Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
un tant soit peu pérenne
English translation:
[lit.,] though not very sustained [(probably should be "slight but sustained")]
Added to glossary by
TechLawDC
Dec 7, 2014 21:33
9 yrs ago
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French term
United Kingdom
Professional, qualified and accomplished
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English
un tant soit peu pérenne
French to English
Bus/Financial
Finance (general)
investment outlook newsletter
Hello
I am translating an investment outlook newsletter and this is a section about the prospects of the Euro zone:
La croissance du PIB serait au mieux très légèrement positive en T3. L’analyse fait plutôt conclure à une accélération cette fois-ci un tant soit peu pérenne à compter du quatrième trimestre: d’un environnement international plus porteur à la baisse de l’euro et d’un moindre degré de restriction budgétaire à un retour à la confiance dans la capacité des banques à financer l’économie.
Thanks
Mark
I am translating an investment outlook newsletter and this is a section about the prospects of the Euro zone:
La croissance du PIB serait au mieux très légèrement positive en T3. L’analyse fait plutôt conclure à une accélération cette fois-ci un tant soit peu pérenne à compter du quatrième trimestre: d’un environnement international plus porteur à la baisse de l’euro et d’un moindre degré de restriction budgétaire à un retour à la confiance dans la capacité des banques à financer l’économie.
Thanks
Mark
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Dec 12, 2014 11:24: TechLawDC Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+2
7 hrs
Selected
(though not very sustained)
GDP growth would tend to be at best slightly positive in Q3. However, analysis indicates a more appreciable increase this time (though not very sustained), beginning in the fourth quarter -- for reasons including an international environment more conducive to a decline of the euro, as well as a lesser degree of fiscal restraint and a return of confidence in the ability of banks to finance the economy.
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Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2014-12-09 03:25:52 GMT)
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Note: I have changed my mind, based on the discussion. I think the author's intent is to say "analysis suggests a slight but sustained increase, beginning in the fourth quarter".
HOWEVER, I still think that what the author said literally is what I translated.
He/she should have written "un tant soit peu, mais pérenne".
In this instance, I would write: "analysis suggests a slight but sustained increase, beginning in the fourth quarter [Translator's note: Literally, "a more appreciable though not very sustained increase, beginning in the fourth quarter"]." ((Pardon the misuse of quotation marks.))
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2014-12-09 03:25:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Note: I have changed my mind, based on the discussion. I think the author's intent is to say "analysis suggests a slight but sustained increase, beginning in the fourth quarter".
HOWEVER, I still think that what the author said literally is what I translated.
He/she should have written "un tant soit peu, mais pérenne".
In this instance, I would write: "analysis suggests a slight but sustained increase, beginning in the fourth quarter [Translator's note: Literally, "a more appreciable though not very sustained increase, beginning in the fourth quarter"]." ((Pardon the misuse of quotation marks.))
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Philippa Smith
: Elegant solution!
4 hrs
|
| agree |
B D Finch
: Reads like something an anglophone writer for the same type of publication might have written to express the same idea.
5 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks"
8 mins
Chakib Roula
Algeria
Algeria
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Algeria
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, French
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Related KudoZ points
:
26
A bit sparsely sustainable/ Thinly sustainbale
Suggestion
+2
30 mins
Philippa Smith
Native in English
Works in field
29 years turning out perfect English
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
lasting acceleration, at least for a certain period
As in, for example, "Analysis points to lasting acceleration, at least for a certain period, as of..."
Is how I read it (it will be more lasting that before, tho' probably only for a bit), but finance and investment aren't my fields...good luck!
Is how I read it (it will be more lasting that before, tho' probably only for a bit), but finance and investment aren't my fields...good luck!
1 hr
lasting, but (very) slight
or the other way round, (very) slight but lasting
At first sight, this expression seems self-contradictory - un tant soit peu = presque rien; pérenne = lasting....
I would be interested to see what native FR speakers think of it
So that is my stab at it.
"The analysis makes it possible to conclude that the fourth quarter will bring a slight but lasting acceleration...."
At first sight, this expression seems self-contradictory - un tant soit peu = presque rien; pérenne = lasting....
