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  3. Wine / Oenology / Viticulture

La réclame se fait spontanément, sinon gratuitement

English translation: the word got around spontaneously, or at least, free

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:la réclame se fait spontanément, sinon gratuitement
English translation:the word got around spontaneously, or at least, free
Entered by: Tony M

16:26 Dec 1, 2005
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Wine / Oenology / Viticulture / champagne again
French term or phrase: La réclame se fait spontanément, sinon gratuitement
M. Bohne, après une traversée longue et agitée, débarque à Königsberg, d'où les premières bouteilles sont acheminées sur leur destination finale. Elles rencontrent un tel succès qu'après avoir tout vendu il écrit à Mme Clicquot : "Je tiens déjà en portefeuille un nouvel assaut sur vos caves". Le marché russe est ouvert. La réclame se fait spontanément, sinon gratuitement, lors de l'occupation alliée de 1815, si bien que Victor Fiévet peut écrire : "D'innombrables commandes arrivèrent du Nord et firent pleuvoir les millions dans nos heureuses contrées".

More from this history of champagne.
Mark Nathan
France
Local time: 17:39
the word got around spontanesouly, or at least, free
Explanation:
Both other answerer's have come up with good suggestions for the 'réclame'...bit', which I'm not even attempting to address here; I just wanted to urge cuation over the 'sinon...' bit, since 'if not...' in English might, IMO, convey the opposite to the intended meaning (as I read it)

Surely it means that is was spontaneous, or if not, at least it was free

I don't think it means 'spontaneous, although not free', which is what could be implied by the use of 'if not...' in English --- or have I drunk too much champagne?

"The food was plentiful, if not brilliant" means "there was plenty of it, even though it was not all that good"

"spontaneous, if not free" could mean "spontaneous, even though it was not free"

??
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 17:39
Grading comment
Thanks everyone
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1Word spread of its own accord (spontaneously) if not free of charge
CMJ_Trans (X)
3 +1Advertising was unsolicited if not free
Chris Pott
4the word got around spontanesouly, or at least, free
Tony M


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
La réclame se fait spontanément, sinon gratuitement
Advertising was unsolicited if not free


Explanation:
.

Chris Pott
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:39
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway
3 hrs
  -> Thanks
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Word spread of its own accord (spontaneously) if not free of charge


Explanation:
my two cents

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 17:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 19

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Risky to use 'if not...' here, as it could be read as meaning the opposite: 'spontanément, même si ce n'était pas gratuit', which I don't think is intended, is it?
45 mins
agree  writeaway
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
La réclame se fait spontanément, sinon gratuitement
the word got around spontanesouly, or at least, free


Explanation:
Both other answerer's have come up with good suggestions for the 'réclame'...bit', which I'm not even attempting to address here; I just wanted to urge cuation over the 'sinon...' bit, since 'if not...' in English might, IMO, convey the opposite to the intended meaning (as I read it)

Surely it means that is was spontaneous, or if not, at least it was free

I don't think it means 'spontaneous, although not free', which is what could be implied by the use of 'if not...' in English --- or have I drunk too much champagne?

"The food was plentiful, if not brilliant" means "there was plenty of it, even though it was not all that good"

"spontaneous, if not free" could mean "spontaneous, even though it was not free"

??

Tony M
France
Local time: 17:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 99
Grading comment
Thanks everyone

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  CMJ_Trans (X): FYI I sense the same ambiguity in the French
45 mins
  -> Thanks, CMJ! I did wonder...
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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