Translation Help - de bouillie de son de graminées - French Language2024-03-28T20:29:50Zhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/forum/topics/translation-help-food-related?commentId=3179028%3AComment%3A69991&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThe doctoral thesis from whic…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-02-23:3179028:Comment:701682012-02-23T19:16:39.530ZMimi Drakehttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/MimiDrake
<p>The doctoral thesis from which this sentence came was submitted in 1975. Perhaps when it got typed there was an error that the good vet did not catch, or perhaps when the thesis was later scanned something went a-missing, we know about scanning ;).</p>
<p>From what we know about the diet of these primitive dogs, that phrase does not make sense, because the Touaregs did not boil grass for the dogs, they only cooked grains for them, primarily millet and sometimes rice or sorghum. <br></br><br></br>I…</p>
<p>The doctoral thesis from which this sentence came was submitted in 1975. Perhaps when it got typed there was an error that the good vet did not catch, or perhaps when the thesis was later scanned something went a-missing, we know about scanning ;).</p>
<p>From what we know about the diet of these primitive dogs, that phrase does not make sense, because the Touaregs did not boil grass for the dogs, they only cooked grains for them, primarily millet and sometimes rice or sorghum. <br/><br/>I think the missing "ou" that you pointed out is our best guess, because bran cannot be made from grass, bran is part of the grain, so "son de graminées" makes <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>no</strong></span> sense (and one does not have to be a botanical expert to say that), but, "bouillie de son ou de graminées" does.</p>
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<p>Thanks, Neil, for coming through, and thanks also to Erwan :).</p> I think you would have to go…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-02-23:3179028:Comment:702362012-02-23T18:40:35.235ZNeil Coffeyhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/NeilCoffey
<p>I think you would have to go back to the original text to be sure. Obviously, "son de graminées" is perfectly grammatical -- but (and I'm not a botany expert, I should stress!) I'm just not sure it actually makes any sense.</p>
<p>I'm also suspecting that the precise botanical details are not crucial to the purpose of the text, on the other hand...</p>
<p>I think you would have to go back to the original text to be sure. Obviously, "son de graminées" is perfectly grammatical -- but (and I'm not a botany expert, I should stress!) I'm just not sure it actually makes any sense.</p>
<p>I'm also suspecting that the precise botanical details are not crucial to the purpose of the text, on the other hand...</p> Thanks for your help, Neil. …tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-02-23:3179028:Comment:704012012-02-23T18:36:07.127ZMimi Drakehttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/MimiDrake
<p>Thanks for your help, Neil. I copied and pasted below, that sentence straight from the Thesis, so you can see for yourself if perhaps the original version has a missing word in it.</p>
<p><em><strong><En période de disette, à partir du mois de mars jusqu'aux premières pluies qui n'arrivent guère avant juillet, la vie reste végétative, et les chiens se contentent de bouillie de son de graminées.></strong></em></p>
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<p>I will take your suggestion and put in "gruel" instead of…</p>
<p>Thanks for your help, Neil. I copied and pasted below, that sentence straight from the Thesis, so you can see for yourself if perhaps the original version has a missing word in it.</p>
<p><em><strong><En période de disette, à partir du mois de mars jusqu'aux premières pluies qui n'arrivent guère avant juillet, la vie reste végétative, et les chiens se contentent de bouillie de son de graminées.></strong></em></p>
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<p>I will take your suggestion and put in "gruel" instead of cereal and then make that consistent throughout the rest of the translated text. And I will add "or", as suggested. I'm going to stick with gruel instead of using the word mush, because the English translation is going to be then translated into German and gruel may perhaps make it easier for that process.</p> Are you sure there isn't a wo…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-02-23:3179028:Comment:703202012-02-23T17:48:46.479ZNeil Coffeyhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/NeilCoffey
<p>Are you sure there isn't a word missing? I think it would make more sense to say "bouille de son <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ou</span> de graminées" ("a bran or grass mush"). Maybe "gruel" can work for "bouille"? I'd certainly avoid saying "bran cereal", which sounds more like a Kelloggs invention than mush given to dogs...!</p>
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<p>I would probably not translate "se contentent de..." as "are content with" -- the idea is more like "they have to make do with..." -- i.e.…</p>
<p>Are you sure there isn't a word missing? I think it would make more sense to say "bouille de son <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ou</span> de graminées" ("a bran or grass mush"). Maybe "gruel" can work for "bouille"? I'd certainly avoid saying "bran cereal", which sounds more like a Kelloggs invention than mush given to dogs...!</p>
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<p>I would probably not translate "se contentent de..." as "are content with" -- the idea is more like "they have to make do with..." -- i.e. they're not content as such, but that's what they're given so tough!</p> Bouillie can also mean cereal…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-02-23:3179028:Comment:699912012-02-23T08:04:55.760ZMimi Drakehttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/MimiDrake
<p>Bouillie can also mean cereal or porridge, or just plain slurry - I used cereal. That phrase at the end of the sentence is complex, if you would read it again.</p>
<p>Bouillie can also mean cereal or porridge, or just plain slurry - I used cereal. That phrase at the end of the sentence is complex, if you would read it again.</p> I think that in you translati…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-02-23:3179028:Comment:699882012-02-23T08:02:17.486ZErwanhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/Erwan
<p>I think that in you translation you forgot to translate the word <em>bouillie</em> which means <em>mush.</em></p>
<p>I think that in you translation you forgot to translate the word <em>bouillie</em> which means <em>mush.</em></p>