towering figure

15:30 Nov 5, 2013
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

English to French translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Literature
English term or phrase: towering figure
How to express "towering figure" referring to the most famous poet (Nobel Prize winner) in a country. The sense that I want to imply is that he was the "father figure" who not only began a renaissance in poetry but stands as a torch bearer of large and flourishing tradition.
Captain Haddock
India
Local time: 20:31


Summary of answers provided
4figure de proue
MelodieR
4colosse
kashew
4une figure emblématique
Véronique Stone
4personnalité faisant autorité
Marcombes (X)
4figure dominante
FX Fraipont (X)
3figure prédominante
kashew
3figure tutélaire
Antoine Heudre
3gourou
HERBET Abel


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
figure prédominante


Explanation:
*

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Note added at 9 minutes (2013-11-05 15:39:21 GMT)
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Ou, "porte-flambeau"

kashew
France
Local time: 17:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 130
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
figure de proue


Explanation:
figure/personnage incontournable/emblématique chef de file, ...

There are many ways to express this in French as you can see here for example
http://www.linguee.com/english-french/translation/towering f...

MelodieR
France
Local time: 17:01
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
colosse


Explanation:
*

kashew
France
Local time: 17:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
une figure emblématique


Explanation:
une suggestion.

Véronique Stone
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:01
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 85
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
personnalité faisant autorité


Explanation:
'

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Note added at 1 heure (2013-11-05 16:33:19 GMT)
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Il a ouvert la voie d'une tradition..

Marcombes (X)
France
Local time: 17:01
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 24
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
figure tutélaire


Explanation:
Une autre suggestion, mais qui n'est pas particulièrement plus métaphorique que certaines des traductions déjà proposées ....

Miguel Angel Asturias, diplomate guatémaltèque, prix Lénine de la paix en 1966 et prix Nobel de littérature en 1967, est une *figure tutélaire* de la littérature latino-américaine
http://www.franceculture.fr/personne-matthieu-garrigou-lagra...

Mais l'ombre portée de Jacques Roumain, l'autre *figure tutélaire* de la littérature haïtienne, se laisse également apercevoir

L'itinéraire d'un honnête homme. André Brink, *figure tutélaire* de la littérature sud-africaine, livre ses Mémoires.
http://www.sudouest.fr/2010/04/11/l-itineraire-d-un-honnete-...

Antoine Heudre
France
Local time: 17:01
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Native speaker of: French
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
gourou


Explanation:
va bien avec les trafics du Nobel

HERBET Abel
Local time: 17:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 106
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
figure dominante


Explanation:
"Rendez-vous le 31/05/2013 Concert Hommage à ... - Saint-Claude
http://www.saint-claude.fr/index.php?a=ad&v=2536‎Translate this page
Figure dominante de la poésie action dite "élémentaire". John Cage était un inventeur, rêveur, performeur, poète sonore, compositeur et touche à tout, né en ..."

FX Fraipont (X)
Belgium
Local time: 17:01
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 1529
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