I would be interested to see what native FR speakers think of it
So that is my stab at it.
"The analysis makes it possible to conclude that the fourth quarter will bring a slight but lasting acceleration...."
1 hr
Jennifer Levey
Chile
Chile
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Chile
Human-scale Globalization
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
32
likely to drop off
It's clear from the ST that they are predicting Q4 performance on the basis of Q3 (and earlier).
une accélération cette fois-ci ( = T3) un tant soit peu pérenne à compter du quatrième trimestre
-->
growth in Q3 which is likely to drop off (or 'fall back', or 'diminish', or ...) from Q4
une accélération cette fois-ci ( = T3) un tant soit peu pérenne à compter du quatrième trimestre
-->
growth in Q3 which is likely to drop off (or 'fall back', or 'diminish', or ...) from Q4
1 hr
Francois Boye
United States
United States
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United States
An economic geek with social skills
Native in: French
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Related KudoZ points
:
305
An acceleration to be somewhat durable this time
I prefer "durable" to translate "perenne"
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
TechLawDC
: "Durable" and "sustained" (cf. "sustainable", which is different) are essentially synonymous, but "durable" is less idiomatic in this context. (Think of a "sustained" note or phrase in music.)
7 days
|
+2
1 hr
Sarah Brickwood
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
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(rephrasing)
My suggestion:
"Analysis suggests that this time round it will begin to pick up more lastingly from the fourth quarter" ("it" being GDP growth)
This is perhaps a bit wordy, but "un tant soit peu pérenne" seems almost a contradiction in terms (either it's lasting or it isn't). Hence "begin" for the tentative nature of "un tant soit peu", the noun converted into a verb ("pick up") for easier reading, and "lastingly" for "pérenne".
There is probably a better way of putting it, but I think this is the way to get round the problem.
"Analysis suggests that this time round it will begin to pick up more lastingly from the fourth quarter" ("it" being GDP growth)
This is perhaps a bit wordy, but "un tant soit peu pérenne" seems almost a contradiction in terms (either it's lasting or it isn't). Hence "begin" for the tentative nature of "un tant soit peu", the noun converted into a verb ("pick up") for easier reading, and "lastingly" for "pérenne".
There is probably a better way of putting it, but I think this is the way to get round the problem.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tony M
: Yes, good suggestions, and at the very least, a good starting point...
6 mins
|
| agree |
katsy
: Yes - I appreciate in particular your justifications (detailed!) and the recognition of the apparent contradiction in terms
9 hrs
|
| neutral |
Anne Bohy
: Cela ne rend pas l'expression "un tant soit peu". Il n'y a pas de contradiction dans l'expression française.
9 hrs
|
10 hrs
polyglot45
Native in French
&
English
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Related KudoZ points
:
28
that looks (this time) as though it may last a while
it predicts that the economy will gain momentum and that the momentum has a chance of lasting, albeit not necessarily ad vitam eternam
momentum that looks as though it might have some legs
momentum that looks as though it might have some legs
+1
23 hrs
Francis Marche
France
France
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&
English
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France
36 years experience on 4 continents
Native in: French , English
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Related KudoZ points
:
48
sustainable, if ever so slightly,
As tiré par les cheveux in French as it is far-fetched in French.
6 days
Michael Roberts
Morocco
Morocco
Native in French
&
English
Morocco
Intelligent translation and localisation
Native in: English , French (Variants: African, Standard-France, Canadian)
Works in: French to English, English to French
ever so slightly sustainable
un tant soit peu = ever so slightly
Example sentence:
sheet roofing is cheaper, (in this country) aesthetically pleasing, relatively maintenance free, and ever so slightly sustainable
Greek debt has been restructured to make it ever so slightly sustainable in the short run, which only highlights everything that these bailouts
Discussion
Il me semble que le mot 'pérenne' est un anglicisme caché, une façon de traduire 'sustainable'.
Il me semble donc que l'expression à traduire est apparemment contradictoire - "pérenne" Qui dure toujours, qui dure depuis très longtemps. (même source). Comment une chose peut-elle être "un petit peu" durable? Soyons clairs, je ne veux pas être agressive, je cherche tout simplement à comprendre. Merci!