non-existence

French translation: [ils ont trahi leur éthique communiste] au point de la réduire à néant

09:45 Apr 28, 2017
English to French translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - History
English term or phrase: non-existence
Even these powerful men were manipulated by the needs of their wives and children. They didn't realize that by taking films from me they betrayed their communist ethics to non-existence.


CONTEXT: This is taken from a documentary about Romania during Ceausescu's dictatorship. The speaker here is Mr. Zamfir, a businessman who smuggled VHS tapes into the country at a time when the only thing that was on TV was political propaganda. One night, the Party's secret police barged in M. Zamfir's house to take the tapes away from him. Zamfir subsequently tries to bribe high officials by giving them free VHS tapes. I'm having trouble translating the "non-existence" part here, can anybody help? Many thanks in advance!
Paolo Dagonnier
Belgium
Local time: 16:16
French translation:[ils ont trahi leur éthique communiste] au point de la réduire à néant
Explanation:
de la faire disparaître entièrement

de la faire partir en fumée

de l'envoyer au diable

d'en faire une moquerie complète

...



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Note added at 52 mins (2017-04-28 10:37:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

IOW these "defenders" of the communist ethics trampled to such extent on principles they were supposed to be enforcing that these principles ceased to exists for them
Selected response from:

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:16
Grading comment
Thanks a lot Daryo
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4[ils ont trahi leur éthique communiste] au point de la réduire à néant
Daryo
4 +2l'absence de
FX Fraipont (X)
4 +2ils trahissaient leur éthique communiste jusqu'à l'anéantir
Maïté Mendiondo-George


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
l'absence de


Explanation:
leur comportement trahissait chez eux l'absence d'éthique communiste

the formulation of the source is debatable : taking the tapes betrayed the non-existence of their communist ethics.

you cannot "betray to non-existence"

FX Fraipont (X)
Belgium
Local time: 16:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 56

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Hélène OShea: oui c'est probablement ça.
7 mins
  -> merci!

agree  Kevin Thevenet
13 mins
  -> merci!

neutral  Maïté Mendiondo-George: je penserais plutôt que la cupidité avait anéanti -comme ce fut souvent les cas à ette époque l'éthique communiste de ces individus . Le désir était au dessus de tout Pensons à lanomenclatura -
5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
they betrayed [their communist ethics] to non-existence.
[ils ont trahi leur éthique communiste] au point de la réduire à néant


Explanation:
de la faire disparaître entièrement

de la faire partir en fumée

de l'envoyer au diable

d'en faire une moquerie complète

...



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 52 mins (2017-04-28 10:37:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

IOW these "defenders" of the communist ethics trampled to such extent on principles they were supposed to be enforcing that these principles ceased to exists for them

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:16
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks a lot Daryo

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Fanette Pocentek-Leroy
8 mins
  -> Merci!

agree  Chakib Roula
21 mins
  -> Merci!

agree  GILOU: oui
40 mins
  -> Merci!

agree  Maïté Mendiondo-George
1 hr
  -> Merci!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ils trahissaient leur éthique communiste jusqu'à l'anéantir


Explanation:
dans le même sens que Daryo

Maïté Mendiondo-George
France
Local time: 16:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Victoria Britten
1 hr

agree  Yvonne Gallagher
1 day 1 hr
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