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  3. Ships, Sailing, Maritime

Attention au chrono.

16:33 Oct 17, 2015
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

French to English translations [PRO]
Science - Ships, Sailing, Maritime
French term or phrase: Attention au chrono.
The subtitles are from a documentary about the workings of a passenger ferry. My question is about line 2 of the extract below.

Le nettoyage du bâtiment, à l'intérieur comme à l'extérieur, est l'activité principale à l'escale.

Tout le personnel est sur le pont. Attention au chrono.

Le ferry doit impérativement repartir dans 30 minutes.

As I don't have access to the video, I don't know the tone of voice or who is talking. Is 'Attention au chrono' of the above likely to be an instruction to staff such as 'Eyes on the clock!' (I've noticed the French seem to use exclamation marks less than the English...)? If not, what is the meaning?
Hazel Lumb
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:08


Summary of answers provided
4 +3You have got the basic meaning = time is of the essence
polyglot45
3Keep an eye on the time.
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3the procedures are attended to
Sharon Ingram
3the countdown is on
Daryo


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
You have got the basic meaning = time is of the essence


Explanation:

Tout le personnel est sur le pont. Attention au chrono.

The first part gives it away - All hands on deck. No time to waste//Not a second to waste

Un chronomètre - stop watch

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Note added at 15 mins (2015-10-17 16:49:22 GMT)
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Every second counts. The clock is ticking away

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks! Useful suggestions.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yolanda Broad
4 hrs
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
5 hrs
agree  Daryo: about the method - in the first step you have to get the intended meaning right. OTOH "time is of the essence" is the wrong register - too formal / legalese
6 hrs
  -> I agree - it was not offered as a translation but to explain the meaning of the sentence
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Keep an eye on the time.


Explanation:
Just another suggestion.

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Note added at 17 hrs (2015-10-18 10:07:44 GMT)
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I've done a little it of subtitling. To keep within the time codes, although my suggestion is longer than the original, it is easy to reduce the first part. "Everyone on deck"., for example.

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Note added at 17 hrs (2015-10-18 10:09:33 GMT)
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I wouldn't worry about the exclamation mark here as it is a short of corrupted short form for "tout le monde doit faire attention aux minutes qui défilent".

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 05:08
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 198
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2 days 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the procedures are attended to


Explanation:
Chronology - ie procedures according to a timescale

Sharon Ingram
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:08
Native speaker of: English
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the countdown is on


Explanation:
As they have a fixed time limit to finish the cleaning, some combination with "countdown" could make sense.

"countdown" to the time for the next departure.



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Note added at 2 days5 hrs (2015-10-19 21:38:03 GMT)
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or

"the stopwatch is ticking"

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:08
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 11
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