constituer

English translation: which is

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:constituer
English translation:which is
Entered by: Jean-Claude Gouin

12:01 Aug 2, 2016
French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Advertising / Public Relations
French term or phrase: constituer
Is there any doubt in this sentence that the entrant in this contest has indeed won the gold ingot?
"Dans cette enveloppe, vous trouverez le lingot d’or qui constitue le Prix qui vous a été attribué pour votre participation à notre Jeu-concours."

In my mind it is being directly implied that the person has won, when in reality they have only qualified to take part in the final draw for the ingot.
TIA for your help.
Jonathan MacKerron
which is
Explanation:
vous trouverez le lingot d’or qui CONSTITUE le Prix qui vous a été attribué = you will find the gold ingot WHICH IS the prize ...
Selected response from:

Jean-Claude Gouin
Canada
Local time: 02:08
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2ambiguous - can be read two ways...
polyglot45
4 +2which is
Jean-Claude Gouin
4to represent
Francois Boye
4Which
EMMA ROBERTS
3"constitutes"
Lorena Marins
Summary of reference entries provided
puff, puffery
Nikki Scott-Despaigne

Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ambiguous - can be read two ways...


Explanation:
\"Dans cette enveloppe, vous trouverez le lingot d’or qui constitue le Prix qui vous a été attribué pour votre participation à notre Jeu-concours.\"

In this envelope, you will find the gold ingot which is the prize that you will be playing for when you take part in our draw.

Your first reading is the second interpretation and the French is perhaps even deliberately obscure !
I presume, if you read on, that it is clear that ingot may have different values or that the ingot is only one of several potential prizes.

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: yes: you will find the gold ingot which is the prize
4 hrs

agree  mimi 254: which is
21 hrs
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to represent


Explanation:
my take

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 02:08
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
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45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
which is


Explanation:
vous trouverez le lingot d’or qui CONSTITUE le Prix qui vous a été attribué = you will find the gold ingot WHICH IS the prize ...

Jean-Claude Gouin
Canada
Local time: 02:08
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: It "is" in fact the prize... for taking part; no more no less.
32 mins
  -> Merci Nikki ...

agree  mimi 254
21 hrs
  -> Merci mimi 254 ...
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59 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"constitutes"


Explanation:
In this envelope you will find the gold ingot which constitutes the price that was assigned to you for your participation in our draw

Actually, it’s not completely clear. The expression “qui vous a été attribué” might mean that 1)the gold ingot was assigned to the entrant in this contest, to receive in case he wins the contest; or 2) it’s an award and the entrant has won it.

Lorena Marins
Brazil
Local time: 03:08
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Which


Explanation:
In this envelope you will find the gold ingot, which was awarded to you for participating in our contest, or for your participation in our contest.

Another option, maybe?

Good luck!

EMMA ROBERTS
United States
Local time: 02:08
Native speaker of: Spanish
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Reference comments


1 hr peer agreement (net): +2
Reference: puff, puffery

Reference information:
This is an advertising puff type thing. See the Wikipedia entry here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffery

In law, puffery is a promotional statement or claim that expresses subjective rather than objective views, which no "reasonable person" would take literally.[1] Puffery serves to "puff up" an exaggerated image of what is being described and is especially featured in testimonials.

All first year EN law students know of the case of Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Company [1892] EWCA Civ 1, [1893] 1 QB 256, [1893] QB 256 which you can find here : http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/1892/1.html

This is one such. No reasonable person would imagine that the said gold lingot is anything more than a gadgety idea. It is meant to be ambiguous, but it is also meant for the "reasonable man" to realise that it's not a real lingot!

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks. It's clear to me now, but due to the dearth of additional information I couldn't see the forest for the trees when I posed the question.


Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Daryo
10 hrs
agree  Yolanda Broad
13 hrs
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