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prendre dans son geste

English translation: engages us with his gesture/expression

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:prendre dans son geste
English translation:engages us with his gesture/expression
Entered by: Clare Hogg

13:27 Apr 24, 2011
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / sculpture
French term or phrase: prendre dans son geste
I am (still!!) translating a high-brow, poetic/dreamlike and very fanciful (i.e. incomprehensible!) text about a sculptor (XXXX) from the preface of a catalogue containing pictures of his work.

I´m not sue how to interpret the sentence, "le conteur soudain nous prend dans son geste". I´m providing the entire paragragh in the hope the extra context will help. The use of "De meme" at the beginning of the sentence indicates a parellel with the description in the previous sentence, "la forme surprise se love et soudain perce" (which I think is referring to the sculptures themselves).

In my mind, I see the storyteller wrapping his arms around the listeners like a snake (mirroring "se lover"), but quickly (soudain)..., but maybe that's just me! Maybe something like "whips us away"?

Thanks in advance for any ideas you can give. MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

"Maintenant, la pause du conteur. Le fremissement des branches dans la parole, quand a la nuit I'odeur patiente du campeche remonte des fonds brulés. L'homme qui chante a dompté de la main une fumée de mots. II devient sculpture fluide, qui nous mene. II ne nous lache plus. Sa cadence emplit I'espace où nous tremblons d'ecouter monter les ages premiers. La poetique de XXXX trame cette duree, ou l'unicité de la chose sculptée est forcée. Elle rejoint la tradition des fetes orales, le rythme du corps, le continu des fresques, le don de melopée. D'une oeuvre à I'autre, c'est le meme texte qui se dit. Qu'un art de l'unique à ce point s'organise en discours, voila par où XXXX nous saisit. II assemble ainsi une rhetorique de la durée: l'instant elu cede a la voix qui cadence. La memoire est requise d'epuiser ses detours, où la forme surprise se love et soudain perce. De meme, le conteur soudain **nous prend dans son geste**; mais c'est parce qu'il nous a ramenés de si loin. Et il nous frappe d'une incantation dont nous avons perdu le sens, mais dont la force est parmi nous."


(ps if you are game for a further challenge, please also see my other postings on this text!).
Clare Hogg
Spain
Local time: 03:32
engages us with his gesture/expression
Explanation:
HTH
Selected response from:

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 21:32
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1sweeps us along
cc in nyc
4With a sudden arm/hand gesture the story teller brings us back to the present
Lara Barnett
3 +1engages us with his gesture/expression
Barbara Cochran, MFA
3captures us in his/her gesture
silvester55


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
With a sudden arm/hand gesture the story teller brings us back to the present


Explanation:
I think the translation of this is structure-dependent. I think "de meme" might be referring to a phrase a couple of sentences earlier describing how "...voila par où XXXX nous saisit.".

I have used the word "present" to link with the following phrase explaining the reason for the "geste", as though he has lead them far away "si loin", (as in being faraway and coming back to the present). I think this idea is evident in the French, but needs to be reinforced for translation purposes.

The text seems to be describing how the XXX(the storyteller) is really (figuratively) taking the listener(s) to places by his poetic type plot weaving and his rhythmic, almost song-like storytelling. Therefore, he has a sort of control over his audience/listeners ("saisit"). It sounds almost hypnotic, as though they are being lead, not only by his voice, but by his hand expressions.

The "geste" of this phrase is now bringing audience/listeners back to the present after he has (verbally) taken them far away (nous a ramenés de si loin)

Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Dieezah: You caught the meaning about the rythm but the thing about the present is totally unrelated... it's more an expression like the english "drinking words from the lips we need here, except here it's the hand gesture instead of the lips...
20 mins
  -> Thank you for your comment. In English "present" is also just an expression. I used it here because to put "geste" along with "soudain" and "si loin" does not give a very smooth flow and needs to be qualified.
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
captures us in his/her gesture


Explanation:
i like it , hope you do too

silvester55
Local time: 04:32
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
engages us with his gesture/expression


Explanation:
HTH

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 21:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dieezah
3 hrs
  -> Merci, Dieezah.
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1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
nous prend dans son geste
sweeps us along


Explanation:
To reflect the storyteller's narrative momentum... as well as the force of his gestures (as mentioned by Dieezah).

cc in nyc
Local time: 21:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dieezah
3 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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