Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
pilotage a vue
English translation:
winging it
Added to glossary by
Jessica Agullo (X)
Dec 6, 2008 00:52
15 yrs ago
7 viewers *
French term
pilotage a vue
French to English
Social Sciences
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
government policy
In this context
"La France n’a pas véritablement de vision stratégique sur le développement, juste du pilotage à vue"
"La France n’a pas véritablement de vision stratégique sur le développement, juste du pilotage à vue"
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +3 | winging it |
Jessica Agullo (X)
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| 4 +7 | only ad hoc policies |
Francis Marche
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| 4 +1 | flying by the seat of their pants |
Jessica Agullo (X)
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| 3 | making it up as they/it go(es) along |
polyglot45
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| 3 | on the fly |
Jessica Agullo (X)
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| 3 | it's simply a matter of feeling your way through it |
MatthewLaSon
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| 4 -2 | flying by sight |
Jennifer Levey
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References
| Fly by the seat of your pants |
Bourth (X)
|
Change log
Dec 8, 2008 03:37: Jessica Agullo (X) Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+3
1 hr
Selected
winging it
one of two colloquial terms - the most common in US and conveys the meaning well.
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Note added at 1 day13 mins (2008-12-07 01:05:38 GMT)
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I think the context above implies conscious lack of preparation or foresight - is that the same as conscious inadequacy or deceit? On further consideration I don't think so.
Flying blind would imply inadequacy but winging it is more along the lines of doing one's best in an hoc situation.
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Note added at 1 day13 mins (2008-12-07 01:05:38 GMT)
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I think the context above implies conscious lack of preparation or foresight - is that the same as conscious inadequacy or deceit? On further consideration I don't think so.
Flying blind would imply inadequacy but winging it is more along the lines of doing one's best in an hoc situation.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
emiledgar
: This is the best translation.
6 hrs
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thanks
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| agree |
Tony M
6 hrs
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thanks
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| agree |
Richard Nice
: If Americans are happy with that then naturally one concurs.
9 hrs
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thanks
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| neutral |
Bourth (X)
: To me this implies conscious or even deliberate inadequacy, a degree of deceit even
11 hrs
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conscious inadequacy yes, deliberate only in ad hoc situations - my understanding
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| neutral |
B D Finch
: I agree with Bourth's comment.
12 hrs
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conscious inadequacy yes, deliberate only in ad hoc situations - my understanding
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I chose this among other excellent suggestions because it flows smoothly with the previous clause. Thanks for your help!"
+1
1 hr
flying by the seat of their pants
another appropriate idiom.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mollie Milesi
: Yes, I agree. Both colloquial terms would be appropriate here.
5 hrs
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thanks - I think I agree with emile though
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| neutral |
emiledgar
: This is a little strong for "pilotage à vue"; it implies desparation too much.
6 hrs
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I'll take that
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| neutral |
Tony M
: I agree with EE: it's a bit too strong compared with the source text
6 hrs
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ok
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| disagree |
Richard Nice
: Colleagues, don't be neutral, you know it's not quite right!
9 hrs
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fair enough you purist you!
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| agree |
Bourth (X)
: Well, I like it. Colloquial, but I don't think it's too strong. "Flying on a wing and a prayer" is desperate!
10 hrs
|
| neutral |
B D Finch
: Depends upon the register of the document.
12 hrs
|
+7
5 hrs
Francis Marche
France
France
Native in French
&
English
Works in field
France
36 years experience on 4 continents
Native in: French 
, English
Works in: English to French, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
15
only ad hoc policies
Why to stick to the letter of the metaphor in English ? Besides "pilotage à vue" is not THAT colloquial in French.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
jmleger
: This is better IMHO. The others are too litteral.
2 hrs
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| agree |
Tony M
2 hrs
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| agree |
Carol Gullidge
: also right register
3 hrs
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| agree |
Ahmed Alami
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Jenny w
: I agree with Carol - this is the right register
5 hrs
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| neutral |
B D Finch
: We don't know the register!
8 hrs
|
| agree |
Bourth (X)
: Failing acceptance of something more idiomatic.
