Need help ,

Dearest  friends, I hope you � re doing well ! I need your help again . A colleague of mine  asked me to translate two paragraphs from French into English about 150 words  and I can � t turn down his request and because my french is not excellent I am asking you for help.

Thx a lot in advance 

Here are the two paragraphs

Les �tudes et l�histoire de la traduction constituent un terrain fertile pour la r�flexion, la th�orisation et la manifestation des diff�rentes conceptions convergentes sur certains points et divergentes sur d�autres. Et si l�on observe soigneusement l�histoire et la th�orisation de la traduction, on trouve que la pol�mique qu�elles suscitent �tait et demeure le r�sultat d�une activit� intellectuelle et d�un souci cognitif dans un contexte historique bien d�termin� depuis l�antiquit�, en passant par la p�riode classique, moderne et contemporaine.

Cette recherche aspire � faire un inventaire historique de la th�orisation dans le domaine de la traduction, et ce � travers l�approche du concept � th�orie de la traduction �, tout en distinguant les sp�culations sur la traduction, la m�thodologie acad�mique propre � l��tude de la traduction et ses op�rations. Ensuite, il s�agira d��voquer les plus �minents auteurs en vogue dans ce domaine, depuis le d�but du 20^�me si�cle jusqu�� ce jour, en se concentrant sur l�approche linguistique, litt�raire et philosophique, vu leur connexit� �troite et corr�lative avec la traduction en tant qu�op�ration traduisante et que th�orisation. 

Hi mabdel, de quoi s�agit-il???:-) I �m going to put up an initial literal attempt and hoping that others will chip in. Les the magicman advised me to keep translations as close to the original as possible, but to make this sound English, changes probably should be made. I �ll put some suggestions in brackets. Come on guys, chip in! I might wait till others have made suggestions. What I would think is that English is more comfortable with verbs, rather than proper nouns.... for example �its operations... how it works/how i

 

�Studies and the history of translation make a fertile ground for reflection, theorisation and the demonstration of different conceptions, convergent on some points and divergent on others. And if you observe the history and theorisation of translation carefully, you find that the polemic they spark was and remains the result of intellectual activity and a cognitive concern in a historical context, well determined (well defined?) since antiquity, continuing through classical, modern and contemporary times. 

 

This research aims to make a historical inventory of theorisation in the field of translation, through the approach of the �theory of translation � concept, whilst distinguishing (between?) speculations on translation, an academic methodology itself to the study of translation and its operations( how and where it is carried out?). Then, it will call on the most eminent fashionable (in vogue? Popular?) authors in this area, from the start of the 20th century until today, by focusing on a linguistic, literary and philosophical approach, seeing their close and correlating connection with translation, (both) as a translation exercise and theorisation. �

 

OK, I �ve bitten off more than I can chew! Au secours, les Francais!  

I �m wondering why �theorisation � and �theorie �?

Lynne 

Thanks for doing the hard work, Lynne. I have a few suggestions for polishing the text a little. Except for the first one, I am just choosing your alternatives, which you suggested because they make better English, even though they are a little further from the original..

 

I would remove "a" to make it "... make fertile ground for ..." 

Use "well defined"

"whilst distinguishing between"

Instead of "operations" or your phrasal alternative, I would say "its practice"

"popular" for "en vogue"

Definitely add "both" 

 

Bruce 

I �ve read the English translation and - OMG- who wrote it?! Why on earth would one use this language to convey a very simple idea? Are we - human beings- prone to seem more � intellectual � by putting as many words as we can in a sentence that can be just as successfully written/ uttered in a handful �of words instead of using the bla bla bla of �many, many words?!�

Thanks for translating, Lynne. That was impressive, even thought my French can count only a few (mainly gastronomical) terms!

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The �Tower of Babel seems to be reachng its highest heights!

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I was also thinking that "concepts" might be better than "conceptions" toward the beginning.

 

Bruce 

Thank you all dear friends especially  Lynne , Maryse and  Bruce  for your great help!  I do really appreciate it.I simply couldn t  have done it without you. We are fortunate to have you around and you are the kind of friends that makes this community more wonderful.

warm hugs