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Les petits Smith
Mar 7, 2010 12:36
14 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

ainsi soit-elle

Non-PRO French to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
Hello,
I need to suggest a translation for Benoîte Groult's feminist title Ainsi soit-elle. Any ideas?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 let her be so
3 +1 That's just the way she is.
4 That's her
4 (and) so may she be
3 Her Way
2 +1 awomen
2 +1 In Her Image
3 So be Her
3 A(wo)men
1 Hitchikers' guide to Venus
References
"Livre fondamental sur la prise de consc...
Change log

Mar 8, 2010 11:21: Rob Grayson changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (3): writeaway, SJLD, Rob Grayson

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Discussion

writeaway Mar 8, 2010:
Common sense What Paula says is common sense. After all, the title has to reflect the book, including its style and register. And it's a major decision to make. Not really suitable for random guesswork.
Evans (X) Mar 8, 2010:
Agree with Paula It seems to be an absurd request for anyone to come up with a title for this book without having read it. Authors often don't even manage that until a book is finished.
Desdemone (X) Mar 7, 2010:
I'm assuming that all the individuals answering and agreeing have read the book?
Martin Cassell Mar 7, 2010:
What, completely stand-alone? On the face of it, that doesn't make much sense at all.
arbizonne (asker) Mar 7, 2010:
No, it's not for a translation test. The publishers have just asked me to translate the title, that's all. I rather like Herstory and In Her Image. I'll mull over it tonight.
writeaway Mar 7, 2010:
Is this a translation test? Are they looking for someone to translate the book?
Martin Cassell Mar 7, 2010:
Might apply ... see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herstory
Martin Cassell Mar 7, 2010:
Outside the scope of "translation" stricto sensu, surely? It has be conditioned by some interpretation of the main themes in the book, not just an isolated exercise in linguistic gymnastics.

But in the in the same vein as Rebecca's rather neat suggestion, and still vaguely religious/ecclesiastical, how about "Hers and arias"?
Desdemone (X) Mar 7, 2010:
Not until I've read the book ;)
Rebecca Davis Mar 7, 2010:
What about "Amen to women"...

Proposed translations

+1
5 mins

let her be so

Rather simplistic, but I can't think of any other way to put it. Maybe others will have a more sophisticated solution.
Peer comment(s):
neutral writeaway : that would be 'qu'elle soit ainsi'
5 mins
neutral Martin Cassell : shame to lose the allusion to prayer/ritual, and the subversive component of undermining traditional male domination
11 mins
agree Jean-Claude Gouin : I like your suggestion ...
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
10 mins

Her Way

Just an idea for a short title
Something went wrong...
+1
21 mins

awomen

change the men to women
Peer comment(s):
agree Mary Kenney
9 hrs
Thanks, mmbk.
neutral kashew : Brilliant - but too clever!
21 hrs
Thanks for the comment, kashew.
Something went wrong...
+1
33 mins

In Her Image

Playing on the biblical idea of creation of Man on a feminist note.
Peer comment(s):
agree Chris Hall
2 hrs
Thanks, Chris!
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

So be Her

I know it's incorrect but it would convey the "funny" twist on "Ainsi soit-il"

As a title it would be acceptable, alike the many flashy headings in news and articles that are there to attract attention and are purposely grammatically incorrect.
Something went wrong...
+1
6 hrs

That's just the way she is.

Some of the other answers are too close to "so be it".
Peer comment(s):
agree Verginia Ophof
29 mins
neutral Martin Cassell : shame to abandon all the allusion to prayer/ritual, and with it the subversive/protest component
14 hrs
neutral kashew : "The way she is" could be enough?
14 hrs
Something went wrong...
7 hrs

That's her

To give one more thought to the mix!
Peer comment(s):
neutral Martin Cassell : shame to abandon all the allusion to prayer/ritual, and with it the subversive/protest component
13 hrs
Yes, it is a bit Liza Minelli, Martin, you're right!
Something went wrong...
1 day 20 hrs

A(wo)men

A variation on an answer already provided. Not very elegant, but typical of academic translations of texts from that period. I have a copy of the book somewhere but can't lay my hand on it at the moment unfortunately. I daresay the answer you choose depends on the context of your translation - whether you are looking for a title for a translation to be published, or simply a translation of the title as quoted within a text, for example. In the latter case, I think this option would be fairly accurate.
Something went wrong...
2 days 5 hrs

Hitchikers' guide to Venus

just for fun
Something went wrong...
919 days

(and) so may she be

the original is "so be it" not "so be he", so it is hard to make a simple substitution
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

21 hrs
Reference:

"Livre fondamental sur la prise de conscience d'une femme : de ce qu'elle est, de ce qui l'a formé, de sa place en tant que femme dans la société. Mais attention point de féminisme enragé, cette oeuvre est brillante et intelligente, teintée d'humour et de légèreté." - HELENE de FNAC Paris - Saint-Lazare
Peer comments on this reference comment:
neutral writeaway : so after reading the book, perhaps a suitable title can be found
43 mins
Something went wrong...
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