10 hrs
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| agree |
ArabellaCE (X)
1 day 15 hrs
|
8 hrs
polyglot45
Native in French
&
English
Native in: English , French
Works in: English to French, French to English, German to French, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
227
making it up as they/it go(es) along
I would say
-2
46 mins
Jennifer Levey
Chile
Chile
Native in English
Chile
Human-scale Globalization
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
43
flying by sight
The source text is using a standard expression from the aviation industry, best rendered by the equivalent in English:
German fighter jet that crashed in canton Bern flying lower than ... They were flying by sight rather than by instrument. Swiss military officials said that some 200 "navigation" exercises, such as the ones the Tornado was ...
genevalunchcom.site.securepod.com/node/3505 - 23k - Cached - Similar pages
Flying on Instruments - Men My Response: Am I flying by sight or by faith right now? Thought to Apply: All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. ...
www.christianitytoday.com/moi/2005/005/sep/23.23.html - 78k - Cached - Similar pages
Canadian Forces Station Alert - CC130 Crash The pilot apparently was flying by sight rather than relying on instruments. The aircraft crashed on Ellesmere Island approximately 18 miles short of the ...
www.troywoodintarsia.com/alert/cc130crash.html - 16k - Cached - Similar pages
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Note added at 11 hrs (2008-12-06 12:39:03 GMT)
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Re Richard's comment below: 'No-one' is a decidedly unsafe word to use in connection with the use of language.
There's an example here, for example, of 'someone' using an exactly equivalent (and perhaps more common) figurative expression in reference to US government policy:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/26/employment-spending...
"Are we just delaying the inevitable total collapse or
are we making progress in reversing the trend ? Do we have a good chance to reverse the trend ***or we are just playing by ear? *** I think people want to know the reality of the situation and do away with the guessing."
Let's bear in mind that asker has given no indication of the type of document or the appropriate register. If it's a press report, for example, anything goes.
German fighter jet that crashed in canton Bern flying lower than ... They were flying by sight rather than by instrument. Swiss military officials said that some 200 "navigation" exercises, such as the ones the Tornado was ...
genevalunchcom.site.securepod.com/node/3505 - 23k - Cached - Similar pages
Flying on Instruments - Men My Response: Am I flying by sight or by faith right now? Thought to Apply: All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. ...
www.christianitytoday.com/moi/2005/005/sep/23.23.html - 78k - Cached - Similar pages
Canadian Forces Station Alert - CC130 Crash The pilot apparently was flying by sight rather than relying on instruments. The aircraft crashed on Ellesmere Island approximately 18 miles short of the ...
www.troywoodintarsia.com/alert/cc130crash.html - 16k - Cached - Similar pages
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Note added at 11 hrs (2008-12-06 12:39:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Re Richard's comment below: 'No-one' is a decidedly unsafe word to use in connection with the use of language.
There's an example here, for example, of 'someone' using an exactly equivalent (and perhaps more common) figurative expression in reference to US government policy:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/26/employment-spending...
"Are we just delaying the inevitable total collapse or
are we making progress in reversing the trend ? Do we have a good chance to reverse the trend ***or we are just playing by ear? *** I think people want to know the reality of the situation and do away with the guessing."
Let's bear in mind that asker has given no indication of the type of document or the appropriate register. If it's a press report, for example, anything goes.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Jean-Claude Gouin
: Je crois qu'ici, on parle au sens figuré ...
43 mins
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Yes, of course it is. And the English expression is also used figuratively - as shown in my second webref: "Am I flying by sight or by faith right now"
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| neutral |
Francis Marche
: pilotage à vue is broader (not only aeronautics, but general navigation) and the use is metaphorical here
4 hrs
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| disagree |
Richard Nice
: too literal as an equivalent, no one would say a government is flying by sight
9 hrs
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For want of space here I've addressed your comment in a note, above.
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| disagree |
B D Finch
: One would hope the pilot would have the benefit of both sight and instruments, but my limited experience of gliding showed sight to be the more reliable. the seat of the pilot's pants is perhaps more appropriate here.
12 hrs
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1 day 7 mins
on the fly
another colloquial possibility.
