Feb 17, 2010 10:46
14 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

On vous donne la menthe...

French to English Marketing Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
This is from a company newsletter article about in-house training: the company has just standardised its sales method throughout the entire Group."

Formateur le temps d’une session, Mr X, Directeur (subsidiary name), plante assez joliment le décor : « Aujourd’hui on vous donne la menthe et après ce sera à vous d’y ajouter l’eau ». Effectivement, cette formation ne se veut pas révolutionnaire, au contraire. Elle fait appel aux fondamentaux du métier et se veut avant tout libératrice. « La prospection intimide souvent par peur de l’inconnu. Par l’association de toutes nos méthodes, on essaye de lever les inquiétudes en donnant des techniques, en corrigeant des attitudes par des mises en situation... Il s’agit d’aider les acteurs du terrain à passer les étapes le mieux possible. Il n’y a rien de magique, seulement quelques astuces à connaître pour mieux appréhender ce moment et surtout l’optimiser ».

Thanks!
Change log

Feb 17, 2010 11:15: writeaway changed "Field" from "Art/Literary" to "Marketing"

Proposed translations

+3
16 mins
Selected

we give you the ingredients

it's up to you to bake the cake

The options are legion
Peer comment(s):

agree writeaway : I like ingredients.
14 mins
agree L.J.Wessel van Leeuwen : my choice.
47 mins
agree Marianna Tucci
1 hr
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks, this is perfect here!"
+4
5 mins

change of metaphor to seeds

Changing the metaphor slightly - we plant the seeds, you water them?

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Note added at 7 mins (2010-02-17 10:54:00 GMT)
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Or we give you the mint, you make the juleps ;-)
Peer comment(s):

agree Silvia Martinez Waterhouse : It is a metaphor indeed and seeds is good. You wouldn't be able to do a literal translation.
4 mins
agree philgoddard
15 mins
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : good solution
54 mins
agree claudiocambon : something like "We provide the seeds; all you have to do is add water."
3 hrs
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8 mins

We give you the key...

...it's up to you to open the lock

a possible way of expressing the idea
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+2
9 mins

give the basics, you need to elaborate

"donne de la menthe" gives very few ghits.

So, this could be a cultural reference from one French person to a French audience. French people drink "sirop" and a popular flavor is mint (especially for kids). To make the drink, you pour a tiny bit of syrup in the bottom of the glass and then you add the desired amount of water.

I see it as being, he provides the "sirop" the audince must add the water.

He provides the basics, they audience must elaborate on it.
I don't have an idiomatic saying off the top of my head, though.

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Note added at 10 mins (2010-02-17 10:57:24 GMT)
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arbizonne has the correct idea
Peer comment(s):

agree Isabelle17
11 mins
agree mimi 254 : lors d'une séance de formation des prospecteurs, le directeur relève que la prospection est timide à cause de l'inconnu. Il essaie de donner qlques éléments et techniques de base pr lever les inquiétudes - aux prospecteurs maintenant d'en faire usage en y
11 mins
neutral philgoddard : I think this loses the color of the original phrase - it's too literal.
13 mins
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27 mins

We give you the ball...

...it's up to you to hit it!

A change of metaphors is definitely needed here. I immediately thought of this - a variation on the popular saying 'the ball is in your court'.

When water is added to mint sirop, the person can decide how strong he or she wants to drink it. Similarly here, the person can determine for him/herself exactly how the ball will be played.

Peer comment(s):

neutral philgoddard : Run with it?
19 mins
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5 hrs

Today we're giving you the building blocks, but it's up to you what you create with them.

Hello,

This might work here. It's a training program: they're giving you want you need to build on a career in this profession.

I hope this helps.
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