https://www.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/other/593443-portage-la-prairie.html
This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English

Portage la Prairie

English translation: The swiftest overland link between to river transportation systems

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Portage La Prairie
English translation:The swiftest overland link between to river transportation systems

21:54 Dec 12, 2003
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
French term or phrase: Portage la Prairie
"Portage la Prairie".This is the name of a town in Manitoba, Canada. What does it exactly mean in French. Does anyone know? I have a hunch it might have something to do with the fur trade. Thank you for your help and information.
Brian Costello
prarie portage
Explanation:
According to the mayor, the "swiftest overland link" between two river transportation systems:
Selected response from:

Parrot
Spain
Local time: 01:34
Grading comment
Special thanks to Parrot whose website was probably the most helpful. But thanks also to Karima who came pretty close to the meaning of the place name too. Bourth, also did not give a bad answer and I thank you too. Yes, place names are sometimes funny things. In Washington State, for example, we have a town called Pe Ell. It is the local Indian pronunciation of Pierre (Charles) of the Hudson's Bay Company, the first whiteman to settled there in the 1850's. There is also a Pend d'Oreille river and county after a group of Indians whom French Canadian trappers called "Pendants d'oreille" from the seashell bobs that they wore in their ears. Because these names sometimes get altered or corrupted I can see where even a regular French speaker might get confused. Finally, Gilbert, your input is appreciated too.

Sincerely,
Brian Costello
Seattle, Wa.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +9Do not translate!
Karima Afchar
4 +1prarie portage
Parrot
3 +1you might be right
toubabou
2 +1Since you ask
Bourth (X)


  

Answers


36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
prarie portage


Explanation:
According to the mayor, the "swiftest overland link" between two river transportation systems:


    Reference: http://www.city.portage-la-prairie.mb.ca/about/mayor.html
Parrot
Spain
Local time: 01:34
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 1861
Grading comment
Special thanks to Parrot whose website was probably the most helpful. But thanks also to Karima who came pretty close to the meaning of the place name too. Bourth, also did not give a bad answer and I thank you too. Yes, place names are sometimes funny things. In Washington State, for example, we have a town called Pe Ell. It is the local Indian pronunciation of Pierre (Charles) of the Hudson's Bay Company, the first whiteman to settled there in the 1850's. There is also a Pend d'Oreille river and county after a group of Indians whom French Canadian trappers called "Pendants d'oreille" from the seashell bobs that they wore in their ears. Because these names sometimes get altered or corrupted I can see where even a regular French speaker might get confused. Finally, Gilbert, your input is appreciated too.

Sincerely,
Brian Costello
Seattle, Wa.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  chaplin: prarie??
8 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Since you ask


Explanation:
I would venture to say it "means" something like "place of portage in the plains". The word "portage" is used in English too, notably for when you have to carry your canoes - and what they carry - overland, as someone else has said. I don't know the lay of the land there, and nothing stands out on a map to indicate why portage was required at that point, if indeed it was.

Place names, indeed names generally, are funny things. It might even have been how French trappers heard the name of the place in the Indian language of the locality, which we might transcribe in English as "Poordardge elb riary", say. Anything is possible!

Bourth (X)
Local time: 01:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 18679

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  lenkl: Been to Winnipeg, once. Looked kind of flat. Portage would not be overly strenuous there, I guess.
1 day 20 hrs
  -> You mean you could see for the mosquitos?
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
you might be right


Explanation:
« Les noms géographiques du Manitoba »
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/geonames/geo_names/index.f...
« Imaginez que chaque nom géographique soit le titre d'une histoire décrivant un aspect du patrimoine culturel et naturel du Manitoba. Certains noms tels Portage la Prairie, Fort Garry, Norway House et York Factory rappellent le romantisme du commerce de la fourrure. »

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 3 mins (2003-12-13 00:57:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I didn\'t think you were asking whether it had to be translated or not?
To leave as is was pretty obvious to me.


    Reference: http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/amenord.htm
toubabou
Local time: 19:34
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 187

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
10 mins
neutral  writeaway: I don't think a French reference is a good idea
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +9
Do not translate!


Explanation:
It refers to the action of carrying your canoes and merchandise on your back when you want to avoid rapids, falls or dangersous rivers.
This is where the name of the Manitoba town comes from.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs 12 mins (2003-12-13 15:06:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In case you are wondering what La Prairie means, it means: meadow or clearcut area.

Karima Afchar
Local time: 17:34
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
1 min
agree  sarahl (X): calm down! He never said he wanted to translate it. Vous pouvez dormir sur vos deux oreilles.;-)
15 mins
agree  Azure
1 hr
agree  Lesley Clarke: as Sarah says, your initial answer is wrong, but your explanation is lovely
2 hrs
neutral  toubabou: obviously, the asker didn't ask for the translation
2 hrs
agree  Marcus Malabad: this is the answer, lugging dem heavy canoes to bypass tricky parts in rivers
2 hrs
agree  Will Matter: oui, overland, one step at a time.
2 hrs
agree  PB Trans
16 hrs
agree  sktrans
16 hrs
agree  Marshall Waddell
20 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations