Ville sobre

English translation: Energy saving/sober city

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Ville sobre
English translation:Energy saving/sober city
Entered by: Lara Barnett

16:55 Aug 31, 2019
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Advertising / Public Relations
French term or phrase: Ville sobre
This is from a marketing text for a company promoting shared workspaces in a city. I'm stuck on how to translate "ville sobre" in the slogan "Pour une ville sobre, fluide et inclusive". I'm thinking something like uncluttered, unencumbered etc. but can't really find something that sounds 100% convincing in English. Creative suggestions more than welcome (I have permission to stray from the French as long as I can create something that reads well in English and conveys the idea...) TIA
Sarah Day
Local time: 21:46
Energy saving/sober city
Explanation:
This seems to be a term coined in France perhaps. The idea seems to suggest that we be more subdued and controlled in our use of electricity, fuel etc. :

La sobriété énergétique
"La sobriété énergétique est une démarche qui vise à réduire les consommations d’énergie par des changements de comportement, de mode de vie et d’organisation collective (moindre usage de la voiture, alimentation plus locale et de meilleure qualité, etc.)."
http://www.virage-energie-npdc.org/imaginer-le-futur/la-sobr...

"There remains enormous potential to decrease consumption way further, without damaging productivity. The French call it ENERGY SOBRIETY!"
https://www.edie.net/news/10/Carbon-Brief--UK-s-emissions-co...

"Ms Batho said she hopes to instil a "logic of energy sobriety," with the new measure, which would not apply to cases in which light was needed out of safety concerns, during festive periods, or for businesses that operate at night."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/977...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2019-09-01 12:01:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I have included the use of "sober" in my answer, because it could be that one day English also adopts this idea in its language use - who knows, but "energy saving" or "low consumption" could also work.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2019-09-01 12:10:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Moreover, a welldesigned BCA should aim at answering the concerns of developed countries while promoting growth in developing countries, and should be complemented by SOBRIETY POLICIES.15"
https://www.ucu.org.uk/media/5990/UCU-annual-environment-rep...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 17 mins (2019-09-01 17:13:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You could possibly use "sober City" and then add gloss.
Selected response from:

Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:46
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5Energy saving/sober city
Lara Barnett
4pragmatic/rational/... town
Sheila Wilson
4Healthy city
Katarina Peters
3 +1quiet/low-key
Verginia Ophof
4Resource-efficient city
Jay Gonzalez
3Practical
Mark Harris
Summary of reference entries provided
"Energy-sober" as an adjective
B D Finch

Discussion entries: 15





  

Answers


37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
pragmatic/rational/... town


Explanation:
Sobre in French can mean sober in the sense of conservative, serious, etc. There are several synonyms you could play with, depending on what you choose for the others. Check this out: https://www.wordreference.com/synonyms/sober

It suggests to me that this workspace is contributing to a serious-minded town aware of its carbon footprint and all the et ceteras.

Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 21:46
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Healthy city


Explanation:
in this context

Katarina Peters
Canada
Local time: 17:46
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson
4 hrs
  -> Thank you, Sheila!

agree  Yolanda Broad
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Yolanda!

disagree  philgoddard: I can't find any evidence of this.
1 day 11 hrs
  -> a sober state is a healthy state all the way... healthy economy, healthy society, etc.etc.

disagree  Daryo: a shot in the dark ... that missed!
2 days 8 hrs
  -> Could you be more specific?
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
quiet/low-key


Explanation:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/realestate/mamaroneck-vil...

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/queen-village-philadel...

https://www.thetinytravelogue.com/hopkins-belize/

Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 15:46
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marian Vieyra: I think low-key fits the context.
7 hrs
  -> Thank you Marian!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Practical


Explanation:
In terms of being sensible and responsible.

Mark Harris
France
Local time: 22:46
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Energy saving/sober city


Explanation:
This seems to be a term coined in France perhaps. The idea seems to suggest that we be more subdued and controlled in our use of electricity, fuel etc. :

La sobriété énergétique
"La sobriété énergétique est une démarche qui vise à réduire les consommations d’énergie par des changements de comportement, de mode de vie et d’organisation collective (moindre usage de la voiture, alimentation plus locale et de meilleure qualité, etc.)."
http://www.virage-energie-npdc.org/imaginer-le-futur/la-sobr...

"There remains enormous potential to decrease consumption way further, without damaging productivity. The French call it ENERGY SOBRIETY!"
https://www.edie.net/news/10/Carbon-Brief--UK-s-emissions-co...

