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essence de bois

English translation: essential quality of the wood

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:essence du bois
English translation:essential quality of the wood
Entered by: Diane Ferland (X)

18:25 Dec 22, 2003
French to English translations [PRO]
Forestry / Wood / Timber / woodworking
French term or phrase: essence de bois
dubbing a videotape of an interview with a woodworker describing his choice of materials. The context: Quand je choisis une essence de bois, ce qui m'influence le plus, c'est la couleur.

I am uncomfortable about using essence of wood although it comes up with Google. Can I paraphrase by saying: When I choose a particular type of wood
Diane Ferland (X)
Canada
Local time: 08:33
the essential quality
Explanation:
I'm assuming that we are talking about marquetry here, so a translation of the sense might be "When choosing a wood to work with, color is the essential quality which I am most looking for".

In marquetry, color is the most important "quality" --though "grain" ("fil", in your previous question) is also important, since an idea of the textures of the various objects being represented can be conveyed by grain.

First rate marquetry demonstrates an ability to combine both of these "essential qualities" of the wood, and, when that is sucessfully done, the "artisan" becomes an "artist".

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Note added at 41 mins (2003-12-22 19:06:39 GMT)
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Of course, \"essential qualities\" are \"inherent\", but I prefer \"essential\" to Vicki\'s (quite correct) \"inherent\" here because it seems to me to be closer to the original, in thought and feeling.

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Note added at 52 mins (2003-12-22 19:17:52 GMT) Post-grading
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Many marquetry sites on the web, of course.

A remarkably sterile English one :
http://www.marquetry.org/Gallery123.htm

A bit better, here
http://www.marquetry.co.uk/main/html/gallery.php --not the use of grain to convey the texture of the blue band across her shoulder, and in the \"clouds\" behind.

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Note added at 57 mins (2003-12-22 19:22:55 GMT) Post-grading
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Note to Amy : Your point is well taken, but I\'m comming from my own point of view as a (former) woodworker, and I think about the \"essence of the wood\" all the time.
Selected response from:

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 08:33
Grading comment
Thanks - this says it well.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3a particular (type of) wood
awilliams
4 +2species of wood
Jean-Luc Dumont
5inherent qualities of wood
Vicky Papaprodromou
5 -1the essential quality
Christopher Crockett
3quality / character / type / characteristics
Abdellatif Bouhid


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
inherent qualities of wood


Explanation:
-


    Reference: http://participate.decordova.org/agree.asp
Vicky Papaprodromou
Greece
Local time: 15:33
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
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56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
quality / character / type / characteristics


Explanation:
désolé pour le manque de références.

Abdellatif Bouhid
Local time: 08:33
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in FrenchFrench
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39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
the essential quality


Explanation:
I'm assuming that we are talking about marquetry here, so a translation of the sense might be "When choosing a wood to work with, color is the essential quality which I am most looking for".

In marquetry, color is the most important "quality" --though "grain" ("fil", in your previous question) is also important, since an idea of the textures of the various objects being represented can be conveyed by grain.

First rate marquetry demonstrates an ability to combine both of these "essential qualities" of the wood, and, when that is sucessfully done, the "artisan" becomes an "artist".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 41 mins (2003-12-22 19:06:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course, \"essential qualities\" are \"inherent\", but I prefer \"essential\" to Vicki\'s (quite correct) \"inherent\" here because it seems to me to be closer to the original, in thought and feeling.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 52 mins (2003-12-22 19:17:52 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Many marquetry sites on the web, of course.

A remarkably sterile English one :
http://www.marquetry.org/Gallery123.htm

A bit better, here
http://www.marquetry.co.uk/main/html/gallery.php --not the use of grain to convey the texture of the blue band across her shoulder, and in the \"clouds\" behind.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 57 mins (2003-12-22 19:22:55 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Note to Amy : Your point is well taken, but I\'m comming from my own point of view as a (former) woodworker, and I think about the \"essence of the wood\" all the time.

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 08:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks - this says it well.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  awilliams: Christmas greetings :) IMO 'When choosing a wood to work with' is spot on for 'Quand je choisis une essence de bois'; but 'essence de bois' has nothing to do with 'essential' - it simply means 'wood'.
13 mins
  -> Mmmm...I see your point, and you are right, of course. But, so am I, so gofigger. Thanks, Amy.
disagree  Jean-Luc Dumont: contresens - it is essence de bois not l'essence du bois
3 hrs
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40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
a particular (type of) wood


Explanation:
Yes, Diane, I think your option would be best. I know from some recent questions I asked in the Italian sub-community about 'essenza' in relation to a piece on cabinet-making that the Italians use 'essence' in a way totally different from how we use it (in English) - I imagine the same can be said of the French.
Could be mistaken, but that's my take.
HTH.

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Note added at 58 mins (2003-12-22 19:23:56 GMT) Post-grading
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see http://www.proz.com/?sp=h&id=218488

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Note added at 2 hrs 11 mins (2003-12-22 20:36:37 GMT) Post-grading
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Sorry Christopher, but while your answer reads OK as a sentence I find the glossary entrey misleading - it\'s \'essence DE bois\', in any case.

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Note added at 2 hrs 11 mins (2003-12-22 20:36:47 GMT) Post-grading
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Sorry Christopher, but while your answer reads OK as a sentence I find the glossary entry misleading - it\'s \'essence DE bois\', in any case.

awilliams
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:33
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Yes, of course, when we talk about 'essence', we mean the TYPE of wood --- it's as simple as that!
29 mins
agree  lien: with Dusty, type of wood, from which tree
43 mins
  -> cheers!
agree  Jean-Luc Dumont
3 hrs
  -> thanks JLDSF - totally agree with you. Species/type is the one!
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
species of wood


Explanation:
I chooose a species of wood mostly for/based on its color

essential quality is wrong - not the meaning at all in French

essence = espèce = species

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Note added at 4 hrs 11 mins (2003-12-22 22:37:05 GMT) Post-grading
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Species Of Wood
... Species of Wood. There are many wood flooring species, domestic and
imported, available to the consumer today. The following chart ...
floorinfo.com/wdspec.html - 10k - Cached - Similar pages

Domestic Wood Floor Species-Domestic Species of Wood Floor ...
Wood Floor Showroom .com. Home Page. ...
www.woodfloorshowroom.com/ domestic_woodfloor_species.html - 26k - Cached - Similar pages

Marquetry : species of wood (4)
... SYCAMORE. Type Acer Other name Bois de lièvre. There are several species of wood
coming from different parts of world : Northen America, Europe and Japan. ...
www.art-estherbrassac.com/anglais/tech_a/veneer4.html - 23k - Cached - Similar pages
[ More results from www.art-estherbrassac.com ]

Professional Gallery - Fine Furniture, Custom Furniture, Wood Art ...
... Kiwanis). About five years ago, he heard about Intarsia and began to
build pieces of art from different colors and species of wood. ...
www.guildoforegonwoodworkers.com/ Gallery.aspx?GalleryArticle=1 - 28k - Cached - Similar pages





Jean-Luc Dumont
France
Local time: 14:33
Native speaker of: French

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  awilliams
10 mins
  -> agree with you too - He chooses a wood for its yellow hues or red tones but the essential quality of wood could be that it is easy to work, or does not crack, or dries fast :-).
agree  Tony M: Hear, hear!
23 hrs
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