Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

dans tous ses états

English translation:

in all its facets

Added to glossary by André Vanasse (X)
Sep 8, 2009 18:18
14 yrs ago
6 viewers *
French term

dans tous ses états

French to English Social Sciences Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. legitimacy of power
"Pour saisir la légitimité « dans tous ses états », l’XXX adopte une démarche pragmatique en essayant de comprendre pourquoi et comment les acteurs (institutions étatiques, institutions et structures non étatiques, y compris le secteur privé, individus, groupes sociaux…) acceptent ou rejettent un pouvoir ou une institution particulière"

The quote marks are in the original. The client especially asks that this phrase remain close to the original.

"N’a-ton pas une expression plus proche sur le sens que celle en français même si plus éloignée dans le cording? "
Change log

Sep 22, 2009 05:01: André Vanasse (X) Created KOG entry

Discussion

David Vaughn (asker) Sep 9, 2009:
Thanks for all the help.
The client was quite attached to the triple play on words - which actually formed part of the original title. I think she liked having an upbeat title for a very serious and consequential paper on changing views about the legitimacy of governance and government. She realizes now that it is near-impossible to keep all the meaning. But yes, it is probably the light "popular" side of the expression that most interests her.
Emma Paulay Sep 9, 2009:
More questions (still no answer...) David, how have you translated "saisir"? If you use "grasp" it might be easier to keep the personification.
The client says they want to keep "le sens du Français"? But is it the triple play on words they want to keep or do they actually have one particular meaning in mind? They're probably going to have to state (!) which meaning is most important.
David Vaughn (asker) Sep 9, 2009:
XXX Yes, XXX is the name of a quasi-governmental research organization.
Jocelyne S Sep 9, 2009:
XXX You're right, Emma. It may depend on who XXX is. I presumed that it was an institution or foundation of some sort. Can you give us any insight, David?
Emma Paulay Sep 9, 2009:
XXX? I assumed the XXX were to indicate the name of a person. Is that so? or is it a country? or a company? I'm not sure the answer will help anyone help you, but you never know!
David Vaughn (asker) Sep 9, 2009:
dans tous ses états Yes, especially given the quote marks in the original, to me it is clear as Emma says that this is a triple play on words. "Dans tous ses états" implies something somewhat chaotic. Exactly what "états" (or emotional states) depends on the person involved - and here the 'person' is legitimacy.
Emma Paulay Sep 9, 2009:
Play on words I see the same two meanings as Gabrielle, plus a possible third meaning depending on context: to be "dans tous ses états" is "to be in a bit of a state". Is the person the leader of a country?
Gabrielle Leyden Sep 8, 2009:
play on words The play on words seems fairly clear to me: expression "dans tous ses états" = in all its forms, from all angles, in its various states of full, semi- and challenged legitimacy (from solidly anchored to open to contestation); and legitimacy in all the States (countries) that are contemplated or where legitimacy is an issue. N'est-ce pas?
Richardson Lisa Sep 8, 2009:
play on words How I understand it - if there is a play on words here it's sort of 'the state of the state'. It's questionning the legitimacy of the functionning/creation of the 'state' itself, only the play on the word state really translates as society here,hence the difficulty of an English equivalent for 'tous ses états'. goodness does that make any sense to anyone else?Food for thought anyway...
Mark Nathan Sep 8, 2009:
What exactly is the play on words? Sorry to be a bit slow...
philgoddard Sep 8, 2009:
I may be wrong, but I don't think there is an English equivalent, and the client may have to accept something more literal.
David Vaughn (asker) Sep 8, 2009:
play on words The sort of straight-forward translations suggested so far is exactly what the client has rejected - they hope to find an expression that will maintain something of the play on words in the original.

Proposed translations

+2
16 mins
Selected

in all its facets

Looking at it from all angles.
Peer comment(s):

agree Ellen Kraus : that´s what I would have suggested, too.
2 hrs
agree mimi 254
13 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
4 mins

every aspect of

.
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13 mins

in all its aspects

une autre proposition
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58 mins

in whatever state it finds itself

an option that uses 'state' in both senses
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1 hr

in every state, shape, and form

That gives you the play on words
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1 hr

see text

To grasp (understand) the legitimacy « (in) of all its component parts », the XXX .....

I believe that what is meant here is that the "institutions étatiques, institutions et structures non étatiques, y compris le secteur privé, individus, groupes sociaux" are the component parts that are being studied and thereofre referred to as " tous ses états"
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3 hrs

in its various stately forms

Here is something of a play on words.
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12 hrs

authoritative

Although I would try to convince the client that it would be best to drop the play on words in the EN translation, if they insist, you might try something like:

'To get an "authoritative" understanding of legitimacy, XXX is taking a pragmatic approach in attempting to understand why and how the various actors...accept or reject specific authorities or institutions.'

It's a bit of a long shot, but it might work.

Good luck!
Jocelyne
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14 hrs

states of affairs - affairs of state

I don't know how you could work this in to the sentence - but it might work as a title. (Already used by the OSCE cf ref)

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Note added at 14 hrs (2009-09-09 08:48:54 GMT)
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into!
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15 hrs

state of play / states of play

I am not sure about this phrase (hence the low confidence level), but it seems to cover the play (!) on words required and it is commonly used.
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18 hrs

in all its manifestations

*
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