la réalité ne pardonne pas qu’on la méprise

English translation: \"Reality does not pardon him who despises her\"

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	la réalité ne pardonne pas qu’on la méprise
English translation:	\"Reality does not pardon him who despises her\"
Entered by:	Diana Chemparathy

15:57 Feb 23, 2011

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

French term or phrase: la réalité ne pardonne pas qu’on la méprise

Hi, I have this quotation from Joris-Karl Huysmans "la réalité ne pardonne pas qu’on la méprise"; thank you.

Diana Chemparathy KudoZ activity Questions: 374 (8 open) (7 without valid answers) (10 closed without grading) Answers: 51 United States
Local time: 05:35

"Reality does not pardon him who despises her"

Explanation:
Found in Project Gutenberg

"Reality does not pardon him who despises her"

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14323/14323-h/14323-h.htm

Selected response from:

Evans (X)
Local time: 13:35

Grading comment

thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +5

"Reality does not pardon him who despises her"

Evans (X)

5 -1

"reality doesn't forgive those who undermine it"

Isabel Cisneiros

reality does not forgive that we make fun of it

Mohamed Hosni

Summary of reference entries provided

existing EN translation

Martin Cassell

Answers

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

"la réalité ne pardonne pas qu’on la méprise" "reality doesn't forgive those who undermine it"

Explanation:
my one suggestion

Isabel Cisneiros
Portugal
Local time: 13:35
Native speaker of:

Portuguese

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

"la réalité ne pardonne pas qu’on la méprise"

"Reality does not pardon him who despises her"

Explanation:
Found in Project Gutenberg

"Reality does not pardon him who despises her"

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14323/14323-h/14323-h.htm

Evans (X)
Local time: 13:35
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 48

Grading comment

thanks

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

agree

Martin Cassell: snap!

3 mins

-> snap indeed! I wonder how often that site is visited simultaneously...

agree

writeaway: nothing like the www for solving problems

34 mins

-> so true!, thanks writeaway

agree

Susanna MacKenzie

51 mins

-> thanks, Susa

agree

Helen Shiner

1 hr

-> thank you Helen

neutral

philgoddard: I think the "him" and her" sound really odd. The "her" is probably a mistranslation because "realité" is feminine. "I'd say "reality does not pardon those who despise it".

1 hr

-> I thought so at first, but if you read a chunk of the text, it works quite well, especially if you consider the date of both original and translation.

neutral

Jean-Claude Gouin: I like the translation ... BUT, on the other hand, I also agree with philgoddard ...

2 hrs

-> It rather depends on the purpose of the translation. My clients usually want quotations to be from a published source, especially if out of copyright as this one is.

agree

Yvonne Gallagher

10 hrs

-> Thanks gallagy!

neutral

Atelier de Mots: This Gutenberg translation is too literal re: gender of pronouns. A less gender-specific translation sounds better to me: Reality does not pardon those who despise it" seems right. --If quote use is for basic sense or as a point of departure, then OK!

15 hrs

-> You may be missing my point about the use of quotations. And reality is clearly being personified in this text. It is not a mistake on the part of the translator. It may sound old fashioned, but that's because of when it was written.

2 hrs confidence:

reality does not forgive that we make fun of it

Explanation:
Suggestion

Mohamed Hosni
Morocco
Local time: 13:35
Native speaker of:

Arabic

Reference comments

9 mins peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: existing EN translation

Reference information:
Without any comment on its quality, or suitability for whatever your requirements may be, I point out the existing of an existing translation.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14323/14323-h/14323-h.htm

"Ah, the lesson was hard and decisive. For having one time hoped so much, what regrets, what a tumble! Decidedly, Reality does not pardon him who despises her; she avenges herself by shattering the dream and trampling it and casting the fragments into a cesspool."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2011-02-23 16:12:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

(or even "... the existence of an existing translation.")

Martin Cassell
United Kingdom
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 10

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.

Return to KudoZ list

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:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations