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développant ses effets

English translation: exerting its influence

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:développant ses effets
English translation:exerting its influence
Entered by: B D Finch

20:44 Aug 21, 2008
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Religion / buddhism
French term or phrase: développant ses effets
Hi everyone.

I'm revising a translation, and I'm stuck on this term. I'm not satisfied with the translator's choice of words, but I can't decide how to translate this chunk any better. I have several ideas, none of which are 100% satisfactory. Any help would be appreciated!

Here's the context:


"...je m'intéresse à la question de l'adaptation de [l'école du Bouddhisme] à nos contrées, et, dans cette perspective, il m'est apparu que la sculpture pouvait exercer une de ses fonctions traditionnelles, *** en développant ses effets *** dans le contexte de l'enseignement de la doctrine. Je vais tenter d'illustrer mon propos en faisant perler, en quelque sorte, une figure qui m'est particulièrement chère, celle du XXXX; mettons-nous donc à l'écoute de cette noble figure!"

The translator had put "it seemed to me that sculpture could play one of its traditional roles, *** developing its influence *** in the context of doctrine teaching"."

Does anyone have anything better than this?


Thanks a million!
David Mousseau
Canada
Local time: 17:36
exerting its influence
Explanation:
I am interested in Helen's use of the term "affect", but not convinced.

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-21 22:12:48 GMT)
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Sorry, hit the button too soon.

I think that the literal translation of "développant" as increasing or evolving is not necessarily how the idea would be expressed in English and "exerting its influence" seems to me the nearest equivalent idea to "développant ses effets".
Selected response from:

B D Finch
France
Local time: 23:36
Grading comment
I ended up choosing this one, I found it to be the most clear and simple among many possibilities. Thank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3exerting/wielding its impact
Jean-Louis S.
3 +2exerting its influence
B D Finch
4evolving its [sculptural] affects
Helen Shiner
3the sculpture could play one of...roles if its effect on others were to be enhanced through teaching
MatthewLaSon
3How about Mathew's formulation with Helen's term ?
Janet Cannon


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
exerting/wielding its impact


Explanation:
?

Jean-Louis S.
United States
Local time: 17:36
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
29 mins
  -> Merci Bea!
agree  Mohamed Mehenoun
29 mins
  -> Merci Mohamed!
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): this seems to be closer to the intended meaning imho
3 hrs
  -> Merci Ingeborg!
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
exerting its influence


Explanation:
I am interested in Helen's use of the term "affect", but not convinced.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-21 22:12:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, hit the button too soon.

I think that the literal translation of "développant" as increasing or evolving is not necessarily how the idea would be expressed in English and "exerting its influence" seems to me the nearest equivalent idea to "développant ses effets".

B D Finch
France
Local time: 23:36
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
I ended up choosing this one, I found it to be the most clear and simple among many possibilities. Thank you.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Helen Shiner: Affect is correct, it just depends how specialist the Asker wants to be in the translation of the text. I agree with your translation for a less specialist rendering./Yes, if this is a text about sculpture or religious art then it would be fine.
10 hrs
  -> I know that (unlike many) you use the word "affect" correctly. I just wasn't sure about using it in this particular context.
agree  kashew
15 hrs
  -> Thanks kashew
agree  atche84
3 days 4 hrs
  -> Thanks
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the sculpture could play one of...roles if its effect on others were to be enhanced through teaching


Explanation:
Hello,

"It seemed to me that the sculpture could play a more traditional role if its effect on others were to be enhanced (deepened) through teaching of the religion's doctrine (in non-Buddhist countries)"

That way, people will have a better understanding of what the it represents.

The French pluralizes "effets", but we'd just singularize it in English.

I hope this helps.

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Note added at 9 hrs (2008-08-22 06:40:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Typo: "one of its traditional role"

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 17:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
evolving its [sculptural] affects


Explanation:
I think this may be what is meant here. It is a specialised use of the term, not a typo for 'effect', which I believe means what a sculpture affects to represent or stir emotionally in the viewer.

"what we find is essentially a study of the physical and psychological forces appertaining to pictorial, architectural, and sculptural affects."
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EpdDxaQXDx8C&pg=PA58&lpg=...

"The works mediate between painterly tradition and sculptural affect, the cumulative experience of the esthetic properties Wagner locates in pigmented rust-preventative paints on steel and the attrition or change that time might impose on the medium."
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-139681180.html

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Note added at 49 mins (2008-08-21 21:33:05 GMT)
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I am not so happy with evolving - something better could well be found, but the sculptural affects is right.

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Note added at 54 mins (2008-08-21 21:38:06 GMT)
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Maybe something with the meaning 'unfurling' or 'gradually unveiling' would be appropriate here - at least that is how I understand the développer here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2008-08-22 08:24:10 GMT)
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I wonder if this might work best if you change the sentence structure slightly and say something like: its affects evolving/unfurling within the context/during the doctrinal teaching/of the doctrine.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:36
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
How about Mathew's formulation with Helen's term ?


Explanation:
the sculpture could play one of...roles, if its affects were to used as a support for the teaching of doctrines.



Janet Cannon
United States
Local time: 17:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
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