This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
en situation résiduelle
collier pare brûlure

Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

cabinet de curiosités

English translation:

cabinet of curiosities

Added to glossary by Lara Barnett
Oct 31, 2013 11:58
10 yrs ago
8 viewers *
French term

cabinet de curiosités

French to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters Article on fashion house
This is a sort of press release type article on a designer's collection. The article discusses the history of his collectio, which dates back to 1800's. This particular part is regarding the late 1900s. The fashion house had started as a saddle and harness maker, eventually moving into leather goods. The context reads:

"Patron visionnaire et grand collectionneur, xxxx transforme son bureau en cabinet de curiosités. "

I have no idea what to put that could possibly sound elegant enough, and have 30 mins left to complete job (which was passed to me urgently this morning so have had no time for proper research!). All I can think of is "studio for accessories", but am not sure if this is the correct term.

I shall post designer's name in discussion box so that I can remove this when question closes - if this is allowed.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +11 cabinet of curiosities
4 showroom of curiosities
4 curiosity shop
4 curiosity cabinet
3 old curiosity shop
Change log

Oct 31, 2013 12:09: Lara Barnett changed "Field (specific)" from "Textiles / Clothing / Fashion" to "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters"

Oct 31, 2013 12:14: writeaway changed "Language pair" from "English" to "French to English"

Oct 31, 2013 12:22: Lara Barnett changed "Language pair" from "French to English" to "English"

Oct 31, 2013 12:38: writeaway changed "Language pair" from "English" to "French to English"

Discussion

Lara Barnett (asker) Nov 1, 2013:
@ Victoria Hello. I just did remove it by deleting post.
ps. Text has now been sent to client.
Victoria Britten Oct 31, 2013:
@Asker Question of interest: is it indeed still possible for you to remove the post with the name of the fashion house? That was a good idea - especially if it works!
Taña Dalglish Oct 31, 2013:
@ Lara As you are under the gun, so to speak, your question is perhaps better suited to the French to English forum, so if you would like someone to change the pair, just say so. Be that as it may, have you looked at: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=487676 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_curiosities and http://www.interglot.com/dictionary/fr/en/translate/cabinet ...
However, I don´t want to change the pair for you without your permission as you may have a very solid reason for posting in the English forum. HTH!

Proposed translations

+11
17 mins
Selected

cabinet of curiosities

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_curiosities
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_de_curiosités

Seems to fit just fine

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2013-10-31 12:17:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It is a very specific term, and I see no reason why not to make the same assumption about readers' understanding as the French has
Note from asker:
Thank you.
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher : about to post "cabinet of collectible curiosities"
2 mins
Thanks!
agree Carol Gullidge : my only hesitation is that nowadays a cabinet is understood to be a piece of furniture (eg, kitchen cabinet) and not sure how widely understood this term would be in modern Britain. It depends on the register and contents of the rest of the text
4 mins
Thanks! That hesitation was there for me too, whence the confidence level.
agree writeaway : yes-got distracted (meant to post http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_curiosities as a ref) but is findable in seconds on the www.
7 mins
Thanks! I guess Asker just didn't have those few seconds...
agree Paul Hirsh : sometimes it is easier than you think :)
19 mins
Indeed. Thanks!
agree Evans (X) : cabinet of curiosities is the standard equivalent term
19 mins
Thanks
agree Mark Bossanyi
44 mins
Thanks
agree Philippa Smith : particularly suitable given the 1900s context
58 mins
Thanks
agree Lorraine Dubuc : I like the idea of a cabinet (closet) of curiosities.
1 hr
I know, wonderful isn't it? Thanks!
agree Helen Shiner : Yes, it is a well-known term.
2 hrs
Thanks
agree AllegroTrans
7 hrs
Thanks
agree Sandra C.
19 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you."
1 hr

showroom of curiosities

A 'cabinet' is an office or practice and the 'curiosités' refer to the strangeness of the various things to be found in that office: curiosities

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 heure (2013-10-31 13:21:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This could also be expressed as a display of curiosities (in his office).
Example sentence:

A showroom of curiosities from different eras

Peer comment(s):
neutral Helen Shiner : Cabinet in this sense is a small room containing a collection, such as is found in older museums.
1 hr
Something went wrong...
10 hrs

curiosity shop

Not literally a shop, but this term is often used to denote any collection or display of unusual items. It most probably stems from the Dickens novel of that name:


The Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens. The plot follows the life of Nell Trent and her grandfather, both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in London.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Curiosity_Shop - Cached
More results from en.wikipedia.org »
Something went wrong...
21 hrs

old curiosity shop

too late but for the literary reference
Peer comment(s):
neutral AllegroTrans : I believe you have piggybacked on my answer
54 mins
Something went wrong...
1 day 23 mins

curiosity cabinet

Why don't you use curiosity cabinet, it is certainly ok in NZ English. A curiosity cabinet is a sort of display cabinet in people's homes full of knick knacks in my colloquial understanding of it.
Example sentence:

...transforms his office into a curiosity cabinet

Reference:

http://www.pinterest.com/KatieBush/curiosity-cabinets-nature-trays-whimsy/

Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search