This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
s’alanguissait au souffle impérieux d’Eole
bouteille sablée

Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

s’immisçant de pétales en feuillages

English translation:

insinuating itself between the petals and leaves

Added to glossary by Carol Gullidge
Dec 7, 2010 14:30
13 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term

s’immisçant de pétales en feuillages

French to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature flowery description of scenery
Sorry to be boring and repetitive, but this does save potential helpers from having to refer back to previous questions for the context
__________________________________

Tout a commencé pour l’auteur en ce 16 juin 2006. L’orage menaçait sur Gréoux-les-bains, une charmante cité thermale aux tuiles plates et orangées, enclavée dans son écrin de verdure provençal à quelques encablures de Manosque.

Cette terre chaude et rustique, embaumée des suavités les plus subtiles, s’alanguissait au souffle impérieux d’Eole ******s’immisçant de pétales en feuillages****** et de montagnes en vallées.

_________________

The very beginning of a lengthy foreword to a novel. Any help with actually deciphering this would be much appreciated as I'm more concerned about finding the correct meaning than about a wonderfully-crafted ready-made answer - which I'd be quite happy to concoct myself once I knew what is actually being said! Not that beautiful turns of phrase ever go amiss on KudoZ, and they are a wonderful resource for the Glossary...

PS, in case it's not obvious, the register here is fairly high/literary

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 insinuating itself into the petals and leaves
4 +1 fluttering amongst the blossoms and foliage
2 urging/pushing its way through petals and leaves
Change log

Dec 8, 2010 10:12: Stéphanie Soudais changed "Field (specific)" from "Other" to "Poetry & Literature"

Discussion

Sandra Mouton Dec 7, 2010:
@cc Not to worry.
I think it's nice and very interesting to have these discussions à bâtons rompus on the tough translation questions of the Kudoz.
cc in nyc Dec 7, 2010:
@Sandra My bad; I didn't notice that the discussion entry and the "agree" comment were from the same person.
Sandra Mouton Dec 7, 2010:
@Carol
Thank you for defending me so nicely ;-) but
(@cc, too), as I said in my comment to BD Finch "insinuating" answer, I prefer it to "wriggling" too. My "wriggling" wasn't actually a translation suggestion but only an explanation, since Carol seemed to be struggling with the meaning of this very sorry example of French pseudo literary erotic ramblings.
Carol Gullidge (asker) Dec 7, 2010:
@ cc re wriggling in! agree totally re the register, but it's still a very nice, clear and evocative way of explaining what amounts to "insinuating itself into" :)
cc in nyc Dec 7, 2010:
my 2¢ The wind does not wriggle (worms wriggle), especially not in this register.
On the other hand, I think that "insinuating" is very nice, and supplies a nod to "interfering."
Veronica Coquard Dec 7, 2010:
With Sandra's explanation, the sentence suddenly makes sense.
B D Finch Dec 7, 2010:
Hi Carol, I added the note about subject because one of the contributors seemed not to have realised that. I also like Sandra's idea of wriggling in everywhere.
Carol Gullidge (asker) Dec 7, 2010:
thanks Sandra! that fits in very well with Barbara's suggestion
Carol Gullidge (asker) Dec 7, 2010:
thanks everyone so far! some lovely suggestions posted, and the explanations are particularly welcome!
Sandra Mouton Dec 7, 2010:
From what I understand, the meaning is that Eole (the wind) wriggles in everywhere, i.e. from petals to leaves and from mountains to valleys.
Carol Gullidge (asker) Dec 7, 2010:
@ writeaway I actually have "redolent of...", but the reason for the question is that I don't think I've grasped the true meaning of the sentence. Which makes me extremely reluctant/embarassed to publicise my efforts so far. Needless to say, at this early stage, I haven't yet discarded anything!
writeaway Dec 7, 2010:
what have you got so far? have you already rejected any potential translations?

Proposed translations

+4
1 hr
Selected

insinuating itself into the petals and leaves

Though s’immiscer would usually be to interfere or to get too involved with, that is clearly not quite the right meaning here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-12-07 15:47:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

One could even add "very":
"insinuating itself into the very petals and leaves".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-12-07 16:08:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The subject of s'immiscer is "le souffle impérieux d’Eole".
Note from asker:
thanks BD! I had in fact worked out the subject/verb relationship, but was nevertheless stumped re the meaning of "s'immiscer". I like "insinuating..." - one that hadn't occurred to me!
Peer comment(s):
agree Sandra Mouton : Thanks for your comment about "wriggling" but I think "insinuating" is better here
37 mins
Thanks Sandra. I didn't think that "wriggling" would work as an answer, but it is useful as explanation.
agree Veronica Coquard : I like "insinuating itself into the very petals and leaves". Nice one!
47 mins
Thanks versanglais
agree cc in nyc : It's not that I don't like my own entry, but I also like yours. (Not so enthusiastic though about "the very"; leaves and trees are where we usually see the wind.)
54 mins
Thanks cc. The suggestion of "very" was to emphasise the imagery of entering into, becoming part of, rather than just blowing over.
agree SMcG (X) : spot on at keeping at keeping it tad high-brow: insinuating as in sliding slowly and smoothly into a position
3 hrs
Thanks
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks to BD and everyone, especially for the explanations, which were most helpful! I shan't be editing/proofreading this text until the whole of the first draft is completed - some time next month, so there's a chance this may be modified very slightly, in which case, I'll duly amend the Glossary entry if need be. Meanwhile, it's the meaning that's really important, and which I'm really grateful to you for supplying - along with your lovely renditions!"
+1
1 hr

fluttering amongst the blossoms and foliage

I steered away from "swirling" because of "s'alanguir.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-12-07 16:17:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

At least I would not be languid or languorous if the wind were swirling about me.

BTW, I posted the wiki mostly because I liked the picture. (Of course it has some information as well, and can be toggled to the English wiki, which differs from the French one.)
Reference:

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eole

Note from asker:
thanks cc! Good point re "s'alanguir"!
Peer comment(s):
agree philippe vandevivere : really beautiful, so is 'swirling', you're a poet
49 mins
Thank you! We do what we can with our poor tools.
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

urging/pushing its way through petals and leaves

suggestion -

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2010-12-07 20:50:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or, if using "Aeolus", then "his way"- and maybe flowers rather than petals, if you have any idea what plants are around.
Note from asker:
many thanks Rachel - this is nice too!
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search