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2 carrés de front

English translation: two squares in front/ two forward-marching squares

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:2 carrés de front
English translation:two squares in front/ two forward-marching squares
Entered by: Conor McAuley

08:52 Apr 21, 2015
French to English translations [PRO]
Military / Defense / Fontenoy, dernière victoire d’un Roi de France
French term or phrase: 2 carrés de front
"L’attaque anglaise

Les bataillons anglais s’enfoncent dans la brèche et se forment en une colonne profonde de 2 carrés de front qui maintient un feu roulant de 3 côtés, tout en avançant, malgré les tirs qui les atteignent de flanc venant de Fontenoy et de la redoute d’Eu."

A battle in the 18th Century over Tournai, in modern-day Belgium.
Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 13:15
2 squares in front/ 2 forward marching squares
Explanation:
carré is a military formation, which is translated as a square in English
In my opinion carré de front should be 2 squares in front. However I am also tempted to translate it as 2 forward marching squares..
Selected response from:

praxisfrench
India
Local time: 16:45
Grading comment
Thanks Praxis, thanks to all! I do agree with BD about "2" though -- all the English language style guides I have read advise you to write out the numbers "one" to "nine" in letters, and then the rest in numbers, "10", "11", etc. It's only a small point but it's an important small point.
"numbers
Spell out from one to nine; numerals from 10 to 999,999; thereafter use m, bn or tn for sums of money, quantities or inanimate objects in copy, eg 5m tonnes of coal, 30bn doses of vaccine, £50tn; but million or billion for people or animals, eg 1 million people, 25 million rabbits, the world population is 7 billion, etc; in headlines always use m, bn or tn"
http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-n
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
42 squares in front/ 2 forward marching squares
praxisfrench
4 -1two battle squares
B D Finch


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
2 squares in front/ 2 forward marching squares


Explanation:
carré is a military formation, which is translated as a square in English
In my opinion carré de front should be 2 squares in front. However I am also tempted to translate it as 2 forward marching squares..

praxisfrench
India
Local time: 16:45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in HindiHindi
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks Praxis, thanks to all! I do agree with BD about "2" though -- all the English language style guides I have read advise you to write out the numbers "one" to "nine" in letters, and then the rest in numbers, "10", "11", etc. It's only a small point but it's an important small point.
"numbers
Spell out from one to nine; numerals from 10 to 999,999; thereafter use m, bn or tn for sums of money, quantities or inanimate objects in copy, eg 5m tonnes of coal, 30bn doses of vaccine, £50tn; but million or billion for people or animals, eg 1 million people, 25 million rabbits, the world population is 7 billion, etc; in headlines always use m, bn or tn"
http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-n
Notes to answerer
Asker: See discussion for link.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  B D Finch: It is quite wrong to use "2" rather than "two" here.
1 day 5 hrs
  -> the french version uses 2, I have reproduced the same in En translation
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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
two battle squares


Explanation:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1783370688
Brian Todd Carey, ‎Joshua Allfree, ‎John Cairns - 2006 - ‎History
... enemy, or it could become a solid column, capable of being directed either head-on ... infantrymen who were organized in battle squares sixteen deep and sixteen wide.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0803265867
Hans Delbr_ck - 1990 - ‎History
We observe this development in the armies of Charles V during his last war ... infantry battle squares and two "quadrata equitum agmina" ("square columns of ...



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2015-04-22 11:43:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The term "de front" means battlefront and that this is an attacking formation. Hence, battle squares, i.e. not marching squares.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1317899385
Michael Edward Mallett, ‎Christine Shaw - 2014 - ‎History
On 13 September, when the day was already well advanced, moving swiftly in three large battle squares, they marched towards the French.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 13:15
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  praxisfrench: "de front" as per the context provided here refers to front line squares and not just battle squares which would be a more general term. These squares are forwarding marching contingents that constantly maintain a barrage of fire from three sides
19 hrs
  -> You are wrong and it is bad manners to disagree with others to boost one's own (wrong) answer.
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