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This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other
Jan 31, 2016 00:14
8 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term

horizon d'une douceur douillette

French to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters In An Autobiography
Contexte (description of a village in French Polynesia):

Il a subi des pluies diluviennes, essuyé de terribles cyclones... Comment expliquer que dans l'image gravée en mois son ciel e son lagon soient toujours d'un bleu lumineux, son ciel, ses eaux, d'une limpidité ineffable, son horizon d'une douceur douilette?

Merci Beaucoup,

Barbara
Proposed translations (English)
3 +3 soft and gentle horizon
3 +2 its skyline gentle and comforting
4 +1 Velutinous / velvety
3 +1 its horizon of a sweet softness / its horizon sweetly soft
4 its horizon of such cosy softeness
Change log

Jan 31, 2016 01:00: Yolanda Broad changed "Term asked" from "horizon d\\\'une douceur douilette" to "horizon d\'une douceur douillette"

Discussion

Lara Barnett Feb 1, 2016:
@ Barbara Ormiston is right, it would be more helpful to you in the end if you provided what you have done so far. A little phrase like this could be translated in many ways, which would all be largely dependent on the rest of the phrasing. As this is literature, and is obviously rather poetical in nature, we can't really guess what you have done with it.
ormiston Jan 31, 2016:
"gravé en mois son ciel e son lagon" est dans votre original?!

Proposed translations

+3
11 hrs
French term (edited): horizon d\'une douceur douillette

soft and gentle horizon

Cosy softness is the literal ttanslation but seems a bit odd as a descrkption of a horizon. "Soft and gentle" conveys the sense of contrast between the writers mental image and the harsh reality of climate on the island
Peer comment(s):
agree katsy : I agree that two adjectives sound better than to try to keep adj+ noun; maybe in the actual translation (context) it might be better to put "its horizon soft and gentle"..
4 hrs
agree AllegroTrans
2 days 8 hrs
agree Yvonne Gallagher
3 days 22 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
13 hrs

its horizon of a sweet softness / its horizon sweetly soft

Of course, to be more literal, it should be soft sweetness or softly sweet. However, as it seems more likely one would describe a horizon as soft than as sweet, I think a reversal is called for.

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Note added at 13 hrs (2016-01-31 13:44:20 GMT)
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I note that ormiston queries Daryo's use of "softness". A horizon can be softened by haze or mist, or by the similar colours of sea and sky where they meet at the horizon.
Peer comment(s):
agree katsy : I agree that two adjectives sound better than to try to keep adj+ noun; maybe in the actual translation (context) it might be better to put "its horizon soft and gentle"..
2 hrs
Thanks katsy
Something went wrong...
+2
14 hrs

its skyline gentle and comforting

as opposed to harsh and menacing
my modest stab at it
Peer comment(s):
agree Carol Gullidge : agree with skyline in particular; talking about a village's "horizon" sounds odd to me
21 hrs
thanks Carol
agree AllegroTrans
2 days 6 hrs
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : I think of highrises with "skyline"...obviously not the case here
3 days 20 hrs
Something went wrong...
7 hrs
French term (edited): son horizon d'une douceur douillette

its horizon of such cosy softeness

..


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Note added at 14 hrs (2016-01-31 14:19:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

this is describing the subjective perception of the writer - no point arguing about it, just translate exactly what it's said
Peer comment(s):
neutral ormiston : softeness? I mean the spelling is unusual
4 hrs
ok, yes softness - shouldn't rush ....
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : "cosy" & "horizon". Now what could that mean?
4 days
Something went wrong...
+1
18 hrs

Velutinous / velvety

This may be breaching the "translators licence", but go ahead and disagree or discard if it is too removed from idea...

"...and its softly velutinous horizon."

Or

"... and it's soft and velvety horizon."

I was reminded of how it would feel to sink into the "douilette" - type of image. Maybe like a deep luxurious sofa or something.
Peer comment(s):
agree GILLES MEUNIER
13 hrs
Something went wrong...
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