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Oct 18, 2012 08:16
11 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term
Demain ou après demain, le temps ne compte pas
French to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
This is an arabic expression originally apparantly. I think I'm going to leave it in French in the text, but I'd like to put a meaning in brackets for the UK audience. My attempt:
"Tomorrow or the next day, time is of no importance" but does the expression really mean that time doesn't matter? or that it (whatever needs doing) will take the time it takes?
Thanks for your input/suggestions!
"Tomorrow or the next day, time is of no importance" but does the expression really mean that time doesn't matter? or that it (whatever needs doing) will take the time it takes?
Thanks for your input/suggestions!
Proposed translations
+1
44 mins
Tomorrow or the day after, it makes no difference
Thanks for the context! Assuming that this is about the second stage, when the initial rush is over, this could work,or:
Tomorrow or the next day
OR, if "demain" doesn't refer specifically to the day after today (!), then it could be
"The next day or the day after that, it makes no difference"
or "... or the following day,..."
Tomorrow or the next day
OR, if "demain" doesn't refer specifically to the day after today (!), then it could be
"The next day or the day after that, it makes no difference"
or "... or the following day,..."
Peer comment(s):
agree |
ann sheiq
: tomorrow or whenevr (when you want); time does not matter
1 hr
|
indeed, many thanks Ann!
|
2 hrs
The future is beyond our control
Agree with Emma and writeaway that it would be best to go back to the Arabic to find out what the expression means and translate it directly into English; but in case you aren't able to, or are pressed for time, here's my tentative suggestion.
I think...it might mean that one can act on the present, based on immediate circumstances, but one can't foresee or control future events.
So, in an aid context, it might refer to how most agencies are well geared to handle emergencies and crises, but are generally unable to prevent or deal with long-term institutional or endemic problems; that contrast might be a source of frustration for them, since the sudden crises are often the result of entrenched problems.
I admit it's a thumbsuck :-) but maybe it will help a little.
I think...it might mean that one can act on the present, based on immediate circumstances, but one can't foresee or control future events.
So, in an aid context, it might refer to how most agencies are well geared to handle emergencies and crises, but are generally unable to prevent or deal with long-term institutional or endemic problems; that contrast might be a source of frustration for them, since the sudden crises are often the result of entrenched problems.
I admit it's a thumbsuck :-) but maybe it will help a little.
17 hrs
Whether it be tomorrow or the day after, time does not discriminate
It could be this... depending on the context of course.
1 day 11 hrs
Tomorrow, the next day, whenever
in the sense of "as long as it takes" as you suggested
Discussion
French also has the expression incidentally
Chaque chose en son temps. Everything in its own time.
You could add that to my suggestions
Tomorrow or the day after, there's no rush
... time is not of the essence,
... whenever
... it really doesn't matter,
etc, etc