deux parallélépipèdes triangles aux angles obtus

English translation: two obtuse-angled triangular parallelepipeds

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	deux parallélépipèdes triangles aux angles obtus
English translation:	two obtuse-angled triangular parallelepipeds
Entered by:	Miranda Joubioux (X)

09:50 Jul 9, 2007

French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Architecture / Geometry

French term or phrase: deux parallélépipèdes triangles aux angles obtus

Ainsi, le programme, en partie enterré, laisse émerger deux parallélépipèdes triangles aux angles obtus, recouverts d’une toiture métallique chatoyante qui fond en douceur vers le sol.

There's a picture here
http://www.2121designsight.jp/designsight/building-e.html

I'm a bit confused by the use of the word parallepiped here - geometry was never my strong point.

Miranda Joubioux (X) KudoZ activity Questions: 591 (none open) (65 closed without grading) Answers: 712
Local time: 21:17

two obtuse-angle triangular parallelepipeds

Explanation:
"two obtuse-angle triangular blocks/buildings" (more general, but more easily understood)

I am not sure the buildings in the photo are an exact construction of a "parallelepiped"

Selected response from:

veratek
Brazil
Local time: 16:17

Grading comment

I went for this in the end, being the best way of dealing with something that is actually nonsense (other than re-writing the text, which I'm not paid for).
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +1

it's nonsense

Richard Benham

3 +1

two obtuse-angle triangular parallelepipeds

veratek

two parallelipedes with superimposed (or cut out) obtuse triangles

B D Finch

parallelepiped

Hebat-Allah El Ashmawy

4 -2

2 parallelepiped triangles with obtuse angles

Catherine CHAUVIN

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

14 mins confidence:

parallelepiped

Explanation:
In geometry, a parallelepiped (now usually pronounced /ˌpærəˌlɛləˈpaɪpɪd/, traditionally[1] /ˌpærəlɛlˈɛpɪpɛd/ in accordance with its etymology in Greek παραλληλ-επίπεδον, a body "having parallel planes") is a three-dimensional figure formed by six parallelograms. Three equivalent definitions of parallelepiped are

a prism of which the base is a parallelogram,
a hexahedron of which each face is a parallelogram,
a hexahedron with three pairs of parallel faces.
The cuboid (six rectangular faces), cube (six square faces), and the rhombohedron (six rhombus faces) are all specific cases of parallelepiped.

Parallelepipeds are a subclass of the prismatoids

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallelepiped

Hebat-Allah El Ashmawy
Egypt
Local time: 21:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Arabic

16 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -2

2 parallelepiped triangles with obtuse angles

Explanation:
Don't be so afraid of geometry ! I'm sure you knew it. :-)
Have a nice day !

Catherine CHAUVIN
France
Local time: 21:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

French

29 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

two obtuse-angle triangular parallelepipeds

Explanation:
"two obtuse-angle triangular blocks/buildings" (more general, but more easily understood)

I am not sure the buildings in the photo are an exact construction of a "parallelepiped"

Reference: http://www.answers.com/topic/parallelepiped?cat=technology

veratek
Brazil
Local time: 16:17
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

I went for this in the end, being the best way of dealing with something that is actually nonsense (other than re-writing the text, which I'm not paid for).

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Tony M: I think your simplified way of explaining it would be best, since i'm not convinced the original FR text is actually using the term accurately!

6 mins

-> that was my question too. As per the definition on "answers," a parallelepiped has parallel faces - we can see that the sloping triangle face breaks this rule! Thanks.

agree

Richard Benham: This is nonsense, correctly translating nonsense. Every face of a parallelepiped is a quadrilateral; so no triangle comes into it. May be "obtuse-angled" instead of "obtuse-angle" would be my only suggested change.

21 mins

-> Agree with "obtuse-angled triangular blocks/buildings". Thanks.

disagree

B D Finch: As Richard B points out, the original is nonsense - I just don't think that we should provide a nonsense translation for a nonsense original unless we are translating Edward Lear.

35 mins

-> You don't HAVE to, but if you understand the problem, you can offer a suggestion and add a translation note/memo to client explaining your choice. Thanks.

47 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

it's nonsense

Explanation:
As has already been pointed out, a parallelepiped has faces that are all parallelograms; the faces therefore exist in parallel opposite pairs. There is not much room for triangles in such a structure.

Note that the expression "parallélépipèdes triangles", if it were to refer to anything, would have to refer to a type of parallelepiped, not a type of triangle. So vera-tech's suggestion is the best translation, except that I would probably go for "obtuse-angled" with a "d".

Note that there are parallelepipeds in the building as pictured, but the triangular bits are no part of them, just flaps added to the standard cuboidal building structure (a cuboid is a parallelepiped with all faces rectangular).

Richard Benham
France
Local time: 21:17
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 7

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you Richard - yes it does look to be nonsense doesn't it.

55 mins confidence:

two parallelipedes with superimposed (or cut out) obtuse triangles

Explanation:
I believe that the reason you couldn't find any ghits is because a parallelipiped cannot be a triangle! Also, triangle cannot have more than one obtuse angle, so a triangle with an obtuse angle is called an **obtuse triangle**.

The triangles, each having one obtuse angle, are superimposed on (or cut out from) parallelipipeds.

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-09 11:27:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Vera is right in pointing out that my proposed translation does not give much idea of the shape of the building. I think that could be remedied by inserting a reference to the triangles forming the roof of the building.

Richard's comment reminds me of a manager I had long ago, who hated our director and told me, when I corrected something that the latter had written: "You're not paid enough to try to make him look intelligent."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2007-07-09 15:03:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, just noticed my misspelling in the heading! Please insert "pi"

B D Finch
France
Local time: 21:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 163

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deux parallélépipèdes triangles aux angles obtus

English translation: two obtuse-angled triangular parallelepipeds

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English translation: two obtuse-angled triangular parallelepipeds

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