Radotages d’un TraducteurDes mots qui tournent dans ma tete.

Source: Libération Online

In the article entitled Ces déchets suisses qui refont surface, I came across the expression “en douce”.

Dans les années 50, l’industrie chimique aurait enterré ses résidus en douce.

According to WordReference, this expression means:

On the sly, on the quiet, furtively

We could translate the entire sentence as:

In the 50s, the chemical industry was allegedly burying its waste on the sly.

The trickiest part of this translation is that of the word “aurait”. Whilst the conditional is used in French, we cannot translate this to “would have” in English. In fact, in this case, “aurait” is more a suggestion or accusation than a something that is definite.

Source: Libération Online

In the article entitled Gare du Nord : le voyageur sans billet «n’est pas un clandestin», selon son avocat, I came across the word “resquilleur”.

Le resquilleur a été placé en détention provisoire jusqu’à cette date.

The word resquilleur can have quite a few meanings dependant on its context:

Fare-dodger, line-jumper, gatecrasher

In this particular context, it is known that we are dealing with a fare-dodger. We could translate the entire sentence as:

The fare-dodger has been retained in custody until this date.

Source: Libération, Vendredi 16 Mars 2007

In the article entitled “Les quatre piliers de l’engouement”, I came across the following phrase:

calculée un peu au doigt mouillé sur la base des scores à la présidentielle en 2002

The poorly documented menaing of “au doigt mouillé” is:

Randomly, haphazardly, arbitrarily

Hence the whole phrase above could be translated as:

haphazardly calculated based on the tallies of the 2002 presidential election

Source: Libération, Vendredi 16 Mars 2007

In the article entitled “Présidentielle: L’appétit vient en croissant.” from the above newspaper, the expression “Tête d’affiche” is used.

Des réunions qui font le plein, même sans tête d’affiche.

The expression “Tête d’affiche” means:

The person who plays the main part. (Normally in a theatrical or musical context).

I personally like the expression “leading figure”. Hence the translation of the whole phrase could be:

The meetings are packed, despite the absence of the leading figure.

Source: Libération, Vendredi 16 Mars 2007

In the article entitled Les Palestiniens s’accordent sur un gouvernement d’union from the above newspaper, the expression “en rupture de ban” is used.

Enfin, les Affaires étrangères sont confiées à Ziad Abou Amer, un député indépendant de la bande de Gaza en rupture de ban avec le Fatah et parrainé par le Hamas.

The expression “en rupture de ban” means:

At odds with authority

Hence we could translate the phrase as:

Finally, the role of Foreign Minister was confided to Ziad Abou Amer, an independant MP from the Gaza Strip who is at odds with the Fatah and sponsored by Hamas.