A thumbs-up or thumbs-down sentence? - French Language2024-03-29T00:10:36Zhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/forum/topics/a-thumbs-up-or-thumbs-down-sentence?commentId=3179028%3AComment%3A97251&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSo the gist of it seems to b…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:972512012-11-06T18:19:28.002ZGeorge Hunthttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/GEORDIEHOUND
<p>So the gist of it seems to be that ,without the author's notes the publication would be entirely worthless,</p>
<p>The fact that his notes give some value to the overall work doesn't indicate that his notes have much value in themselves -just that they are the only thing of any worth in the work!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could have twisted the knife a bit more if he had said the "notes" were references to other publications!</p>
<p>So the gist of it seems to be that ,without the author's notes the publication would be entirely worthless,</p>
<p>The fact that his notes give some value to the overall work doesn't indicate that his notes have much value in themselves -just that they are the only thing of any worth in the work!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could have twisted the knife a bit more if he had said the "notes" were references to other publications!</p> Bonjour Sou et George Hunt,
M…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:965382012-11-06T15:46:39.844ZWilliam F. von Valtierhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/WilliamFvonValtier
<p>Bonjour Sou et George Hunt,</p>
<p>Many thanks for your thoughtful replies. I suppose this ambiguous sentence is an instance of ironic reversal missing the target. In answer to Sou's questions: 1) The line, not a translation from English, is from a French biographical dictionary, in an entry about an English physician-author. 2) Its context overall is critical, even derisive. In the preceding paragraph one of the subject's works is described as "mediocre".</p>
<p>I am attaching a screen shot…</p>
<p>Bonjour Sou et George Hunt,</p>
<p>Many thanks for your thoughtful replies. I suppose this ambiguous sentence is an instance of ironic reversal missing the target. In answer to Sou's questions: 1) The line, not a translation from English, is from a French biographical dictionary, in an entry about an English physician-author. 2) Its context overall is critical, even derisive. In the preceding paragraph one of the subject's works is described as "mediocre".</p>
<p>I am attaching a screen shot of the entire 4-paragraph entry, but I don't know whether it will transmit.</p>
<p>Merci encore</p> I think you're right. Anyway…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:960392012-11-06T12:47:01.377ZSouhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/Sou
<p>I think you're right. Anyway the sentence is ambiguous.</p>
<p>As in French "quelques" can be translated by "some" or "a few" according to the context, it's indeed the author's intention that counts.</p>
<p>I think you're right. Anyway the sentence is ambiguous.</p>
<p>As in French "quelques" can be translated by "some" or "a few" according to the context, it's indeed the author's intention that counts.</p> No it is just "quelques" -as…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:958732012-11-06T12:23:38.317ZGeorge Hunthttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/GEORDIEHOUND
<p>No it is just "quelques" -as was originally written by the author.</p>
<p>I was just wondering if "quelques..." can be used to mean "les quelques..." .</p>
<p>I felt in this sentence it could possibly be taken that way even if that had not necessarily been the intention of the author.</p>
<p>No it is just "quelques" -as was originally written by the author.</p>
<p>I was just wondering if "quelques..." can be used to mean "les quelques..." .</p>
<p>I felt in this sentence it could possibly be taken that way even if that had not necessarily been the intention of the author.</p> Is it "les quelques notes de…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:958642012-11-06T12:10:19.925ZSouhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/Sou
<p>Is it "<span style="text-decoration: underline;">les</span> quelques notes de l'auteur" as you've just mentioned or "quelques notes" as your first post showed? because it's not the same.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Is the sentence a translation from English?</p>
<p></p>
<p>I don't say it's bad French, I'd say it is not so clear. It's strange to have "ajouter" (which in a way adds value as a positive thing) and "faible" which contradicts the effect of adding.</p>
<p>I'd rather say: " les quelques notes de…</p>
<p>Is it "<span style="text-decoration: underline;">les</span> quelques notes de l'auteur" as you've just mentioned or "quelques notes" as your first post showed? because it's not the same.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Is the sentence a translation from English?</p>
<p></p>
<p>I don't say it's bad French, I'd say it is not so clear. It's strange to have "ajouter" (which in a way adds value as a positive thing) and "faible" which contradicts the effect of adding.</p>
<p>I'd rather say: " les quelques notes de l'auteur n'apportent pas une grande valeur à cette traduction" ou bien "apportent peu de valeur à cette traduction".</p> Are you saying that "Les quel…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:959522012-11-06T11:57:51.342ZGeorge Hunthttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/GEORDIEHOUND
<p>Are you saying that "Les quelques notes de l'auteur ajoutent un faible prix a cette traduction."<br/>would be bad French? I thought it was acceptable.</p>
<p>Maybe you mean it doesn't work in this context?</p>
<p>My english "translation" of "les quelques" (all ,or most , of the) wasn't intended as a translation -just as a paraphrase.</p>
<p>Are you saying that "Les quelques notes de l'auteur ajoutent un faible prix a cette traduction."<br/>would be bad French? I thought it was acceptable.</p>
<p>Maybe you mean it doesn't work in this context?</p>
<p>My english "translation" of "les quelques" (all ,or most , of the) wasn't intended as a translation -just as a paraphrase.</p> I don't understand your "les…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:957742012-11-06T11:40:05.308ZSouhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/Sou
<p>I don't understand your "les quelques". "all" or "most of " would be translated in French by "toutes les notes" or "la plupart des notes".</p>
<p>Without a more precise context, it is difficult to get the meaning of "quelques"; besides the sentence itself is awkward.</p>
<p>I understand it as "quelques unes des notes".</p>
<p>I don't understand your "les quelques". "all" or "most of " would be translated in French by "toutes les notes" or "la plupart des notes".</p>
<p>Without a more precise context, it is difficult to get the meaning of "quelques"; besides the sentence itself is awkward.</p>
<p>I understand it as "quelques unes des notes".</p> Is it possible that "quelques…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:958982012-11-06T11:25:17.596ZGeorge Hunthttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/GEORDIEHOUND
<p>Is it possible that "quelques" is being used in the sense of "les quelques" ? (all ,or most , of the few notes) .</p>
<p>Otherwise is it used in the sense of "quelques -uns" ?</p>
<p>Can it be taken either way?</p>
<p>Is it possible that "quelques" is being used in the sense of "les quelques" ? (all ,or most , of the few notes) .</p>
<p>Otherwise is it used in the sense of "quelques -uns" ?</p>
<p>Can it be taken either way?</p> It's a thumbs-down. La deuxiè…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-11-06:3179028:Comment:953032012-11-06T07:23:48.008ZSouhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/Sou
<p>It's a thumbs-down. La deuxième solution est la bonne : Some of the author's notes add <span style="text-decoration: underline;">little</span> value to this translation</p>
<p>It's a thumbs-down. La deuxième solution est la bonne : Some of the author's notes add <span style="text-decoration: underline;">little</span> value to this translation</p>