quelconque

English translation: ordinary

11:52 Aug 21, 2011
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / ceramic art
French term or phrase: quelconque
Invité par Sèvres, le designer japonais Naoto Fukasawa a créé un nouveau décor en relief inspiré des carreaux de faïences du métro parisien pour une forme de vase du répertoire de Sèvres.
Avec ce vase, il se réapproprie un élément trivial du quotidien, le carreau blanc, identité des murs du métro parisien, mais également des pièces d’eau.
Cette confrontation entre une institution comme Sèvres – qui perpétue la tradition du XVIIIe siècle dans ses processus de production – et une forme issue de l'industrie elle aussi très clairement identifiée est indéniablement insolite. Ce raccourci entre l'œuvre unique ou presque qui concentre les prouesses des gestes des artisans et la forme sinon quelconque, du moins archétypale, standardisée, est une provocation en soi, source d'une réflexion formelle dont le Vase Métro en est le fruit.
janisct
Local time: 11:15
English translation:ordinary
Explanation:
Quelconque in the sense of ordinary, plain, average.

"...et la forme sinon quelconque" = "...and the otherwise ordinary form"? Just a stylistic suggestion.
Selected response from:

Samantha Challinor
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:15
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6ordinary
Samantha Challinor
3 +4nondescript
Claire Nolan
4mediocre
David Vaughn


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
mediocre


Explanation:
one possibility

David Vaughn
Local time: 12:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 289
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
ordinary


Explanation:
Quelconque in the sense of ordinary, plain, average.

"...et la forme sinon quelconque" = "...and the otherwise ordinary form"? Just a stylistic suggestion.

Samantha Challinor
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:15
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M
1 min

agree  Imanol
2 mins

agree  Helen Shiner
5 mins

agree  cc in nyc: or "commonplace" (already mentioned by clain)
55 mins

agree  emiledgar
1 hr

agree  Verginia Ophof
4 hrs
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
nondescript


Explanation:
It is also described as ''trivial''.

It is a commonplace shape, nothing innovative about it.



http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nondescript

Definition of NONDESCRIPT
1
: belonging or appearing to belong to no particular class or kind : not easily described
2
: lacking distinctive or interesting qualities : dull, drab

Claire Nolan
Local time: 07:15
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  SJLD: whatever ;-)
11 mins

neutral  cc in nyc: "commonplace" is better in this context, IMO
47 mins

agree  Tony M
1 hr

agree  MatthewLaSon
4 hrs

agree  B D Finch
4 hrs
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