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son et lumières

English translation: son et lumière

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:son et lumières
English translation:son et lumière
Entered by: AnneMarieG

10:49 Feb 26, 2011
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Tourism & Travel
French term or phrase: son et lumières
Bonjour,
un client m'a demandé de lui traduire -exceptionnellement- quelques légendes en anglais ; je bute sur le terme d'un spectacle de "son et lumières".
Pourriez-vous me dire quelle est l'expression consacrée en anglais ?
Merci d'avance.

Anne-Marie
AnneMarieG
France
Local time: 20:17
son-et-lumière
Explanation:
The term is very well known in EN, at least in the specific context of the kind of show often put on at historic buildings, castles etc.

If it is a more general entertainment context, then you might consider a 'sound and light show', but you haven't explained in what context this occurs?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2011-02-26 11:13:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Do note that when used in EN, the 'lumière' is in the singular, unlike in FR. And it is sometimes italicized, to idnciate it is a foreign expression.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2011-02-26 11:13:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oops, apologies: indicate!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2011-02-27 12:56:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As Lesley has kindly pointed out, the form without the hyphens is probably more common.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 20:17
Grading comment
Thanks for your help Tony!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +15son-et-lumière
Tony M
3 +3SOUND AND LIGHT
Bashiqa
4 +1Sound and Light Show
Lara Barnett
5sound and light
Isabel Cisneiros
Summary of reference entries provided
dictionary references
Martin Cassell
writeaway

  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
SOUND AND LIGHT


Explanation:
OR LEAVE IT IN FRENCH

Bashiqa
France
Local time: 20:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Bingo, this is it! Thanks a lot.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Liliane Hatem
1 min
  -> Thank you.
neutral  Tony M: I think a 'son-et-lumière' is usually a relatively specific kind of show, rather than the more general 'sound and light' show that you might find in a discothèque, for example...
28 mins
  -> I did suggest in my answer leaving it in French.
agree  writeaway: and keep the French. Lots of info on www-not exactly a mystery term
56 mins
  -> Merci.
neutral  Martin Cassell: on the assumption of the most probable context (given it's a Tourism question) I would leave it in French
2 hrs
  -> I did suggest in my explanation leaving it in French.
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: yes, agree to leaving it in French
1 day 7 hrs
  -> Thank you.
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Sound and Light Show


Explanation:
"Son et lumière French pronunciation: [sɔn ɛ lymjɛʁ] (French, lit. "sound and light"), or a sound and light show, is a form of nighttime entertainment that is usually presented in an outdoor venue of historic significance..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_et_lumière_(show)

Example sentence(s):
  • "London’s pro sound and light show opens to big crowds."

    Reference: http://www.audioprointernational.com/news/1478/PLASA-09-Lond...
Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
1 corroborated select project
in this pair and field What is ProZ.com Project History(SM)?

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Christina Jose
17 mins
  -> THANK YOU.
neutral  Tony M: Your ref. is actually not relevant, refers to something quite different! / Yes, but the context is so different, that becomes pretty much meaningless.
18 mins
  -> I acutually just used this reference to show how the term worked linguistically.
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
sound and light


Explanation:
as in "sound and light show"
When I was in Strasbourg, I went to a "son et lumières show" in the Cathedral. It was about the city and the Cathedral's History along the times, because as it is situated exactly on the frontire between France and Germany, depending on who won each of the multiple wars between these 2 countries, the city was conquered by the winner. So, as it was German for sometimes and French during other times, its history was very rich and the show was very nice, with coloured lights and sound underlining the most meaningful aspects of its History

Isabel Cisneiros
Portugal
Local time: 19:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +15
son-et-lumière


Explanation:
The term is very well known in EN, at least in the specific context of the kind of show often put on at historic buildings, castles etc.

If it is a more general entertainment context, then you might consider a 'sound and light show', but you haven't explained in what context this occurs?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2011-02-26 11:13:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Do note that when used in EN, the 'lumière' is in the singular, unlike in FR. And it is sometimes italicized, to idnciate it is a foreign expression.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2011-02-26 11:13:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oops, apologies: indicate!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2011-02-27 12:56:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As Lesley has kindly pointed out, the form without the hyphens is probably more common.

Tony M
France
Local time: 20:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 119
Grading comment
Thanks for your help Tony!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mark Bossanyi
7 mins
  -> Thanks, Mark!
agree  AllegroTrans: keep it in French with "sound and light show" in brackets as explanation
23 mins
  -> Thanks, C! Actually, I think the term is so well known now in EN, an explanation is scarcely necessary
agree  Simon Mac: Yes, we certainly use it here in the UK. Here are loads of Google hits for EN pages http://bit.ly/gevhss e.g. son et lumière at Caerphilly Castle. Rarely in the plural.
24 mins
  -> Thanks, YX! Yes, I first heard the term over 40 years ago in the UK, it is well accepted and documented now.
agree  kashew
26 mins
  -> Thanks, J!
agree  Carol Gullidge: pretty well known these days
29 mins
  -> Thanks, Carol!
agree  Helen Shiner: No explanation in brackets needed; very well used and accepted.
34 mins
  -> Thanks, Helen!
agree  Sarah Bessioud: With Helen, no explanation required
1 hr
  -> Thanks, JdM!
agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: No offence meant Anne-Marie, but before posting, it is expected that you check dictionaries and the web first!
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Nikki!
agree  Martin Cassell: Largely nativised, no need for any form of gloss.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Martin!
agree  B D Finch: No need to gloss.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Barbara!
agree  writeaway: not exactly a mystery term though and easily researchable. whether or not to include the En would depend a bit on the readership and other factors
3 hrs
  -> Thnaks, W/A! My gut feeling is that it's not really necessary, but as you say, many factors may be at work here.
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: term very well known
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Gallagy!
agree  Verginia Ophof
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Verginia!
agree  Evans (X): Agree with the others, absolutely no need for explanation in brackets.
20 hrs
  -> Thanks, Gilla!
agree  LJC (X): No explanation needed as it's in my Oxford Dictionary of English, but without the hyphens.
1 day 1 hr
  -> Thanks, Lesley! I think the hyphens probably just reflect my pedantic old-fashionedness ;-)
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Reference comments


2 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: dictionary references

Reference information:
R&C (s.v. son²) :
■ (spectacle) son et lumière : son et lumière (show)

Wordreference (Oxford-Hachette Concise) (s.v. son²)
COMPOUNDS:
~ et lumière son et lumière.

... et j'en passe.

Martin Cassell
United Kingdom
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 3

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Tony M: Indeed, yes!
8 mins
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3 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference

Reference information:
Son et lumière French pronunciation: [sɔn ɛ lymjɛʁ] (French, lit. "sound and light"), or a sound and light show, is a form of nighttime entertainment that is usually presented in an outdoor venue of historic significance.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_et_lumière_(show)

writeaway
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Tony M: Yup, just goes to show the extent to which it has become adopted into EN.
7 mins
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