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  3. Poetry & Literature

ainsi soit-elle

12:36 Mar 7, 2010
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
French term or phrase: ainsi soit-elle
Hello,
I need to suggest a translation for Benoîte Groult's feminist title Ainsi soit-elle. Any ideas?
arbizonne


Summary of answers provided
3 +1let her be so
Fiorsam
3 +1That's just the way she is.
Steve Melling
4That's her
Jack Dunwell
4(and) so may she be
Paul Hirsh
3Her Way
Liliane Hatem
2 +1awomen
Claire Nolan
2 +1In Her Image
Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
3So be Her
Tony.J.A.@DT
3A(wo)men
Susan Nicholls
1Hitchikers' guide to Venus
Connor
Summary of reference entries provided
kashew

Discussion entries: 10





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
let her be so


Explanation:
Rather simplistic, but I can't think of any other way to put it. Maybe others will have a more sophisticated solution.

Fiorsam
United States
Local time: 18:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Italian
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: that would be 'qu'elle soit ainsi'
5 mins
neutral  Martin Cassell: shame to lose the allusion to prayer/ritual, and the subversive component of undermining traditional male domination
11 mins
agree  Jean-Claude Gouin: I like your suggestion ...
4 hrs
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Her Way


Explanation:
Just an idea for a short title

Liliane Hatem
Lebanon
Local time: 01:51
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ArabicArabic
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
awomen


Explanation:
change the men to women

Claire Nolan
Local time: 18:51
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mary Kenney
9 hrs
  -> Thanks, mmbk.
neutral  kashew: Brilliant - but too clever!
21 hrs
  -> Thanks for the comment, kashew.
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
In Her Image


Explanation:
Playing on the biblical idea of creation of Man on a feminist note.

Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
Israel
Local time: 01:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RomanianRomanian
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chris Hall
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Chris!
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
So be Her


Explanation:
I know it's incorrect but it would convey the "funny" twist on "Ainsi soit-il"

As a title it would be acceptable, alike the many flashy headings in news and articles that are there to attract attention and are purposely grammatically incorrect.

Tony.J.A.@DT
United States
Local time: 18:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
That's just the way she is.


Explanation:
Some of the other answers are too close to "so be it".

Steve Melling
France
Local time: 00:51
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Verginia Ophof
29 mins
neutral  Martin Cassell: shame to abandon all the allusion to prayer/ritual, and with it the subversive/protest component
14 hrs
neutral  kashew: "The way she is" could be enough?
14 hrs
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
That's her


Explanation:
To give one more thought to the mix!

Jack Dunwell
France
Local time: 00:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Martin Cassell: shame to abandon all the allusion to prayer/ritual, and with it the subversive/protest component
13 hrs
  -> Yes, it is a bit Liza Minelli, Martin, you're right!
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1 day 20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
A(wo)men


Explanation:
A variation on an answer already provided. Not very elegant, but typical of academic translations of texts from that period. I have a copy of the book somewhere but can't lay my hand on it at the moment unfortunately. I daresay the answer you choose depends on the context of your translation - whether you are looking for a title for a translation to be published, or simply a translation of the title as quoted within a text, for example. In the latter case, I think this option would be fairly accurate.

Susan Nicholls
Local time: 08:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48
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2 days 5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
Hitchikers' guide to Venus


Explanation:
just for fun

Connor
Local time: 00:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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919 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
(and) so may she be


Explanation:
the original is "so be it" not "so be he", so it is hard to make a simple substitution

Paul Hirsh
France
Local time: 00:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 44
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Reference comments


21 hrs
Reference

Reference information:
"Livre fondamental sur la prise de conscience d'une femme : de ce qu'elle est, de ce qui l'a formé, de sa place en tant que femme dans la société. Mais attention point de féminisme enragé, cette oeuvre est brillante et intelligente, teintée d'humour et de légèreté." - HELENE de FNAC Paris - Saint-Lazare

kashew
France
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
neutral  writeaway: so after reading the book, perhaps a suitable title can be found
43 mins
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