Glossary entry

français term or phrase:

ne se laisse pas apprivoiser comme la première venue

anglais translation:

won\'t yield [its charms] quite so easily

Added to glossary by Roberta Beyer
Mar 2, 2012 15:38
12 yrs ago
2 viewers *
français term

ne se laisse pas apprivoiser comme la première venue

français vers anglais Marketing Tourisme et voyages
Hi all,

I tried posting before just for the phrase "la premiére venue," and it was suggested that I post the whole phrase. So here it is. Thanks!

Hi all. I need some help with this. Part of it is that I am not used to translating this kind of vague literary-ish style. I'm sure I am missing something obvious but I can't figure out what this author is trying to say. The text is about a city in Switzerland.

Les jardins sont omniprésents quand bien même la ville est comme un îlot construit dans un océan de pâturages et de forêts. Il faut du temps et de la curiosité pour s’imprégner du génie du lieu. L’improbable ne se laisse pas apprivoiser comme la première venue. Point ici de pittoresque médiéval, de rues étroites et sinueuses, pavées, usées des pas des touristes.

Thanks!

Discussion

Clarissa Hull Mar 2, 2012:
Just out of curiosity... Which city in Switzerland is this text about? I'm baffled by the description...

Proposed translations

+6
53 minutes
Selected

won't yield [its charms] quite so easily

In your previous post someone pointed out the connotation of "easy woman" in the term première venue. Somehow that led me to the verb "yield"...

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Note added at 11 days (2012-03-14 14:32:31 GMT) Post-grading
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I'm glad it was helpful!
Peer comment(s):

agree Marian Vieyra
35 minutes
agree Yolanda Broad
43 minutes
agree BrigitteHilgner : an elegant solution
1 heure
agree Yvonne Gallagher : previous sentence says "it takes time..." so see nothing negative about this rendering
3 heures
neutral Clarissa Hull : For a tourist brochure (which I guess this to be), this solution sounds almost negative. If the city doesn't yield its charms, you're unlikely to go back there. A less literal solution would be better IMO.
4 heures
agree Laurette Tassin : still it is the "feeling" of the source texte
6 heures
agree Letredenoblesse
1 jour 16 heures
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This was really perfect. Thank you so much!"
5 minutes

is not easlily accessible

see my comments on your previous post
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+1
10 minutes

goes beyond what meets the eye

Une autre option...
Peer comment(s):

agree Clarissa Hull : Nice
4 heures
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33 minutes

you can't get to grips (something so improbable/unlikely) just like that

it takes time to adjust to something so improbable
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4 heures

won't make an immediate impression

Given the context, the "the improbable won't make an immediate impression." Particularly since the preceeding sentence suggests that it takes time to appreciate the area.
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10 heures

Its improbable charm is not obvious at first sight

Moving in the direction of something positive to be discerned by the more attentive... flattery?
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4 jours

is an acquired taste

it takes time to come to like it, therefore is an acquired taste.
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7 jours

What is unlikely is stubborn, like winning the heart of your first lover

Hello,

la première venue = the first woman to come along (I wouldn't say "woman" but just "person", as it sounds "too"sexist in English)

ne se laisse pas apprivoiser = to master or conquer (let itself be mastered)

You have many options, but don't steer too far from the French; you want to keep the analogy similiar.

I hope this helps.
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