12-07 14:20:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Second thoughts, \"onto\" would be better than on here

IanW (X)
Local time: 17:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 234

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chris Hughes: I like this one
7 mins
neutral  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): it its new friend?
34 mins
  -> We are talking about birds here - since when do you say "he" or "she"?
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
2 hrs
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
He followed his new friend onto the great skyway


Explanation:
Maybe "skyway" for la grande rue du ciel?

Chris Hughes
Local time: 17:15
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Diane Ferland (X): I like this
19 mins
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
It followed his new friend on the main street of the sky.


Explanation:
It followed his new friend on the main street of the sky.

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Note added at 13 mins (2003-12-07 14:23:11 GMT)
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Sory!;
It followed its new friend on the main street of the sky.


Guetta
France
Local time: 17:15
Native speaker of: Native in TurkishTurkish
PRO pts in pair: 7

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  IanW (X): "its new friend", not "his" - especially since you've used "it" at the start of the sentence
7 mins
  -> Ah oui biensur! Merci, javais pas remarqué
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39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The new friend took off in the wide sky and it followed in its wake.


Explanation:
How about turning the phrase a little?

Narasimhan Raghavan
Local time: 20:45
Native speaker of: Tamil
PRO pts in pair: 300
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
He followed his new companion on the celestial highway.


Explanation:
Another option

William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 09:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1737
Grading comment
very nice. thanks, William.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  IanW (X): Celestial highway is great, but I still maintain that it should be "its". Oh well, perhaps it's just me ...
13 hrs
  -> It's all subjective. Some people (most males) refer to them as "it" but mothers almost never do.
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
He followed his new friend along heaven's route...


Explanation:
or (less literally): he followed his new friend to the great beyond (in the sky)
or (more literally): he followed his new friend along the highways of the sky

Jacques Saleh
United States
Local time: 10:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in pair: 169

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): no. IT would have to be: up INTO or UP onto. Along means they are already UP there which is clearly NOT the case...get it? :)
2 hrs
neutral  Chris Hughes: disagree with Jane's analysis.
3 hrs
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