Sep 30, 2013 10:28
10 yrs ago
French term
malade de l'exercice du pouvoir
French to English
Social Sciences
Government / Politics
discussion of European en
"Elle a l’illusion du pouvoir, mais est malade de l’exercice du pouvoir."
Again, apologies for the lack of context - confidentiality agreement is tying my hands. However, by way of general context, I can say that this is talking about the political left in France. I'm struggling to express this idea as well and concisely as it is expressed in the French.
Again, apologies for the lack of context - confidentiality agreement is tying my hands. However, by way of general context, I can say that this is talking about the political left in France. I'm struggling to express this idea as well and concisely as it is expressed in the French.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
7 mins
Selected
She is drunk/mad with power, even if it is just the illusion of power
...or something like that.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Dr Lofthouse
5 hrs
|
neutral |
Daryo
: "elle" is not a female but the political Left
10 hrs
|
agree |
Yolanda Broad
: I like "drunk/mad with power"
11 hrs
|
disagree |
Helen Hammond
: going to far from the original
1 day 1 hr
|
agree |
Sasa Kalcik
143 days
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
14 mins
addicted to power
She can't do without it, even though her power is illusory.
2 hrs
French term (edited):
malade de l\'exercice du pouvoir
its downfall
it has the illusion of being in a position of power but whatever power it exerts is already its downfall
I suspect we're talking about an organisation rather than a person
I suspect we're talking about an organisation rather than a person
+1
5 hrs
is sick from the exercise of it
this is similar to what Wendy has said in Disc. If "elle" refers to the political Left of the PS in France well, it has the illusion of power (in Hollande's government) but is sick from the exercise of it (or "exercising it", though I prefer the former). meaning basically that after screaming about Sarkozy etc for so long, now they have power with Hollande, they are not doing as well as they thought and are losing favour with the public. So, having power and exercising it are not always the same...
You really need to let us know which of the Leftist parties you are talking of here.
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Note added at 7 hrs (2013-09-30 18:12:37 GMT)
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actually, Petitavoine's "has taken a toll on them" is good too.
The Left has the illusion of power but this very power has taken its toll on them.../the exercise of this power has taken its toll/has damaged them
You really need to let us know which of the Leftist parties you are talking of here.
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Note added at 7 hrs (2013-09-30 18:12:37 GMT)
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actually, Petitavoine's "has taken a toll on them" is good too.
The Left has the illusion of power but this very power has taken its toll on them.../the exercise of this power has taken its toll/has damaged them
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Daryo
: that's the idea of the ST; one acceptable option
3 days 8 hrs
|
thanks, yes I see you and others came to that conclusion as well
|
-1
17 hrs
French term (edited):
elle a l’illusion du pouvoir, mais est malade de l’exercice du pouvoir."
it has the illusion of being in power, but (in fact) suffers from being in power
"Elle a l’illusion du pouvoir, mais est malade de l’exercice du pouvoir."
"elle" being the political Left
"it has the illusion of being in power, but (in fact) suffers from being in power"
the construction "est malade de [...]" is used to introduce the name of the illness (as in: est malade de la fièvre) so here "l’exercice du pouvoir." is the illness afflicting the Left;
or a nastier version:
"it has the delusion of being in power, but (in fact) suffers from being in power"
"elle" being the political Left
"it has the illusion of being in power, but (in fact) suffers from being in power"
the construction "est malade de [...]" is used to introduce the name of the illness (as in: est malade de la fièvre) so here "l’exercice du pouvoir." is the illness afflicting the Left;
or a nastier version:
"it has the delusion of being in power, but (in fact) suffers from being in power"
1 day 2 hrs
French term (edited):
malade de l\'exercice du pouvoir
It seems to be in power, but suffers from its exercise
illusion = effect/impression
il en est malade = he suffers from it
il en est malade = he suffers from it
1 day 3 hrs
weakened since it came into office
On reflection, I think it means something like this;
The ruling party sees itself as powerful but its position has weakened since it came into office
The ruling party sees itself as powerful but its position has weakened since it came into office
1 day 7 hrs
(She has the illusion of power), but being in power has gone to her head.
Again, the confidentiality means my suggestion is something of a fumble in the dark. It really would be cool to have the sentence that goes before. For example, is "elle" referring to a person? It would seem logical but it might not be so. Further "malade" is this something which in context is negative? Has it weakened the individual? Or has it made her overconfident? Given the majority of suggestions erring on the literal illness inference, thus weakness, I am suggesting another take, for academic purposes, to give another potential reading.
It would be ice if you could find some way of paraphrasing whatever is in the sentence before the ones you post. ;-)
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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2013-10-01 17:41:58 GMT)
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"Gone to her head" in the sense of it having made her dizzy, irrational, not necessarily megalomaniac.
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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2013-10-01 17:44:54 GMT)
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Or "it has gone to her head".
It would be ice if you could find some way of paraphrasing whatever is in the sentence before the ones you post. ;-)
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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2013-10-01 17:41:58 GMT)
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"Gone to her head" in the sense of it having made her dizzy, irrational, not necessarily megalomaniac.
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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2013-10-01 17:44:54 GMT)
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Or "it has gone to her head".
-1
1 day 13 hrs
...but has in fact been corrupted by it
Important for me to use the word 'corrupt' as we say in English
'Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'
We also speak of 'corrupt governments'
see example sentence too
'Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'
We also speak of 'corrupt governments'
see example sentence too
Example sentence:
They had power but have been so corrupted by it that the power they had has become illusory
Discussion
I don't see anyway in the ST being said that the political Left in France is power mad / obsessed / drunk with power.
It is is tempting to label all politicians "drunk with power" and similar, but that's not what is said in the ST.
What is meant is rather along the lines of what said Petitavoine: l'exercice du pouvoir la rend malade, l'affaiblit.//sth like exercising power has taken a toll on them (caused damage or wear) ...