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être-devenu

English translation: to know why one has become who he is, as he is now, not in any other way

23:44 Oct 10, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
French term or phrase: être-devenu
c’est-à-dire orientée par l’intérêt de connaître cette réalité avec laquelle nous formons un ordre, de connaître la raison de son être-devenu tel qu’il est et non pas autrement

From a sociological text on a German economist. I'm presuming this is a concept in German that's been translated into English, but I only have the French to go on...
Steven Durose
France
Local time: 05:15
English translation:to know why one has become who he is, as he is now, not in any other way
Explanation:
Hello,

This is my understanding: How one has arrived at one's station in life (a homemaker, mechanic, homeless, criminal, etc).

There could be a much shorter way to say this in English, but I have no clue what it is.

I hope this helps.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day21 hrs (2007-10-12 21:35:25 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Yeah, it could be that "son" is referring to "it", which is reality. I think I am wrong. Sorry.
Selected response from:

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 23:15
Grading comment
Thanks for all your comments. In the context, I based my translation on this model, although "il" refers to "it" rather than "he", thus "what it has become". Without the "official" sociological term, I think it's better to keep it simple.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3having become
Melissa McMahon
3fundamental being
B D Finch
1 +1to know why one has become who he is, as he is now, not in any other way
MatthewLaSon


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
having become


Explanation:
I'm thinking along with Richard that this is about "reality", and I think it helps to remember that devenir conjugates with etre, so "being-become" is really (sort of) "having become".

"... which is to say, framed by an interest in understanding this reality from which we form an order, to understand the reason for its having become how it is rather than otherwise" (or "what it is rather than something else")

I understand the meaning as about understanding how things are in terms of the lines of evolution that led to this state - it's becoming - how it became the way it is - this is pretty much Matthew's understanding as well, just applied to "reality".

Melissa McMahon
Australia
Local time: 13:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  suezen
6 mins
agree  Richard Nice: Yes (though I take être-devenu as a 'present perfect' version of le devenir de la réalité
22 mins
  -> yes, something like "*the* having-become"?
agree  Cervin
37 mins
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
fundamental being


Explanation:
This seems like a term one would use in English. However, it is suggested with the reservation that it may be too strong a term, and it may carry philosophical meaning that is not in the original.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2007-10-11 08:55:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Being" without "fundamental" perhaps?

B D Finch
France
Local time: 05:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 78

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Melissa McMahon: without the 'fundamental' is better I think - as "fundamental" being could be taken as the essence of something apart from its "becoming"
15 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to know why one has become who he is, as he is now, not in any other way


Explanation:
Hello,

This is my understanding: How one has arrived at one's station in life (a homemaker, mechanic, homeless, criminal, etc).

There could be a much shorter way to say this in English, but I have no clue what it is.

I hope this helps.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day21 hrs (2007-10-12 21:35:25 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Yeah, it could be that "son" is referring to "it", which is reality. I think I am wrong. Sorry.

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 23:15
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Thanks for all your comments. In the context, I based my translation on this model, although "il" refers to "it" rather than "he", thus "what it has become". Without the "official" sociological term, I think it's better to keep it simple.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michael Tovbin
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Michael!
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