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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

mettant tout sur la table

English translation: when all the facts are brought to the table

07:31 Jun 4, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / historical research/colloquial expression
French term or phrase: mettant tout sur la table
Tout au long de mes recherches, j’ai toujours trouvé qu’en mettant tout sur la table, il y a clairement des explications qui ne font tout simplement “pas le poids”.

I'm thinking along the lines of "cards on the table" and then something that matches the image better than "explanations that simply don't stand up/hold water/make the grade".
kashew
France
Local time: 05:58
English translation:when all the facts are brought to the table
Explanation:
"when all the facts are brought to the table, certain hypotheses / theories / scenarios etc. simply do not stack up." (preferred)

OR "when all the cards are laid on the table... stack up"

OR "when all the facts are allowed to speak for themselves, certain explanations simply do not bear scrutiny"
Selected response from:

Gavin Jack
New Zealand
Local time: 15:58
Grading comment
Thanks to all for the fine input.
Not easy to choose the winner.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2examine the whole picture
Emma Paulay
5throwing your cards on the table
jeannoz
4 +1when all the facts are brought to the table
Gavin Jack
4laying cards on the table
Michel F. Morin
4some bits of the puzzle don't fit
SafeTex
4all things considered
JonathanMoylan
3when the chips are down
polyglot45


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
throwing your cards on the table


Explanation:
OR showing your hands OR putting everything on the table OR putting it on the table

Example sentence(s):
  • Several issues are still on the table and the government will go to any length to pass bills that we, as a democratic society and a social democratic society, hope will not see the light of day.

    Reference: http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Doc...
    Reference: http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Doc...
jeannoz
Australia
Local time: 13:58
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
laying cards on the table


Explanation:
Bonjour,

Cela me paraît plus imagé, et plus proche de l'esprit du texte, que simplement "to put everything on the table".

Michel F. Morin
France
Local time: 05:58
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 18
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
when the chips are down


Explanation:
at the end of the day
when all is said and done

there are some explanations that simply do not stand up to scrutiny/cut the mustard

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

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Veronica Coquard: Sorry, but this expression has nothing to do with the translation of this idiom. Please see http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/when the chips are down
6 hrs
  -> without more context, it's anybody's guess. Be careful how you use the comments box as well
agree  philgoddard: We don't have any context to speak of, but this may well be an appropriate translation.
6 hrs
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59 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
when all the facts are brought to the table


Explanation:
"when all the facts are brought to the table, certain hypotheses / theories / scenarios etc. simply do not stack up." (preferred)

OR "when all the cards are laid on the table... stack up"

OR "when all the facts are allowed to speak for themselves, certain explanations simply do not bear scrutiny"

Gavin Jack
New Zealand
Local time: 15:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thanks to all for the fine input.
Not easy to choose the winner.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  B D Finch: I think the card-playing metaphor is unnecessary. The point is that the evidence is arranged to enable an overview.
1 hr
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
examine the whole picture


Explanation:
I'm pretty sure that's what they're getting at here.

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 05:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 126
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi! Yes, "whole picture" is nice...

Asker: I would have used yours, "big picture" being a popular buzz expression. - but the client was stuck on the cards thing!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  mimi 254
15 mins
agree  katsy
33 mins
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
some bits of the puzzle don't fit


Explanation:
The French expressions or what is meant don't seem to suggest the same as similar English expressions
So what do we put on the table (that suggest pieces) and try to see in the larger picture?

A PUZZLE

Example sentence(s):
  • Throughout my research, I've always felt that some bits of the puzzle don't fit
SafeTex
France
Local time: 05:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 19
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1 day 10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
all things considered


Explanation:
This seems to be the most natural translation for an English speaker.

JonathanMoylan
Australia
Local time: 13:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
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