Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
qu\'il en vienne (un très sévère, ou un jeune)
English translation:
even if a very strict or young one comes along
Added to glossary by
MoiraB
Oct 6, 2011 08:35
12 yrs ago
French term
qu'il en vienne
Non-PRO
French to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Context is 19th/20th century colonial Africa, specifically Congo and the Belgian Lemaire expedition.
Mukandu-Bantu, a local chief, remained an ally of the Belgians after Lemaire had left. Someone gave him some advice:
“Reste bien avec le Blanc, écoute-le, sois avec lui comme tu étais avec moi.” [Mukanda-Bantu agreed]: "C’est bien, pour moi tous sont mes pères ; qu’il en vienne un très sévère, ou un jeune, il est aussi un père"
My instinct is failing me - can't decide between the following options:
whether a very strict one comes...
perhaps a very strict one will come...
let a strict one come...
Mukandu-Bantu, a local chief, remained an ally of the Belgians after Lemaire had left. Someone gave him some advice:
“Reste bien avec le Blanc, écoute-le, sois avec lui comme tu étais avec moi.” [Mukanda-Bantu agreed]: "C’est bien, pour moi tous sont mes pères ; qu’il en vienne un très sévère, ou un jeune, il est aussi un père"
My instinct is failing me - can't decide between the following options:
whether a very strict one comes...
perhaps a very strict one will come...
let a strict one come...
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Oct 11, 2011 08:30: MoiraB changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/43944">MoiraB's</a> old entry - "qu\'il en vienne"" to ""even if a very strict or young one comes along""
Proposed translations
+1
1 hr
Selected
even if a very strict or young one comes along
Just another option.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I like this option best. Thanks, everyone."
+1
16 mins
Whoever may come whether a very strict or young one
just a suggestion!
+1
18 mins
Antonio Tomás Lessa do Amaral
Works in field
Portuguese translations
Native in: Portuguese (Variants: Angolan, South African, European/Portugal, Cape Verdean, Brazilian, Mozambican) 
Works in: English to Portuguese, Italian to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, and 4 more.
no matter if they are (if he is)
pères, therefore they
that's how I'd say it
Hth
that's how I'd say it
Hth
31 mins
Philippa Smith
Native in English
Works in field
29 years turning out perfect English
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
49
we might get
As in: "we might get a very harsh or a very young man, he'll still be a father"
("get" in the sense of "end up with" - this is the sort of man we might end up with...)
One way among many of saying it, sticking to the informality of speech.
("get" in the sense of "end up with" - this is the sort of man we might end up with...)
One way among many of saying it, sticking to the informality of speech.
37 mins
whether
whether (we get) a harsh one or a young one
19 hrs
should a very stern one come, or............
expression de l'anticipation
Discussion