Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

pourrissoir

English translation:

souring pit

Added to glossary by Severine Rimbault James
May 4, 2023 16:06
1 yr ago
40 viewers *
French term

pourrissoir

French to English Tech/Engineering Construction / Civil Engineering Tile making
a specific room in a tilery:

le pourrissoir = pièce où était déposée la terre argileuse pour que la matière organique se décompose

Discussion

Bourth May 5, 2023:
Levigation Definitions may vary of course (I have the same doubts about 'pourrissoir'), but the definition of 'levigation' I've just come across involves flotation of organic impurities that can be poured off. Not decomposition as stated in the pourrissoir definition.
Severine Rimbault James (asker) May 4, 2023:
Re: Yassine That would actually make sense, I now think it might be "levigation"!
I am finishing the translation tomorrow morning, I'll let you know but I'm tempted to use "levigation"
Severine Rimbault James (asker) May 4, 2023:
Re: Bourth It's actually from another source I found on the internet, I put it there to have a definition. But I do think it corresponds to the "pourrissoir" in my text :-)
Bourth May 4, 2023:
@ Asker Is the definition you give taken from the text to be translated, or was it found elsewhere?
Yassine El Bouknify May 4, 2023:
What do you think? Tempering pits and pourrissoirs are not exactly the same thing, but they are related. A tempering pit, also known as a tempering tank, is a container used to mix clay with water in order to make it more malleable and easier to work with. The clay is soaked in the water for a period of time until it reaches the desired consistency. This process is known as "tempering."

On the other hand, a pourrissoir is a location where clay is extracted from the earth. It is typically a pit or quarry where workers can access the clay. The clay may then be taken to a tempering pit to be prepared for use in making bricks or pottery.

Levigation is a process used to refine clay by removing impurities. It involves mixing the clay with water to form a slurry, and then allowing the heavier particles to settle to the bottom while the lighter particles are removed from the top. This process is often used in conjunction with tempering and may be carried out in a tank or basin similar to a tempering pit.

So, while they are not exactly the same thing, they are all related to the process of working with clay and preparing it for use in making various products.

Severine Rimbault James (asker) May 4, 2023:
Re: Althea Hi Althea, it is fairly historic, as the tilery existed from the 17th century until it was finally closed in the 1990s. I quite like the idea of a "tempering pit", I have a feeling this may be what we're looking for!
Althea Draper May 4, 2023:
Severine Is this modern day manufacture of tiles or a bit more 'historic'?

I have found a photo of an early 20th century "pourrissoir à argile" here
https://simpleetorganise.fr/2016/01/21/la-maison-de-la-briqu... (halfway down the page)

There's also this

"Les différents bâtiments de l'entreprise sont :
- le pourrissoir pour l'argile, fosse destinée à la décantation de la terre mouillée et au marchage, opération consistant à fouler la pâte pour lui donner une consistance homogène avant de la mouler"
https://geofestival.minesparis.psl.eu/fg/lib/exe/fetch.php/1...

I also found these which relate to tempering pits/tanks and levigation which looks a bit like the pourrissoirs

https://www.nzdl.org/cgi-bin/library?e=d-00000-00---off-0hdl...

https://www.derekau.net/blog/2019/07/10/paintings-of-the-tra...

Proposed translations

+3
5 hrs
Selected

souring pit

"pourrissage
Domaine
industrie des réfractaires façonnage des réfractaires...

Définition:
Procédé destiné à améliorer la plasticité d'une pâte en la laissant reposer humide pendant un certain temps par exemple par stockage en tas ou en fosse (enfossage)...

anglais
Auteur : Association française de normalisation, 1968
Termes:
ageing
souring"

https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/...

There is this photo of "Le pourrissoir à argile de la maison de la Brique"
https://simpleetorganise.fr/2016/01/21/la-maison-de-la-briqu... (halfway down)

Also in this Tiles Bricks Europe glossary, souring = pourrissage
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5629fd2ce4b065f044bf8...

"I mixed my clay with rain water which is known to increase plasticity and help with the “souring” process which is where water evenly dispersed within the clay through bacterial breakdown of organic matter."
https://ethanpowellceramics.wordpress.com/2019/02/08/morocco...
Note from asker:
Thanks Althea!
Peer comment(s):

agree Johannes Gleim : Le gdt est fiable. Vieillissement = ageing.
16 mins
agree Daryo
9 hrs
agree Anastasia Kalantzi
3 days 23 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks to all contributions, I selected « souring pit » in my context"
1 hr

retting tank or the silo

Voici ma contribution
Something went wrong...
11 mins

composting chamber

Or maybe composting room

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Note added at 18 hrs (2023-05-05 10:29:02 GMT)
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An explanation written by one of my colleagues:
Souring pit and levigation are two different processes used in different fields, but they may be related to the construction or tile-making industry.

Souring pit, also known as a fermentation pit or bacterial pit, is a pit or container used for the fermentation of organic matter. It is commonly used in the food and beverage industry, particularly for the fermentation of foods such as vegetables, grains, and dairy products. The process of fermentation involves the conversion of sugars and other carbohydrates into organic acids, gases, and alcohol by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and fungi.

Levigation, on the other hand, is a process used in the preparation of clay for use in ceramics, such as tile making. It involves the grinding and washing of clay to remove impurities and produce a smooth, fine-grained material that is suitable for use in ceramics. The process of levigation involves mixing the clay with water to form a slurry, which is then passed through a series of screens to remove impurities. The slurry is then allowed to settle, and the clear water is decanted off, leaving a sediment that is dried and processed further.

While souring pits and levigation are different processes used in different industries, they may be related to the construction or tile-making industry. For example, souring pits may be used in the production of cement or other construction materials that require fermentation, while levigation may be used in the preparation of clay for use in ceramic tiles.
Peer comment(s):

agree Andrew Paul Kennett : Yes, Pourrissoir is an old term, today one would use, as you did, Composting or composteur.
1 hr
Thank you, Andrew :)
disagree Daryo : "composting" means producing a type of fertilizer by decomposing organic matter (letting it rot) - in this text the point is in removing impurities, not making fertilizer= too much different.
14 hrs
You're right
neutral FPC : Je ne suis pas sûr que c'est ça, car comme le dit Daryo le "composting" (compostage en français) sert justement à produire du "compost" , masi je ne connait pas trop le domaine de la tuilerie
15 hrs
Le contexte initial m'a trompé, mais je vous remercie malgré tout pour votre apport :)
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