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"lever minute"
Conservation de la partie due portefeuille qui doit etre geree en extinction
Jun 29, 2009 14:43
14 yrs ago
French term

les arrangements ordinaires de l'existence

French to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Hi

About a guy in his late-20s with plenty of potential but who can't find the motivation to put his ideas into practice.

"Ses désirs profonds ne peuvent se satisfaire des arrangements ordinaires de l'existence."

It's pretty clear what it means but I'm darned if I can get it into words!

As ever, many thanks.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +3 the everyday business of life
3 +2 a humdrum existence
3 +1 compromises of everyday life
4 from the way life is from day to day
3 The ordinary aspects of life
3 run-of-the-mill adjustments of daily existence/life

Discussion

Susan Nicholls Jun 29, 2009:
To my mind "arrangements" in French has got to do with organization (from "ranger"). Unless your text is Canadian? Perhaps there is something in the rest of the text that we can't see? As I read the sentence, out of context, he hankers after something more than just the business of everyday life - the things you have to do each day to get through. Even if il faut qu'il s'arrange pour faire autrement - isn't it still a question of organization?
Sandra Petch (asker) Jun 29, 2009:
Arrangements It's "arrangements" that is niggling me. In the back of my mind, I feel it's hinting at compromise; his ambitions have to "come to an arrangement" with the ordinary aspects of life. Any ideas on that?

Proposed translations

+3
13 mins
Selected

the everyday business of life

This might be an option. Something along the lines of his deepest desires finding no satisfaction in the everyday business of life?

Cocktails and irresponsibility... sounds like you're having fun!

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2009-06-30 15:53:34 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks Sandra.
Note from asker:
Only vicariously I'm afraid! ;-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Monique McColgan : This choice makes a lot of sense to me (for English from the US)
1 hr
Thanks Monique
agree Linda Brunet
1 hr
Thank you Linda
agree Marta Scott : This captures it well for me from the UK side of the world
2 hrs
Thank you Marta
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I'm still inclined towards the idea of compromise, but perhaps I'm over-interpreting? This is a nice turn of phrase so thanks very much Susan!"
3 mins

The ordinary aspects of life

Or perhaps you could use "mundane" instead of "ordinary"...
Something went wrong...
+2
30 mins

a humdrum existence

or "the daily grind"
Note from asker:
Thanks Mark, I almost went with "daily grind," it was a hard choice!
Peer comment(s):
agree B D Finch : Good
15 mins
Thanks
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : I was thinking along the same lines
6 hrs
Thanks
Something went wrong...
+1
18 hrs

compromises of everyday life

In light of your recent discussion with Susan, the word compromise came to mind...

Do we need more social engineering for sex equality? asks ...
21 Nov 2008 ... with real women confronting the realities and making the necessary compromises of everyday life whilst striving for greater fairness. ...
www.compassonline.org.uk/news/item.asp?n=3415 - Cached - Similar

Amazon.com: James Seidler's review of Back to Earth: A ...
... his marriage his ended, and his path has become misdirected, diverted by the tiny, cumulative compromises of everyday life. In an effort to re-focus, ...
www.amazon.com/review/R10TTRBJSEGPJP - Cached - Similar

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Note added at 18 hrs (2009-06-30 08:57:37 GMT)
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Duh - obviously compromise came to mind - you use the word yourself in the discussion! (more coffee, Mara...)
So all of that to say, I think your idea of compromise works well with what you describe, if it fits in with the overall context of your piece and this young man's character.
Note from asker:
Thanks Mara, "dans le doute" I thought I'd best play safe ;-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Emma Paulay : I thought of "perpetual compromise", did a search and found this quote from Bertrand Russell who seems to have a similar outlook: http://www.coolquotes.com/compromise.html
49 mins
yes, that does seem to fit, doesn't it!
Something went wrong...
22 hrs

run-of-the-mill adjustments of daily existence/life

I think that "adjustment" could be another alternative. It seems that the guy has greater ambitions than spending his time having to adapt to the ins and outs of everyday existence. But French Foodie's "compromise" is good too!
Something went wrong...
4 hrs

from the way life is from day to day

Hello,

He can't get any satisfaction from the way life is from day to day. I think we can get away a little from the nominalization in the English translation, no? You don't have to, but I would prefer to do so.

arrangements ordinaires de l'existence = how life is arranged from day to day = the way life is from day to day

I hope this helps.

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2009-06-30 16:01:07 GMT) Post-grading
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how life is set up from day to day = just how life is from day to day

ordinaires = everyday

I don't think they are talking about a "compromise" here.

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Note added at 3 days11 hrs (2009-07-03 02:02:08 GMT) Post-grading
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arrangements ordinaires = how life is set up from day to day

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Note added at 3 days11 hrs (2009-07-03 02:04:14 GMT) Post-grading
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"It is so interesting that the way life is set up day to day, with many concerns, but underneath, it is just a spiritual journey. When man becomes secular"

www.newarkspeaks.com/forum/archive/index.../t-8054.html

I also like "how life is set up day to day"
Something went wrong...
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