Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

de l'ordinaire (opéras, ballets etc.)

English translation:

regular performances/entertainment

Added to glossary by B D Finch
Dec 5, 2016 13:54
7 yrs ago
French term

(opéras, ballets) de l'ordinaire

French to English Art/Literary Cinema, Film, TV, Drama performance arts
Not sure if I've got my categories right but couldn't find one for dance or opera.

This is from a text that describes performances in various locations at Versailles Palace under the Ancien Régime.

Here's the whole sentence: "Ils (visitors to the palace) découvriront ainsi des endroits insolites où se jouaient comédies, tragédies, opéras et ballets de l'ordinaire, comme l'inconfortable salle de Comédie de la cour des Princes, le théâtre de l'Aile neuve ou encore la petite salle installée à même l’escalier des Ambassadeurs pour le théâtre des petits Appartements."

I found this definition of ordinaire: "L’ordinaire désigne les spectacles donnés environ trois fois par semaine à la cour, « comédie », opéra et ballet, pour son divertissement, en dehors de toute grande occasion, tels les mariages. La fréquence établie par Louis XIV fut à peu près respectée jusqu’à ce que la cour abandonne la comédie de la cour des Princes.... À Versailles, l’ordinaire débutait à la mi-novembre et s’achevait début avril. Il y avait en moyenne trois divertissements par semaine : « comédie », opéra et ballet. (https://crcv.revues.org/10909#ftn4)

Would I translate "de l'ordinaire" as something along the lines of "regular" or "weekly"? Or even just keep ordinary? Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance!
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 regular performances/entertainment
Change log

Dec 5, 2016 23:40: Yolanda Broad changed "Term asked" from "(opéras, ballets) de l\\\'ordinaire" to "(opéras, ballets) de l\'ordinaire "

Dec 12, 2016 11:40: B D Finch Created KOG entry

Dec 12, 2016 11:41: B D Finch changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/570330">B D Finch's</a> old entry - "(opéras, ballets) de l'ordinaire "" to ""regular performances/entertainment""

Proposed translations

+1
36 mins
French term (edited): (opéras, ballets) de l\\\'ordinaire
Selected

regular performances/entertainment

https://goo.gl/3owfEI
"By the end of the seventeenth century, most royal courts across Europe had
an established and regular calendar of daily activities and entertainments,
as well as the annual round of major feast days and anniversaries. "
Note from asker:
Thanks, this is what I would be tempted to use but just came across a previous translation that kept the term ordinary, so I'll go with that.
Peer comment(s):

agree Patrice
6 hrs
Thanks Patrice
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.

Reference comments

15 mins
Reference:

ordinarily, generally, usually,

http://www.cnrtl.fr/synonymie/à l'ordinaire

Ordinarily, usually, generally

You could probably render it with a change in tense in English "would" for example?

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Note added at 17 mins (2016-12-05 14:11:39 GMT)
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Ah, hang on, you have "DE l'ordinaire" and not "à". I suspect I've made a mistake and that it has a particular meaning in context as a noun.

I'll have a look and be back...
Note from asker:
Thanks Nikki, I just found another previous translation done by someone else that uses the same terms (ordinary, extraordinary), so I'll just go with that!
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