écriture blanche et écriture rouge

English translation: Plain and flowery writing

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:écriture blanche et écriture rouge
English translation:Plain and flowery writing
Entered by: Angela Dickson (X)

14:38 May 16, 2005
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Literature Critics
French term or phrase: écriture blanche et écriture rouge
"Pour la commodité de l’analyse, on a regroupé les textes attaqués en deux principales espèces, caractérisées par leur style : parataxe voyante, minimalisme syntaxique, lexical et rhétorique (écriture blanche). Inversement, syntaxe complexe, métaphores flamboyantes, énumérations (écriture rouge)."

Can anyone please explain in plain English what exactly meant by "écriture blanche" and "écriture rouge"? TIA.
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Taiwan
Local time: 08:37
Plain and flowery writing
Explanation:
Now I'm not sure about the colour symbolism here, but here goes anyway... the 'blanche' is about using short sentences with limited conjunctions, simple syntax and vocabulary, and without using (overly complex, one would assume) rhetorical devices.

The 'rouge' would be the opposite - writing with complex syntax, presumably longer sentences with more conjunctions, metaphor and explanation.

Paraphrase - 'white' writing leaves more to the imagination, while 'red' tries to encapsulate everything in the writing itself. Compare Hemingway to Dickens (two examples off the top of my head!)
Selected response from:

Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:37
Grading comment
Thank you very much!
Also, many thanks to Bert_M's reference.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1Plain and flowery writing
Angela Dickson (X)
3stylistic classification
Bertrand Malingrey
3plain and adorned writing
carlie602


  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
écriture blanche et écriture rouge
Plain and flowery writing


Explanation:
Now I'm not sure about the colour symbolism here, but here goes anyway... the 'blanche' is about using short sentences with limited conjunctions, simple syntax and vocabulary, and without using (overly complex, one would assume) rhetorical devices.

The 'rouge' would be the opposite - writing with complex syntax, presumably longer sentences with more conjunctions, metaphor and explanation.

Paraphrase - 'white' writing leaves more to the imagination, while 'red' tries to encapsulate everything in the writing itself. Compare Hemingway to Dickens (two examples off the top of my head!)

Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:37
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you very much!
Also, many thanks to Bert_M's reference.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  DocteurPC: si je comprends bien : blanche = "XXX for the complete idiot" et rouge =Stephen Hawking's writing - à l'extrème
24 mins
  -> hmm - I don't get that for 'blanche' - rather something pared down but of high quality because of this, like Hemingway
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
écriture blanche et écriture rouge
stylistic classification


Explanation:
It's a way of classifying literary styles.

[i]Les écrivains précités (sauf le "Commandant Majeur" Sollers) font partie de l'écriture rouge selon Jourde. Autrement dit, "syntaxe complexe, métaphores flamboyantes, énumérations". La blanche, elle prospère dans "la parataxe voyante, minimalisme syntaxique, lexical et rhétorique". Dans cette catégorie sont placés Oster, Viel, Toussaint, Redonnet, Bernheim, Bobin, Roze. Mais attention, nous prévient Jourde, écriture blanche et écriture rouge se confondent, puisque l'une cherche sa singularité dans l'affectation du détachement et l'autre dans le cabotinage. Écriture blanche et écriture rouge sont, un mélange astucieux dans le naturalisme, le réalisme et le romantisme, dégradées dans le poncif à force de trop vouloir se singulariser. Quant à la troisième catégorie, l'écrue, elle est minimaliste, elle tient du petit rien, de l'ineffable, du microscopique, de la trouvaille. Littérature souvent angélique, décorative, qui empaille confortablement le lecteur dans le ravissement. Citons Autin-Grenier, Holder, de Cornière, Delerm.[/i]

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2005-05-16 14:52:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Works a bit like the difference between \'bland\' and \'spicy\'when you refer to food.



    Reference: http://www.e-litterature.net/general/general.php?repert=irma...
Bertrand Malingrey
United States
Local time: 20:37
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  DocteurPC: merveilleuse référence! - même si ce n'est pas la traduction
18 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
écriture blanche et écriture rouge
plain and adorned writing


Explanation:
literal

carlie602
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.

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:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search