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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

La divine surprise

English translation: the unexpected savio(u)r

09:53 Feb 22, 2011
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Fr politics/journalism
French term or phrase: La divine surprise
Ségolène Royal : la divine surprise de la gauche française.

How would you say this in French? I don't want to say dark horse.

Thanks

S
Sarah Robertson
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:08
English translation:the unexpected savio(u)r
Explanation:
of the French Left...

Like the "messianic" Obama!

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Note added at 48 mins (2011-02-22 10:41:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or possibly:
"the unlikely savio(u)r of the French Left"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-02-22 11:35:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or even:

"a godsend for the French left"
Selected response from:

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 15:08
Grading comment
This one seemed the most appropriate and also kept in the divine aspect.

Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4the unexpected savio(u)r
Colin Rowe
4Just what the French Left had been waiting for
ShopForWords
3charming surprise weapon
Philippa Smith
1 +1divine contender
Jonathan MacKerron
Summary of reference entries provided
http://24heuresactu.com/blog/2010/09/01/segolene-royal-la-divine-surprise-de-la-gauche-francaise/
polyglot45
Charles Maurras/Pétain...Be careful!
Emma Paulay
Ségolène Royal : la divine surprise de la gauche française ?
Colin Rowe

Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
charming surprise weapon


Explanation:
Just an idea: I'm thinking you want to get across the sense of something the left has up its sleeve, which is both a surprise and very agreeable...So Ségo as their surprise weapon, and what a charming weapon she is....!

Or "delightful surprise weapon", or another option, "charming/deightful revelation".

Philippa Smith
Local time: 15:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 49
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Just what the French Left had been waiting for


Explanation:
or "has been waiting for" depending on context. Like Polyglot says, it would be useful to know when it was written.

ShopForWords
Local time: 15:08
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
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30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +1
divine contender


Explanation:
retaining the divinity bit....

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Note added at 35 mins (2011-02-22 10:29:29 GMT)
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the Left's divine hope eternal

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans: divine hope eternal works well and does not over-translate the term
2 hrs
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
the unexpected savio(u)r


Explanation:
of the French Left...

Like the "messianic" Obama!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 48 mins (2011-02-22 10:41:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or possibly:
"the unlikely savio(u)r of the French Left"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-02-22 11:35:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or even:

"a godsend for the French left"

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 15:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
This one seemed the most appropriate and also kept in the divine aspect.

Thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Philippa Smith: I think your solution is just right - certainly much better than mine! Chimes well with the article...
46 mins
  -> Many thanks!
agree  B D Finch: All good suggestions.
1 hr
  -> Many thanks!
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): I like "godsend for the French left/ more context/date/ would have been desirable
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ingeborg!
agree  Lara Barnett
5 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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Reference comments


34 mins peer agreement (net): +2
Reference: http://24heuresactu.com/blog/2010/09/01/segolene-royal-la-divine-surprise-de-la-gauche-francaise/

Reference information:
Voilà un titre qui n'est pas un cadeau et condamne irrémédiablement celle que l'on voulait louer…

Whence the need for context

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 227

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Colin Rowe: Sorry, I am finding ProZ highly unstable today. Some things being posted twice, others not at all, and other people's entries not visible until about 20 minutes later!
15 mins
agree  writeaway: mais oui. it's journalism and politics so the first thing to do is look it up on the www
47 mins
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1 hr peer agreement (net): +3
Reference: Charles Maurras/Pétain...Be careful!

Reference information:
This title is definitely not to be taken at face value.


    Reference: http://www.academie-francaise.fr/immortels/base/academiciens...
    Reference: http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2008/04/29/une-divine-...
Emma Paulay
France
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 126

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  writeaway: no it can't be taken at face value. serious research is always part of this type of text. the translator has to make informed decisions
2 mins
agree  Evans (X)
6 mins
agree  Colin Rowe: Indeed, the article does not claim that Royal IS what the Left needs, but questions whether she COULD be (from their point of view)
20 mins
  -> There is so much political history in those two words and depending on what the translation is for, the French title may need to be explained.
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46 mins peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Ségolène Royal : la divine surprise de la gauche française ?

Reference information:
"Voilà un titre qui n'est pas un cadeau et condamne irrémédiablement celle que l'on voulait louer… Ségolène Royal et son concept ressuscité d'encadrement militaire des racailles de banlieue est pourtant le seul souffle d'espoir de la droite française à l'heure où Sarko tente piteusement de faire oublier l'insécurité sur le dos des Roms.

"Les grandes idées de droites sont incarnées à gauche… et vice versa. Ségolène Royal dont tout le monde ricane depuis des années (y compris moi) est finalement la seule à proposer un diagnostic sans complaisance et des solutions réalistes au problème de fond qui lamine notre pays. ..."



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Note added at 2 hrs (2011-02-22 12:15:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another example of "la divine surprise" in the context of French politics can be found under:

http://books.google.de/books?id=hGSJlVD1OVoC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA2...

The French General Election of March 1978: La Divine Surprise


    Reference: http://24heuresactu.com/blog/2010/09/01/segolene-royal-la-di...
Colin Rowe
Germany
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  writeaway
36 mins
  -> Thanks!
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