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  3. Medical: Pharmaceuticals

absorption contrôlée ou hasardeuse

English translation: accidental or induced exposure/absorption/intake

17:03 Jun 13, 2011
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Medical: Pharmaceuticals
French term or phrase: absorption contrôlée ou hasardeuse
This features in a conversation in a sci-fi storyline that I'm translating into UK English. The characters have just realised that they are experiencing something supernatural, but they're not sure what's going on, or what caused it.

One character postulates that it could have been caused by a chemical or drug of some kind, and that the 'hallucination' they're undergoing could be 'provoquée par l'absorption contrôlée ou hasardeuse'.

I'd like to find a way to cover the 'accidentally-or-on-purpose' idea in a similarly neat expression, but perhaps also the suspicion (which is about to come out in the storyline) that someone or something could be monitoring them.
Nora Mahony
Ireland
Local time: 03:22
English translation:accidental or induced exposure/absorption/intake
Explanation:
I like exposure most, not suitable if they actually swallowed something!
Selected response from:

R.C. (X)
Local time: 04:22
Grading comment
Thanks very much -- I went with intentional or accidental exposure in the end.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4accidental or induced exposure/absorption/intake
R.C. (X)
3drugged or poisoned
DouglasCarnall


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
accidental or induced exposure/absorption/intake


Explanation:
I like exposure most, not suitable if they actually swallowed something!

R.C. (X)
Local time: 04:22
Native speaker of: Italian
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
Thanks very much -- I went with intentional or accidental exposure in the end.
Notes to answerer
Asker: I like exposure, but this could be hard to work into dialogue as is... not sure the French isn't as odd in dialogue, mind you.

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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
drugged or poisoned


Explanation:
To be drugged implies definite human agency. Poisoning can be accidental or deliberate.

DouglasCarnall
France
Local time: 04:22
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: I'd like to go with something like this because it has the same brevity of expression, but I'd worry that this would cause confusion about the seriousness of what they've taken -- i.e., the (incorrect but popular) perception could be that drugs could wear off, whereas poisoning could be fatal.

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