This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English
  3. Poetry & Literature

accepter que toutes choses ne soient pas forcément explicables (it goes without saying?)

English translation: not everything can necessarily be explained.

13:07 Apr 21, 2009
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / memories
French term or phrase: accepter que toutes choses ne soient pas forcément explicables (it goes without saying?)
Hello!

Is it possible to use this expression in the context:

This body-and-mind training was going to last until the moment when I become a real dancer working on the tightrope between Mr Z and Mr Y that was getting thinner step by step, which I accepted as an inexplicable thing *that went without saying*.

The original text in French:
Cette gymnastique de corps et d'esprit allait durer jusqu'à me transformer en véritable équilibriste évoluant sur un fil tendu entre Mr Z et Mr Y qui s'amincissait au fur et à mesure que j'acceptais que toutes choses ne soient pas forcément explicables.

Thank you in advence!
svetlana cosquéric
France
Local time: 08:23
English translation:not everything can necessarily be explained.
Explanation:
To me, it goes without saying sounds like a translation of "il va sans le dire", which is not quite what your ST is saying, rather more something like: as I began to accept (or understand) that not everything can necessarily be explained OR not everything necessarily has an explanation.
I think it would sound more natural to say that: there are many things which do not necessarily have an explanation, but that is a slight deviation from your text.

By the by, for "allait durer" I would try: would last OR continued (until I...)

Hope this is helpful.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2009-04-21 19:05:30 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

A pleasure Svetlanac, any time.
Selected response from:

Susan Nicholls
Local time: 16:23
Grading comment
Thank you, Susan!
You always help me a lot!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8not everything can necessarily be explained.
Susan Nicholls
5 -2which defies the laws of rhetoric
whizzdom


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -2
it goes without saying
which defies the laws of rhetoric


Explanation:
salut! il ne faut même pas ajouter cette expression "it goes without saying". Ce n'est pas necessaire ni peut-être une expression appropriée pour l'occasion.
On peut dire sans doute "which defies the laws of rhetoric" c.a.d ce qui ne peut pas être expliqué facilement. Donc - a partir du mot "which" dans ta phrase originale, tu peux utiliser ma suggestion si tu veux :-)
Finalement, "advance" est écrit ainsi. Bonne chance!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2009-04-21 13:34:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In the first instance, your own credibility for an answer is questionable by the erroneous usage of the expression "wrong translations". Extremism is never helpful, you make lots of criticisms in not only my suggestion, but also that of the person posting, but not once do you offer an inkling of anything practical or useful...just a useless piece of criticism on my part, sorry.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2009-04-21 13:35:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, last post for Tony M

whizzdom
Local time: 07:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in AfrikaansAfrikaans
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Dalene! Thank you for your comments! They help me!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Tony M: I don't see how one can possibly extrapolate from the source text to get this — a severe case of over-translation!
1 min
disagree  kashew: "laws of rhetoric" needs saving for another time.
22 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
it goes without saying
not everything can necessarily be explained.


Explanation:
To me, it goes without saying sounds like a translation of "il va sans le dire", which is not quite what your ST is saying, rather more something like: as I began to accept (or understand) that not everything can necessarily be explained OR not everything necessarily has an explanation.
I think it would sound more natural to say that: there are many things which do not necessarily have an explanation, but that is a slight deviation from your text.

By the by, for "allait durer" I would try: would last OR continued (until I...)

Hope this is helpful.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2009-04-21 19:05:30 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

A pleasure Svetlanac, any time.

Susan Nicholls
Local time: 16:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48
Grading comment
Thank you, Susan!
You always help me a lot!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Loperhet (X)
1 min
  -> thank you!
agree  MD Taher
5 mins
  -> thank you Mohamed
agree  cjohnstone
6 mins
  -> Thank you Catherine
agree  kashew
9 mins
  -> Thank you Kashew
agree  Jack Doughty
19 mins
  -> Thank you, Jack
agree  :::::::::: (X)
28 mins
  -> Thank you Dr DJ
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): agree also with the comments by my colleagues
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, yes, indeed...
agree  Julia Ryder
2 hrs
  -> Thank you!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search