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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

the mountain is the mountain

French translation: La montagne est ce qu'elle est.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:the mountain is the mountain
French translation:La montagne est ce qu'elle est.
Entered by: Huguette Matte

15:35 Feb 20, 2006
English to French translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: the mountain is the mountain
In a documentary about mining (each subtitle separated by a blank line):

This is where we sunk another shaft to get this out.

Those frames are all broken, but these ones have held up well.

This held up, and we had time to get coal out.

Otherwise...

The mountain is the mountain.

The layer is good, but further down that way.

“La Vetona” is good, it’s got lots of coal but it’s a fucker.


I guess it's an expression. Could you confirm? And how could it be translated?

Thanks a lot!
Aurélie DANIEL
Spain
Local time: 09:49
La montagne est ce qu'elle est.
Explanation:
Ceci n'est pas une expression idiomatique.
Selected response from:

Huguette Matte
Local time: 03:49
Grading comment
Tout à fait! Merci.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5La montagne est ce qu'elle est.
Huguette Matte
3 +1On ne change pas la nature des choses
iol
3la montagne est une montagne
Felicite Robertson
3not for grading
RHELLER
3(chacun et) chaque chose a sa place
lorette


  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
la montagne est une montagne


Explanation:
Quand on commence le chemin du Zen la montagne est une montagne; quand on persévère dans le chemin du Zen la montagne n'est plus la montagne

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Note added at 8 mins (2006-02-20 15:44:30 GMT)
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In Zen it is said that 'before Enlightenment, the mountain is the mountain, after Enlightenment the mountain is the mountain'. ...
Could this be it?

Felicite Robertson
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:49
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
not for grading


Explanation:
my understanding in English: they are trying to decide how to "attack" a job, from which point to start digging, and this expression simply expresses the fact that you can't change reality. There is no easy way to cut into a mountain (very hard and massive).
It's going to be a difficult task in any case.

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 01:49
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
La montagne est ce qu'elle est.


Explanation:
Ceci n'est pas une expression idiomatique.

Huguette Matte
Local time: 03:49
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Tout à fait! Merci.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  CMJ_Trans (X)
6 mins
  -> Merci CMJ_Trans
agree  sporran
3 hrs
  -> Merci Sporran
agree  LBMas: This goes along w/ Rita's explanation.
3 hrs
  -> Merci LBMas
agree  Sandra C.: Yes, I agree
5 hrs
  -> Thanks Sandra
agree  Delia Georgescu
20 hrs
  -> Merci Delia
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
On ne change pas la nature des choses


Explanation:
Juste une idée

iol
France
Local time: 09:49
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  LBMas: This works too. It could even be the sentence that follows Huguette's.
3 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
(chacun et) chaque chose a sa place


Explanation:
Le Web de l’Humanité: Plateau télé Chaque chose à sa place ...Chaque chose à sa place, chaque place a sa chose, ne serait-ce que les regards en coin devant le bivouac désordonné des minots de Sarcelles : " Il faudrait ...
www.humanite.presse.fr/ journal/2003-10-08/2003-10-08-380249


Voire "Chaque chose à sa place, chaque place a sa chose". (J'aime bien :-) )


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Note added at 6 hrs (2006-02-20 21:45:49 GMT)
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"a" avec accent ou sans!

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Note added at 6 hrs (2006-02-20 21:48:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Variantes :
- A chaque chose sa mesure
- A chaque chose sa place


lorette
France
Local time: 09:49
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
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