2 hrs
it's simply a matter of feeling your way through it
Hello,
No planning or strategy...they'll just have to feel their way through it all
pilotage à vue = parcours inconnu (unknown territory)
I hope this helps.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-12-06 03:13:09 GMT)
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or, "France will just have to feel its way through it"
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Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2008-12-08 03:15:34 GMT) Post-grading
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I think "IMPROVISE" is the right word here. I agree that the French is not being "colloquial" here.
No planning or strategy...they'll just have to feel their way through it all
pilotage à vue = parcours inconnu (unknown territory)
I hope this helps.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2008-12-06 03:13:09 GMT)
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or, "France will just have to feel its way through it"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2008-12-08 03:15:34 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
I think "IMPROVISE" is the right word here. I agree that the French is not being "colloquial" here.
Reference comments
15 hrs
Reference:
Fly by the seat of your pants
As in all things, this means different things to different people. Here are some definitions gleaned from the Ouèbbhe, including one that is particularly appropriate in this case.
by the seat of one's pants, using experience, instinct, or guesswork.
Fly by the seat of one's pants
Meaning
DECIDE A COURSE OF ACTION AS YOU GO ALONG, USING YOUR OWN INITIATIVE AND PERCEPTIONS RATHER THAN A PRE-DETERMINED PLAN OR MECHANICAL AIDS
fly by the seat of your pants
Act according to one's own desires or beliefs without regard for standards for social behavior, logical sensibility, or the approval of others.
Generally regarded as negative, irresponsible
"I apologize for my friend's uncouth behavior, he tends to fly by the seat of his pants"
"Don't fly by the seat of your pants; make real plans for your future"
irresponsible capricious unplanned feckless devil-may-care
by Mi Calina May 11, 2007 share this add comment
2. fly by the seat of your pants
1. to pilot a plane by feel and instinct rather than by instruments
2. TO PROCEED OR WORK BY FEEL OR INSTINCT WITHOUT FORMAL GUIDELINES OR EXPERIENCE
It's during a time like that that you must fly by the seat of your pants
The saying to "fly by the seat of your pants" means to trust on your internal sense of direction rather than instrumentation. By extension, it means to charge ahead when you could wait for potentially helpful information.
While Capt. Picard holds meetings with senior staff, and makes decisions based on the available information, sending his staff in a single direction, Capt. Kirk flies by the seat of his pants, making love to an alien cutie and winning a fist fight with his opponent
The old flying expression of 'flies by the seat of his trousers' was explained by Larry Conner, means going aloft without instruments, radio or other such luxuries.
by the seat of one's pants, using experience, instinct, or guesswork.
Fly by the seat of one's pants
Meaning
DECIDE A COURSE OF ACTION AS YOU GO ALONG, USING YOUR OWN INITIATIVE AND PERCEPTIONS RATHER THAN A PRE-DETERMINED PLAN OR MECHANICAL AIDS
fly by the seat of your pants
Act according to one's own desires or beliefs without regard for standards for social behavior, logical sensibility, or the approval of others.
Generally regarded as negative, irresponsible
"I apologize for my friend's uncouth behavior, he tends to fly by the seat of his pants"
"Don't fly by the seat of your pants; make real plans for your future"
irresponsible capricious unplanned feckless devil-may-care
by Mi Calina May 11, 2007 share this add comment
2. fly by the seat of your pants
1. to pilot a plane by feel and instinct rather than by instruments
2. TO PROCEED OR WORK BY FEEL OR INSTINCT WITHOUT FORMAL GUIDELINES OR EXPERIENCE
It's during a time like that that you must fly by the seat of your pants
The saying to "fly by the seat of your pants" means to trust on your internal sense of direction rather than instrumentation. By extension, it means to charge ahead when you could wait for potentially helpful information.
While Capt. Picard holds meetings with senior staff, and makes decisions based on the available information, sending his staff in a single direction, Capt. Kirk flies by the seat of his pants, making love to an alien cutie and winning a fist fight with his opponent
The old flying expression of 'flies by the seat of his trousers' was explained by Larry Conner, means going aloft without instruments, radio or other such luxuries.
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| agree |
Jessica Agullo (X)
: LOVELY research - ooh I swoon for Kirk!;)
23 hrs
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Discussion