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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

porteurs de démarches essentielles

English translation:

with specialized knowledge about

Added to glossary by Michael GREEN
Mar 30, 2009 08:09
15 yrs ago
French term

porteurs de démarches essentielles

French to English Art/Literary Music
This is from a blurb about an arts magazine. The complete phrase, copied & pasted from source text, is :
"un....travail de recherche, mené par des artistes porteurs de démarches essentielles pour la connaissance des musiques anciennes et de leur pratique."

I cannot tell a lie : I'm only posting this question from sheer laziness. I was asked to translate this text (not my usual field) as a favour, and when I encounter this kind of bulls**t in a magazine I usually turn the page quickly.
Here I have to scratch my head, and since this has been dismally unproductive I'm turning to my colleagues while I still have some hair left.
Any suggestions gratefully received !
Proposed translations (English)
4 with specialized knowledge about
3 +6 whose work provides vital insight
4 +1 with the requisite background
2 +2 involved in initiatives that are vital
3 +1 well-versed in

Discussion

Michael GREEN (asker) Mar 30, 2009:
Early music Thank you jthink! As you point out, it is indeed "early" music, however "old" it might sound ..! I'm relieved to see that the consensus is to ditch "porteurs" (how easy it is to to say nothing at length in French...). I may take you up on your offer to draw on your specialist knowledge : prepare for e-mails. Meanwhile I must respect the 24 hr rule before awarding points, but thanks to all contributors for their very useful comments and suggestions.
Janet Cannon Mar 30, 2009:
Been there In the "early " music (not "old" music !) scene, the French are really into what they call "démarche de recherche personelle"- a combination of looking up the sources, and trying out what you find, testing it on yourself, in a sense. It's not as wacky as it sounds, because to get early instruments, and scores, to sound, you have to re-train a lot of physical gestures, and ways of responding to the written notes...Doesn't excuse the "porteurs", of course ! If you have any other hang-ups, that is my field, happy to help !
Janet Cannon Mar 30, 2009:
Been there In the "early " music (not "old" music !) scene, the French are really into what they call "démarche de recherche personelle"- a combination of looking up the sources, and trying out what you find, testing it on yourself, in a sense. It's not as wacky as it sounds, because to get early instruments, and scores, to sound, you have to re-train a lot of physical gestures, and ways of responding to the written notes...Doesn't excuse the "porteurs", of course ! If you have any other hang-ups, that is my field, happy to help !
Michael GREEN (asker) Mar 30, 2009:
Hi Emma ! Basically, "recherche" refers to the preparation of the editorial copy to be written by these "artistes porteurs de démarches essentielles". I understand that to mean that the magazine carries contributions from musicians specialising in particular fields (old music, in this case). Hope that helps ...
Emma Paulay Mar 30, 2009:
Hi Michael. Does it say anything more about the "recherche"?
Michael GREEN (asker) Mar 30, 2009:
Yes - sorry I didn't make that clear - it is indeed talking about musicians here.
polyglot45 Mar 30, 2009:
artists - of course
polyglot45 Mar 30, 2009:
what kind of aristis are these? It looks as though they may well be musicians but maybe that would be drawing over-hasty conclusions

Proposed translations

11 hrs
Selected

with specialized knowledge about

I would go a bit farther from the French with this more natural sounding phrase. I also work in the field and honestly - though this is important work I would say specialized rather than vital....
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you ! This fits the bill very well. I hesitated between several suggestions, including Helen's, which happened to be identical to my "working hypothesis" - but had that met my needs I wouldn't have posted the question in the first place. Many thanks to all contributors, and my apologies for not following peer opinion here - but bluebird5's suggestion was late input and consequently less exposed to peer comments."
+2
19 mins

involved in initiatives that are vital

to the awareness and practice of old music
Peer comment(s):
agree Philippa Smith : Nice - tho' I'd maybe use "music from the past" or something along those lines, rather than "old music" which sounds a little negative...
15 mins
yes, "music from the past" is probably better
agree Emma Paulay : A great idea. Hope you'll forgive me for borrowing 'vital' :-)
16 mins
thanks - you are welcome to borrow anything you like...
Something went wrong...
+6
34 mins

whose work provides vital insight

Or simply:
whose work is vital to

I just can't be doing with this "porteur de" lark :-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Andrew Mason : This looks good to me....
3 mins
Cheers, Andrew.
agree Anne-Marie Grant (X)
22 mins
Thanks, Anne-Marie.
agree Janet Cannon : quite good. see my note above !
42 mins
Thanks!
agree mimi 254
1 hr
Thanks, mimi.
agree Michael Lotz
3 hrs
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : this seems to fit best here, after having received more input from the asker
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

with the requisite background

I think that 'with the requisite background' would get round this - not using that heavy 'porteur de' phrase - am with Emma on that one! It seems that the entire sentence wishes to convey that only certain musicians will be able to undertake the research, hence the above phrase.
Peer comment(s):
agree Helen Shiner : I like this suggestion, too.
1 day 4 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
4 hrs

well-versed in

Perhaps a radically reductive answer, but no apologies there!
Note from asker:
Thank you Helen. Just between you and me, "well-versed in" is precisely the phrase I have used in my translation while waiting for suggestions to accumulate here ... I'm all for radical reductions to waffle ..
Peer comment(s):
agree Yolanda Broad
1 day 1 hr
Thanks, Yolanda
Something went wrong...
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