Nov 29, 2005 13:57
18 yrs ago
français term

la pelote n'en finit plus de se défaire

français vers anglais Art / Littérature Idiômes / maximes / proverbes
Expression (this is the whole sentence) within an article in a medical journal about the withdrawal of anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx from the market.

Discussion

Amy Grieve (asker) Nov 29, 2005:
Sorry - r�v�lations fracassantes
Amy Grieve (asker) Nov 29, 2005:
This sentence is at the beginning of a paragraph. It is followed by: "D'�tudes cach�es en r�v�latios fracassantes, de valses-h�sittions en guerres d'experts, 'l'affaire des COX-2' �branle en profondeur toutes les agences du m�dicament."
HelenG Nov 29, 2005:
More context would be useful...perhaps the previous sentence or a summary of what it says and the next sentence?

Proposed translations

3 heures
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire
Selected

and on and on it goes

I wonder for how long we can unravel this particular pelote ...
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Well I seem to have opened quite a can of worms myself here! Thanks to all for your answers - it was difficult to decide which to choose."
10 minutes

and the plot goes on unravelling

plot - is NOT a translation of "pelote", which is a ball of wool but I cannot see anyone English mother tongue using ball of wool in this context

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Note added at 2005-11-29 14:09:37 (GMT)
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and the further it goes, the more the ramifications keep coming to light (or come to light)

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Note added at 2005-11-29 14:10:08 (GMT)
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the further it goes, the worse it gets
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10 minutes
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire

it (the detailed story) keeps on unraveling

does that make sense?
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11 minutes
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire

you'll never see the end of it

It sounds like a can of worms - once opened, it cannot be contained. Is that what you're looking for? Admittedly, it's a little vague...
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-1
11 minutes
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire

the pattern seems to be going on forever

pelote n. f. : pattern

http://www.granddictionnaire.com/btml/fra/r_motclef/index800...

or the pattern has no end
just an idea
Peer comment(s):

disagree Tony M : The GdT ref. you mention is specifically to do with fingerprinting etc., not a general word for 'pattern' in the sense of 'motif'. In any case, I feel sure that the metaphor here is clear, of unravelling a tangled story, rather than a 'recurring pattern'
2 heures
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+1
26 minutes
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire

We haven't heard the end of this yet

...might be another possibile idiomatic way of expressing what seems to be the underlying idea...
Peer comment(s):

agree Nikki Scott-Despaigne
42 minutes
Thanks, Nikki!
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+4
10 minutes
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire

the worms keep crawling out of the bag

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Note added at 12 mins (2005-11-29 14:10:28 GMT)
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in the sense that more and more dubious facts are being revealed about the affair - we haven't yet got to the bottom of the bag of worms.

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Note added at 1 hr 0 min (2005-11-29 14:58:28 GMT)
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can of worms - perhaps more common?
Peer comment(s):

agree NancyLynn : ha! we had the same idea, see my added comments to my own answer
2 minutes
yep :-) The Vioxx affair certainly IS a can of worms!
agree Alison Jenner
6 minutes
thanks Alison!
agree Alexandra Hague : this sounds good!
33 minutes
thanks Alexandra!
agree sporran : good one, Sue!
3 heures
thanks Eileen :-)
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2 heures
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire

The saga shows no sign of ending.

A more general expression.
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3 heures
français term (edited): la pelote n'en finit plus de se d�faire

there seems (to be) no end to it

or ...no end to the revelations/tale/etc.... being unravelled/revealed/emerging...
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