sensibilité dans leur équilibre instable

English translation: such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	une telle sensibilité dans leur équilibre instable
English translation:	such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium
Entered by:	Chris Hall

09:38 May 28, 2010

French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

French term or phrase: sensibilité dans leur équilibre instable

Still on "Colours" - Kandinsky:
...une telle sensibilité dans leur équilibre instable, ces êtres étranges que l’on nomme couleurs venaient l’un après l’autre...

kashew KudoZ activity Questions: 242 (7 open) (1 without valid answers) (4 closed without grading) Answers: 6171 France
Local time: 16:19

such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium

Explanation:
une telle sensibilité dans leur équilibre instable, ces êtres étranges que l’on nomme couleurs venaient l’un après l’autre
=
such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium, these strange beings, which are called colours, came one after the other.

Selected response from:

Chris Hall
Local time: 15:19

Grading comment

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +5

such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium

Chris Hall

3 +2

their fragile balance/equilibrium oozing such sensitivity

polyglot45

sensitivity in their dynamic harmony

Atelier de Mots

a highly sensitive, precarious equilibrium

Emma Paulay

such a sensibility in their unstable balance

Sébastien GUITTENY

such sensitivity/so sensitive to their stable equilibrium

liz askew

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

une telle sensibilité dans leur équilibre instable

such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium

Chris Hall
Local time: 15:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

liz askew: ha!..I hadn''t seen this answer. Maybe it is not quite so bad as I thought:) :) :) I'll wait for the poets to comment./ Then why is it posted under "Poetry/Literature" then?

6 mins

-> Poets? What is it to do with poetry? Maybe it is not quite so bad as I thought - there is nothing bad about this translation. It is literature and not poetry.

agree

Evans (X): I like this, and I think unstable equilibrium is best because it is a scientific term used here poetically

15 mins

-> Many thanks Gilla. I agree that "unstable equilibrium" is a much better solution than "unstable balance".

agree

Alison Sabedoria (X): As Gilla says... if you're allowing poets to comment, that is! = ) (makes me think of the brief lives of elementary particles).

1 hr

-> Many thanks Wordeffect. Don't worry - everyone is free to comment on my answers.

agree

Isabelle17

1 hr

-> Many thanks Isabelle - much appreciated.

agree

B D Finch: Simple and just right.

2 hrs

-> Many thanks Barbara.

agree

Verginia Ophof

7 hrs

-> Many thanks Verginia - much appreciated.

19 mins confidence:

a highly sensitive, precarious equilibrium

Explanation:
Depending on the rest of the sentence though, you might be able to substitute "harmony" for "equilibrium".

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 16:19
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56

Notes to answerer

Asker: I like precarious harmony very much, thanks.

Asker: Thanks to your suggestion I seem to be homing in on "sensitive and precarious composure". NB: I can't use a comma the way it's all listed!

34 mins confidence:

sensitivity in their dynamic harmony

Explanation:
Because we are talking about visual art here, I would avoid a literal translation of both "instable" and "equilibre" and aim for an expression that captures the satisfying movement within Kandinsky's work.

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Note added at 37 mins (2010-05-28 10:16:14 GMT)
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I should say... the "delicate but satisfying" movemement... as it all hangs on a thread, and seems capable of falling apart at any moment. Thus the "dynamic harmony."

Atelier de Mots
Local time: 16:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

13 mins confidence:

such sensitivity/so sensitive to their stable equilibrium

Explanation:
awful I know, but to get the ball rolling

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=colours art unstable equili...

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Note added at 14 mins (2010-05-28 09:53:26 GMT)
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of course

I meant

unstable!!!!

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Note added at 17 mins (2010-05-28 09:55:55 GMT)
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or even

non-stable

The Synergetic Approach to Art Theory: Recent Investigations
by I Yevin - 1994 - Related articles
Dominance of either colour style or drawing style for any given artist was de- .... instability, unstable state, nonstable equilibrium ...
www.jstor.org/stable/1576099

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Note added at 39 mins (2010-05-28 10:18:08 GMT)
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p.s.

I still think it is awful, both in English and French:)

liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:19
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 16

59 mins confidence:

such a sensibility in their unstable balance

Explanation:
Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility (raison et sentiment).
Les couleurs évocatrices de sentiments. Sentiment d'insécurité, peut-être, une couleur cédant la place à l'autre...

Sébastien GUITTENY
France
Local time: 16:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: French

41 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

their fragile balance/equilibrium oozing such sensitivity

Explanation:
since they are coming out of a tube methinks

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Note added at 3 hrs (2010-05-28 13:16:27 GMT)
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having seen the whole sentence how about :

What I experienced then seeing the colour emerge from the tube is something I still experience today. I just have to exert a single pressure with my thumb and these strange being/thing/objects called colours spurt out/ooze forth jubilant, sumptuous, reflective, thoughtful, self-absorbed, highly serious yet mischievously impish, their release a sigh, the deep bass of bereavement, yet a sense of strength, of mutinous resistance, a lightness and abnegation in their capitulation, self-controlled, stubborn, so vulnerable in their fragile balance. One after the other……

polyglot45
Native speaker of:

English,

French
PRO pts in category: 52

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hi: Funny, I have "oozing out" in the starting sentence! I do like your fragile balance, but how does that work for a squirt of colour on a palette? Same goes for sensibilité?

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sensibilité dans leur équilibre instable

English translation: such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium

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English translation: such sensitivity in their unstable equilibrium

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