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certificat d’hospitalisation
sera amené à avancer de ce fait
Jul 15, 2022 08:26
1 yr ago
46 viewers *
French term

commencer

Non-PRO French to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
"Dès lors, tout peut commencer".

This is the final sentence of the text of a short film made by an artist friend of mine, who records her journey across various countries and the encounters she has en route.

She wants to convey the idea that the end of her physical journey is not the end of the artistic process - that her project is open-ended.
The sentence previous to this one reads: "Les rencontres sont là, enregistrées dans mon corps".

My translation for the two sentences so far is: "The encounters are there, logged in my body. From now on, everything can begin".

"Anything", rather than "everything", would seem to convey the open-endedness of the project better, but "anything can begin" sounds a little odd to me (rather than "anything can happen", for example).

Apologies if this is a little basic, but I could use some second opinions. Thank you for your help!
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 And this is where it all begins
4 begin
4 -1 Let things rip.
3 and now, the/my creative juices can begin to flow
3 the real process can begin
3 Who knows where they'll take/lead me next?
3 who knows what the future might hold
Change log

Jul 17, 2022 11:10: AllegroTrans changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (3): Rob Grayson, Rachel Fell, AllegroTrans

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Discussion

AllegroTrans Jul 15, 2022:
Asker Since this script is about a friend of yours you will be the best person to judge the required register. Go with your instinct. And as Conor says, you can always ask her. You are a better judge than us "out here".
Conor McAuley Jul 15, 2022:
The key context is: "She wants to convey the idea that the end of her physical journey is not the end of the artistic process - that her project is open-ended."

The best solution would probably be to simply ask your artist friend what kind of approach she would prefer, very literal or a little more expansive.

I think that a very literal rendering would be lost on most English-speaking viewers, and that something more explanatory, clear and un-mysterious (even something quite un-arty!) and is required, but that's just my opinion.

Who is the target audience? People who watch "independent" and foreign-language films, or a general domestic audience in the artist's home country? Or another type of audience?
Daryo Jul 15, 2022:
A clarification? "Les rencontres sont là, enregistrées dans mon corps"

"Dès lors, tout peut commencer".

As we have ONLY this, it would be useful to clarify to what exactly "Dès lors" refers to? To which event / fact?

to "Les rencontres sont là, enregistrées dans mon corps" as you would instinctively assume, or is it a reference to some previous point in time in the story?

Also, agree that seeing this as a "non-Pro" question is ridiculous.
Barbara Cochran, MFA Jul 15, 2022:
We Don't Have To Do Anything Of The Kind Based on my reading and research on creative writing and literary translation at the Master's level, and on my own conclusions, which I successfully supported in my required writings, and during what turned out to be a grueling in situ defense of my translation thesis, through the use of my critical thinking skills. No ethical professor I have worked with (and every other educated, not merely indoctrinated person I know agrees) has ever told me WHAT to think ("must NEVER"?), but HOW to think/use the intellect, so I can come up with my own, often relatively creative solutions. IM educated O, and after working with foreign authors on multiple literary projects, some of whom are translators themselves, I would say that, in an instance like this, it is better not to UNDER-translate, esp. if you want to avoid putting the reader to sleep! Good day!
Carol Gullidge Jul 15, 2022:
We do have to resist the temptation to over-translate, even in literary translations. I.e, translators must NEVER add any flowery interpretations that do not actually exist in the ST, however great the temptation to display our literary prowess! Our job is simply to re-express an existing ST (as it actually stands, and not as we believe it ought to stand) into an equivalent and readable TT, and not to add bits of our own; we should never aim to "improve on" the original ST.
Barbara Cochran, MFA Jul 15, 2022:
Non-Pro Question? Unbelievable, IMO That anybody would rate this a non-pro question. Look at all the creative (not just the basic literal one) interpretations. And just about every of the latter, IMO, are really, really good.
Barbara Cochran, MFA Jul 15, 2022:
Sensory Experiences I would forget about "logged in" and instead say something like "and those sensory experiences have become registered on my body,,," Beyond that, they also become registered in the artist's creative mind (creative ideas) and soul. All that, working together, becomes the artist's individual inspiration, which results in an original work of art.
Cyril Tollari Jul 15, 2022:
The next journey? Now it can all begin.

Proposed translations

+3
36 mins
French term (edited): Dès lors, tout peut commencer
Selected

And this is where it all begins

Many other possibilities, including:

...this is the beginning of the rest of my life
...that's just the beginning
...is where it all starts
...is how it all began
etc
Peer comment(s):
agree Anastasia Kalantzi
11 mins
Thank you, Anastasia!
agree Cyril Tollari
12 mins
Thank you, Cyril!
agree AllegroTrans
3 hrs
thank you, Allegro!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-1
1 hr

Let things rip.

First off, I don't think 'Dès lors' means 'from now'. It refers back to the previous sentence with the meaning 'due to that', 'as a result", 'that being so'. And I would translate it simply 'so'.

'The encounters are there, logged in my body. So let things rip!'
Peer comment(s):
neutral writeaway : all depends whether this suggestion fits in with the tone/register of the rest of the text
18 mins
Absolutely.
disagree Barbara Cochran, MFA : Serious artists are usually more contemplative, not in too much of a hurry, to produce a work of art.
1 hr
neutral Tony M : I agree about 'dès lors' — I believe the sense here is 'from that point (on)'
11 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

and now, the/my creative juices can begin to flow

The creative process can start, blossom, and result in a work of art, inspired by the artist's encounters with the surrounding environment (people and places).
Peer comment(s):
neutral AllegroTrans : muxh too fanciful
4 days
Not at all: https://www.arthappy.me/2020/07/03/fanciful-art/ And the source text seems to point to open-ended possibilities in her/his artistic creation.
Something went wrong...
3 hrs
French term (edited): tout peut commencer

the real process can begin

Another suggestion.


Process = artistic process


A slightly less literal approach, interpreting the text using the context you provided.


I was tempted to say work, but in fact it's the artistic process that's involved here.

Or "the real journey can begin"?


I would say it's a question of taste, you'll get many suggestions here but you know your friend better than we do, so you will know what fits correctly.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2022-07-15 11:33:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or mix it up:

the real creative journey can begin
Something went wrong...
4 hrs

Who knows where they'll take/lead me next?

I think in this case a little poetic license is appropriate. My suggestion assumes a direct link between the experiences gained and relationships formed during the artist's trip and future creative endeavours.

As others have said, there are so many ways you can word this.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2022-07-15 13:34:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A couple more example sentences:
- "My experiences have become a part of me. Who knows where they might take me next?"
- "Now I can reach inside to tap into these experiences. Who knows where they might lead me next?"

How you translate the penultimate sentence will steer your translation of the last one.
Example sentence:

The encounters I've made are engraved on my heart. Who knows where they'll take me next?

I'll always carry the people I've met along the way in my heart. Who knows where they'll lead me next?

Something went wrong...
14 hrs

who knows what the future might hold

Simply a suggestion.
Something went wrong...
18 hrs

begin

My suggestion for "Dès lors, tout peut commencer" would be "From then on, all can begin." I find "all" to be a more appropriate choice than "anything" or "everything".
Something went wrong...
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