"Ms Batho said she hopes to instil a "logic of energy sobriety," with the new measure, which would not apply to cases in which light was needed out of safety concerns, during festive periods, or for businesses that operate at night."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/977...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2019-09-01 12:01:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I have included the use of "sober" in my answer, because it could be that one day English also adopts this idea in its language use - who knows, but "energy saving" or "low consumption" could also work.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2019-09-01 12:10:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Moreover, a welldesigned BCA should aim at answering the concerns of developed countries while promoting growth in developing countries, and should be complemented by SOBRIETY POLICIES.15"
https://www.ucu.org.uk/media/5990/UCU-annual-environment-rep...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 17 mins (2019-09-01 17:13:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You could possibly use "sober City" and then add gloss.

Example sentence(s):
  • "Established with sustainable and green standards, the VCQ master plan maximizes the use of the natural elements such as wind, water and sun as well as offers all the benefits of an ENERGY SAVING CITY throughout its design and building material: "

    https://www.e-architect.co.uk/qatar/the-valley-city
Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:46
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ph_B (X): Cf. Pierre Rahbi's Vers la sobriété heureuse.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you

agree  philgoddard: I disagree with "sober", though. "Sustainable" would be another option.
16 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  B D Finch: An energy-sober (hyphenated, as it's adjectival) city/town. See my Reference Comment.
20 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  Daryo: "sober city" or even better "energy-sober" is exactly this new idea // the method of using some other vaguely related existing term just because it's better known makes no sense - that's not translating, that's rewriting to your own preferences.
1 day 14 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  MatthewLaSon
2 days 12 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  Lorraine Dubuc
2 days 12 hrs
  -> Thank you.

disagree  Jay Gonzalez: 'Sober' is a false cognate here, and 'sustainable' describes the larger picture of what a 'ville sobre' is about. The focus on energy is unnecessarily limiting. This is about being efficient with all resources: energy/electricity, water, waste management.
159 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

160 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Resource-efficient city


Explanation:
The smoothest-sounding translation in English would be "resource-efficient". The term also aligns with sustainability-minded city design. It does not equate "sustainable", but represents an aspect of sustainability.

Sciences Po Presse also published a book that gives more context to the French term. The book is entitled Villes sobres: Nouveaux modèles de gestion des ressources.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 160 days (2020-02-08 09:14:35 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

This post is an interview with the director of the Sciences Po publication I mentioned: https://forumurbain.u-bordeaux.fr/Actualites/Rencontre-13-To...

It sheds more light on the scope of this concept


    https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/resource-efficient-cities-vital-step
    Reference: http://www.pressesdesciencespo.fr/fr/book/?GCOI=272461003463...
Jay Gonzalez
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




Reference comments


1 day 15 hrs peer agreement (net): +4
Reference: "Energy-sober" as an adjective

Reference information:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317539631_A_2000-WA...
"Proposals of [sic] an energy-sober society"

https://afse2017.sciencesconf.org/142897/document
"This clearly requires that the global system of climate change control rest on objective mechanisms, economic in particular, and that carbon pricing and preferably market mechanisms can facilitate equal efforts from all Parties and then convergence towards the path of an energy-sober economy. It is a obviously a question of efficiency, but also an issue of equity because the effort by every stakeholder (country, and in each country each group of citizens) can thus be precisely measured and eventually compensated for by adequate transfers."

https://ec.europa.eu › research › participants › documents › downloadPublic
Mar 21, 2017 - November 2016, in order promote the achievement of Europe's 2030 climate and energy commitments, and to pursue an energy sober Europe ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 15 hrs (2019-09-02 08:52:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

https://www.hecalumni.fr › event › 2017/05/03
May 3, 2017 - The Paris Agreement sets the world on a course to an energy-sober and low carbon economy.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09613218.2016.1...
"The first evaluations are appearing now (Energiesprong, 2016 Energiesprong. (2016). Eerste ervaringen met prestatiegarantie voor nul op de meter woningen (First experiences with performance guarantees for zero on the meter dwellings). Retrieved from
http://energielinq.nl/resources/monitoringprestatiegarantie
. [Google Scholar]), but they are only based on just a few cases. Some of the occupants are satisfied, but others are dissatisfied because the energy demand concept is below their expectation. It is based on lower indoor temperatures (20°C), short times for showering and an energy-sober lifestyle. If these occupants exceed the allowed level of energy use, then they have to pay extra for it. "


    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317539631_A_2000-WATT_SOCIETY_IN_2050_A_REALISTIC_VISION
    https://afse2017.sciencesconf.org/142897/document
B D Finch
France
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Lorraine Dubuc
1 hr
  -> Thanks Lorraine
agree  Kevin Oheix: "Shifting to a carbon- and energy-sober society", https://www.eesc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/resources/doc...
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Kevin
agree  Daryo
17 hrs
  -> Thanks Daryo
agree  MatthewLaSon
1 day 15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search