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seuls

English translation: (see explanations)

01:30 Oct 19, 2016
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / document about a loading device
French term or phrase: seuls
Hello,

"Appareil de manutention pour charger ou décharger les véhicules tels que camions, par leur accès arrière, sans limitation d'usage à ces seuls véhicules de transport"

without restricting the use of these sole vehicles... (thereby implying that it restricts the use of something other than the vehicles?).This is the best I can do at the moment and would appreciate your help.
without the "seuls" I would have put "without restricting the usage thereof"

Thank you.
Louisa Tchaicha
Tunisia
Local time: 01:28
English translation:(see explanations)
Explanation:
it's not "limitation d'usage DE ces seuls vehicules" (which could be translated the way you did) but rather "limitation d'usage À ces seuls vehicules" - that is, "without restricting their use (that is, the use of loaders) TO these vehicles only". In other words, these loaders can also be used for other types of vehicles, or other purposes altogether.

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Note added at 45 mins (2016-10-19 02:16:17 GMT)
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actually, "such vehicles" would be better than "these vehicles"
Selected response from:

Anton Konashenok
Czech Republic
Local time: 02:28
Grading comment
Thank you everyone for your much appreciated help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8(see explanations)
Anton Konashenok
4 +4only
David Hollywood
4 +3solely to these
Tony M
4 +3these vehicles alone
Nikki Scott-Despaigne


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
only


Explanation:
why not?

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Note added at 9 mins (2016-10-19 01:40:12 GMT)
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don't see why not just so

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Note added at 12 mins (2016-10-19 01:43:04 GMT)
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maybe "particular"

David Hollywood
Local time: 21:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 28
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you David, after a few hours sleep, it seems obvious :)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BRINI: That's right. "ces seuls" will translate to "only these" in this context.
5 hrs
agree  Chakib Roula
7 hrs
agree  narasimha (X): without limiting its use for these transport vehicles only.
7 hrs
agree  BdiL
13 hrs
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44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
(see explanations)


Explanation:
it's not "limitation d'usage DE ces seuls vehicules" (which could be translated the way you did) but rather "limitation d'usage À ces seuls vehicules" - that is, "without restricting their use (that is, the use of loaders) TO these vehicles only". In other words, these loaders can also be used for other types of vehicles, or other purposes altogether.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 45 mins (2016-10-19 02:16:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

actually, "such vehicles" would be better than "these vehicles"

Anton Konashenok
Czech Republic
Local time: 02:28
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you everyone for your much appreciated help!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Anton, thank you for your clear explanation, it's crystal clear now (in the light of day)!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Tony
agree  writeaway: clear explanation. to just these vehicles
4 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  Hara Iliopoulou
4 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  Daryo
5 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  AllegroTrans
6 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  BdiL
13 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  Michele Fauble
15 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  GILLES MEUNIER
2 days 4 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
à ces seuls
solely to these


Explanation:
This word order represents a very particular construction in FR which has come up at least once before in KudoZ.

I often find 'solely' works smoothly in EN in this case, and has the advantage of allowing easier word order.

And as Anton has pointed out, your incorrect rendering of 'à', which is indeed literally 'to' here, seems to be what has led you astray.

Note that another version, which I personally think fits less well in this particular case, could be 'to these vehicles alone' — which has the merit of more closely echoing the FR construction, which is therefore sometimes helpful to bear in mind when trying to get one's head round it!

Tony M
France
Local time: 02:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 348
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Tony, last night, I just couldn't get my head around it!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: to just these vehicles, to these vehicles alone. imo solely isn't the best way to go here
6 mins
  -> Thanks, W/A! Lots of options, may not be the best as you say.
agree  BdiL: With you and sharing writeaway's note as well.
9 hrs
  -> Thanks, BdiL!
agree  christian landais: sole : the one and only
21 hrs
  -> Merci, Christian !
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
ces seuls véhicules
these vehicles alone


Explanation:
Another way of phrasing it.

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Note added at 10 hrs (2016-10-19 11:49:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

- without limiting their use (their : refers to the "appareil de manutention")
- these vehicles alone (the vehicles : refers to the loading/unoading of the "camions, véhicules de transport")



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Note added at 10 hrs (2016-10-19 11:50:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Soory WA. Hadn't seen your comment and suggestions inc.l "alone". Maybe you feel less "alone" now? ;-)

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 02:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 119

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BdiL: :)
3 hrs
agree  Tony M: Yes, and this was also part of my original suggestion too, Nikki! But I guess you didn't read that far...
3 hrs
agree  JOHANNA VOULGARIS
1 day 2 hrs
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