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je prends / je laisse

English translation: my turn / your turn

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:je prends / je laisse
English translation:my turn / your turn
Entered by: Sheila Wilson

13:35 Sep 6, 2018
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / informal meeting / réunion informelle
French term or phrase: je prends / je laisse
Bonjour,

Je n'arrive pas à trouver de traduction satisfaisante pour les expressions "je prends" et " je laisse" (la parole).
Contexte : réunion informelle, échange à l'oral. Afin que la parole circule plus facilement, et que les participants ne parlent pas tous en même temps, on les invite à dire "je prends" lorsqu'ils commencent à parler et "je laisse" une fois qu'ils ont terminé.

Les équivalents doivent être le plus court possible. Quelqu'un a-t-il une idée ?

Merci et bonne journée!!

Ju_
Julien_Commun
my turn / your turn
Explanation:
We'd probably be more likely to say "Okay, my turn" but the extra word is really only to draw attention to what you're about to say.

If we don't know who should be next then we'd probably say "Next" after saying our bit. But if it's round the table, we'd just look to our neighbour and say "Your turn".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2018-09-06 16:13:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This suggestion works, IMO, for fairly organised meetings, e.g. progress meetings, where everyone has something to say, but everyone can wait their turn.

If it's something like brain-storming or thrashing out an agreement then I'd go more with Nikki's solution. Her suggestions are better for interrupting and saying a few words as they occur to you (and before you forget them).

The problem here is that we don't know the exact situation. Everything depends on the exact context, as usual.
Selected response from:

Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 13:34
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +10my turn / your turn
Sheila Wilson
3 +5If I may ; Over to you/back to the floor.
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3 +2I'll go / next
Laura Nagle (X)
3 +1Please/Thanks
Josephine Cassar
4 -1I'll speak now / That's it
B D Finch


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
I'll go / next


Explanation:
"I'll go" is a very common, informal way to say, essentially, "I'll take my turn."

For "je laisse," most of the options with "I" statements that come to mind seem too formal to me. You might say something like, "I'm done/finished," but that could too easily sound abrupt. Simply saying "next" is a quick way to signal that it's time for the next speaker to take a turn.

Laura Nagle (X)
United States
Local time: 08:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Victoria Britten: For me it would be better, if possible, to add "now" after "I'll go". Also, I don't see why "I'm done" is any more abrupt than "Next," which also is a kind of injunction that may not be appropriate (even with a questioning intonation).
11 mins
agree  MoiraB: Variation on a theme: I'm next / Who's next? Since the formula is being agreed in advance, it can hardly be construed as abrupt.
19 mins
agree  philgoddard
40 mins
neutral  writeaway: imo, all sounds very officious. and next is something someone chairing the meeting would say, imo
1 hr
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25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
I'll speak now / That's it


Explanation:
There are various alternatives. More formally, you could use:
I take the floor / I cede the floor

See https://www.proz.com/kudoz/English/general-conversation-gree...

B D Finch
France
Local time: 14:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 136

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  SafeTex: This needed a catchy phrase as it is not just used in the converstation, but needs to be explained beforehand to the participants, perhaps in a handout on the "rules". The suggestion falls short on these points.
3 days 16 hrs
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
If I may ; Over to you/back to the floor.


Explanation:
There are an almost endless number of possibilities here.
"If I may?" can work as a stand-alone to take the floor and speak. It' also short and polite.
"Over" is a bit pilotey radio-speak, but "Over to you" or "back to the floor" may work.


Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 14:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 119

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson: If I may + Back to the floor would work well if it's a debate where people pipe up with ideas and responses pretty much at random
1 hr
agree  Josephine Cassar: If I may/Who's next?
5 hrs
agree  Yolanda Broad
7 hrs
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
23 hrs
agree  Patrice
1 day 3 hrs
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +10
my turn / your turn


Explanation:
We'd probably be more likely to say "Okay, my turn" but the extra word is really only to draw attention to what you're about to say.

If we don't know who should be next then we'd probably say "Next" after saying our bit. But if it's round the table, we'd just look to our neighbour and say "Your turn".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2018-09-06 16:13:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This suggestion works, IMO, for fairly organised meetings, e.g. progress meetings, where everyone has something to say, but everyone can wait their turn.

If it's something like brain-storming or thrashing out an agreement then I'd go more with Nikki's solution. Her suggestions are better for interrupting and saying a few words as they occur to you (and before you forget them).

The problem here is that we don't know the exact situation. Everything depends on the exact context, as usual.

Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 13:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 64
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Philippa Smith: This sounds the most natural, especially for informal meetings. Maybe "next person's turn" if "your turn" doesn't work (as in, you don't know who's going to speak next).
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Philippa. I agree with your alternative.
agree  Josephine Cassar: My turn/who's next?-I agree with your thoughts here-depends on context
5 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Yolanda Broad
7 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Sarah Bessioud
13 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Chloé Lebon
17 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  B D Finch: Oeuf corse
18 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
23 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Patrice
1 day 4 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  rokotas: In this informal case, it seems the best, being also short
1 day 21 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  SafeTex: Neat, concise, friendly and could be used as a title in a handout explaining the "rule"
3 days 16 hrs
  -> Thanks
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Please/Thanks


Explanation:
Quite simply-so people pass the mike over.

Josephine Cassar
Malta
Local time: 14:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in MalteseMaltese
PRO pts in category: 19

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson: Also perfectly possible, if that's what's happening at this meeting
2 hrs
  -> Thank you-we do not have enough context-with or without a mike, even in a small group to show you want to talk next.
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