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French to English translations [PRO] General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase:porte-obus
What can it be, please? I don't want to offer a silly translation... The context is: a bargain hunter who is transforming every bargain object into a lamp. Including this one, of course.
Explanation: Old shell casings were made of brass and are often converted into lamps and other objects. See reference for a picture. If you Google "shell casing lamp" you will see a load of them.
Watch out for slang : les obus are women's breast in some circles. And porte-obus might very well end up being brassieres. I'm sure there are some freaks out there who would have no calms about making lamp shades from brassieres. I've seen worse than that.
This "chineur" is not exactly specializing in military bric-a-brac. It's just a shell holder/casing he's found in a "brocante" bought it, since it was under 10 Euro and later thought he might turn it into a lamp. And my term remains the one above. I don't really need the name of such a lamp, sorry. Thanks anyway for the explanations that are always illuminating for me, as a translator!
@Chris .... militaria? My point was only to make sure we were talking about the same thing... My native english speakers colleagues seems to be deliberately wanting to ignore that no french speaker will ever confuse "porte-obus" with "obus" or "douille d'obus" no way! So either it never was written like this in french, and then what's the point in asking for a translation, or it was written "porte-obus" and.... :-)
@Chris Yep I know that we do the same in french for artillery ammunition un obus = obus + douille like shell=shell+case the technicians will use different words but people do not.
Now I repeat we've been asked to translate "porte-obus" and a "porte-obus" is neither the shell nor the case. + I have send a picture of an "étui a obus" made into a lamp. So there is a distinct possibility that this is what we are talking about. Don't you think so?
the original etymology of "shell" was to describe a round of ammunition which, in contrast to the separate charge of gunpowder requiring several actions to load a cannon, was self-contained, ie everything was contained within a "shell". Over the course of time, "shell" came to mean the whole thing, projectile, charge and casing. So strictly speaking, a shell casing should be a "shell shell" ! In the context of table lamps, I don't see how it could be anything other than the brass casing.
Nina you asked for a translation of "porte-obus" right? So where did you found that term in the first place? Do you want a translation for "porte-obus" or... something else? What I am saying from the beginning is a "porte-obus" is something to CARRY one or more "obus". in french you can find "porte-obus" and "étui à obus" both are not part of the ammunition itself.
I'm lost here. Is it a french to english translation or something else? I doubt a shell holder is a casing... I think it's an étui à obus see this picture http://www.alittlemarket.com/luminaires/fr_lampe_etui_a_obus... l'etui is something to carry and store the ammunition before it is used.
Sorry, I don't think I understand what you mean... I have found shell holder on an American site, but I think Shell casing is better for British English. Am I mistaken, you think?
If the purpose of the porte-obus is to turn it into a lamp, it is far more likely to be a brass shell casing as Terry Richards says than an oxygen trolley or backpack as the many images suggest. I have seen shell casings turned into some very weird things, but umbrella stands seem to be very popular. BTW, "casing" is the correct term if this is indeed the disposable brass bit that contains the propellant for the shell.
I'll call it a shell holder. The larger context is about making a lamp from it. It probably is this since with the oxygen cylinder holder it would be weird, I think. Thank you very much for the explanation! It helped me translate my term.
Sorry, no picture and I have googled it... No communication with the client is possible since this is an urgent translation. I'll make a note of it, though of course. Does it have anything to do with a door stopper? Can it be a mistake, a mispelled word?
google it and check with a picture if you have one... and if you don't you should check with the client :-)
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Answers
8 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +3
shell casing
Explanation: Old shell casings were made of brass and are often converted into lamps and other objects. See reference for a picture. If you Google "shell casing lamp" you will see a load of them.
peer agreement (net): +3
