répondant avec lui de cette réalité

English translation: together with/alongside him, vouching for/guaranteeing/representing this reality

12:07 Feb 1, 2008

French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - History

French term or phrase: répondant avec lui de cette réalité

As you may remember from previous questions, I am finishing up a large project of a series of articles about Emir Abdelkarder, written by academics, political leaders, artists, and so on. All have been fairly weighty, but quite straightforward, until this last one written by a so-called "novelist" who has me wanting to tear my hair out and scream :-(

I am in the rereading stage, and would like your thoughts as to how you interpret various snippets of her writing.
Many thanks in advance for your brainstorming ideas - even something you might consider far-fetched is bound to help.

In this particular section, I am having trouble with the last line, "participant avec lui de la même réalité du monde, et répondant avec lui de cette réalité. "

L’histoire de l’Émir Abdelkader à Amboise est celle d’une délivrance. Le souvenir du héros captif, qui honora de sa grandeur l’ennemi français, s’efface sous l’aura de sa présence toujours vive dans la ville et la campagne environnante. L’Émir a laissé ici sa dépouille de chef de guerre. Humaniste, il était salué par ses ennemis comme par ses proches. Les armes déposées, son attention respectueuse à autrui s’est bientôt étendue, au-delà de l’accueil bienveillant de l’étranger, jusqu’à l’hospitalité sacrée offerte à cet autre comme à son frère, participant avec lui de la même réalité du monde, et répondant avec lui de cette réalité.

French Foodie KudoZ activity Questions: 424 (none open) (8 closed without grading) Answers: 426
Local time: 18:22

English translation:together with/alongside him, vouching for/guaranteeing/representing this reality

Explanation:
the expression that needs to be dealt with is "répondre de", not just répondre.
This is more like brainstorming help because giving you 'the solution' as an outsider to the text is basically impossible.

Selected response from:

writeaway

Grading comment

Thanks for pointing out the "de", which I had not noticed at first. Also agree with Carol that the "togetherness" is important. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to help and provide answers.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

responding, as he does himself, to that reality

B D Finch

3 +1

together with/alongside him, vouching for/guaranteeing/representing this reality

writeaway

and with him,answering for this reality

Mary Carroll Richer LaFlèche

humanity/the world he now lives in

John Peterson

Answers

27 mins confidence:

responding, as he does himself, to that reality

Explanation:
My earlier answer seems to have disappeared into cyberspace, so here it is again, suitably (I hope) amended. I added the commas and "himself" to avoid ambiguity of where the emphasis falls. Changed "with" to "as" because it seemed more appropriate in English.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 18:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 35

59 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

together with/alongside him, vouching for/guaranteeing/representing this reality

writeaway
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 32

Grading comment

Thanks for pointing out the "de", which I had not noticed at first. Also agree with Carol that the "togetherness" is important. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to help and provide answers.

30 mins confidence:

humanity/the world he now lives in

Explanation:
This is probably at the far-fetched end of the ideas you're looking for, but from the context I'd try and link réalité du monde to the world he now lives in and one that is marked by his humanity so may be: "where their reactions are governed by this (shared) humanity."

If it's any consolation, however much hair you tear out, you'll still have more than me.

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-02-01 13:39:57 GMT)
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As it (now) turns out that he was in exile, and that this seems to have enabled his humanity to flower, could say:

"where their acts are a part of the (shared) humanity that blossomed in the world he was now living in/that was born out of living in exile."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-02-01 13:42:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

were

John Peterson
Local time: 17:22
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

1 day 5 hrs confidence:

and with him,answering for this reality

Explanation:
répondre de/ answer for ,take responsability

Mary Carroll Richer LaFlèche
Italy
Local time: 18:22
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

French
PRO pts in category: 4

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répondant avec lui de cette réalité

English translation: together with/alongside him, vouching for/guaranteeing/representing this reality

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répondant avec lui de cette réalité

English translation: together with/alongside him, vouching for/guaranteeing/representing this reality

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