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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

doit être constamment confrontée à ses limitations

English translation:

must constantly be questioned about her limitations

Added to glossary by Lorraine Dubuc
Apr 11, 2018 16:30
6 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

doit être constamment confrontée à ses limitations

French to English Medical Psychology
I'm translating a medical report about a patient who makes up symptoms so she can get medical attention.

The report says the patient "doit être constamment confrontée à ses limitations".

I think it means that doctors have to constantly make her question her symptoms, because if not, she will get carried away and think she is utterly disabled.

Though could it instead mean that she has a bad life because she is constantly faced by limitations?

Here's the context:
Un rapport de sa psychologue décrit que la patiente travaille encore à faire le deuil psychologique de ses capacités physiques et ce malgré que son médecin l’ait consolidée sans limitation fonctionnelle. Elle ajoutera même : « doit être constamment confrontée à ses limitations ».
Proposed translations (English)
2 -2 must constantly be questioned about her limitations
4 who should be made to face her physical disabilities/limitations
4 must always/constantly face her physical limitations
4 needs to be (has to be) constantly reminded of her limitations
4 -1 She will even add that she: "has constantly to be reminded of / deal with her limitations"
3 -3 is constantly challenged because of her cognitive limitations
Change log

Apr 11, 2018 17:32: Yolanda Broad changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Apr 15, 2018 15:09: Lorraine Dubuc Created KOG entry

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (3): Antonio Tomás Lessa do Amaral, philgoddard, Yolanda Broad

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Discussion

Daryo Apr 13, 2018:
Am I guessing right that this "psychiatrist's report" is not the main report (GP's report?) but a quote from another text?

So strictly speaking this text fragment is not "THE report" but "a report (from s.o. else) quoted in the report" that is the ST?

Am I guessing right that this reported report contains reported quotes from patient's own declarations?

All this to say that with a reported report containing itself reported speech from the patient it's very easy to lose track of who exactly is speaking.

I think that it's the patient herself that after declaring that "she has to mourn for her lost abilities" adds to make it more dramatic that she the patient in her own perception "has also to be all the time confronted to (has to deal with) her [imagined] limitations.

As reported by the psychiatrist quoted in the ST ...

More verbatim quotes from the ST would help ...

BTW are you sure that it's a "psychologist's report"? Shouldn't imagined illnesses be the psychiatrist's domain?
Lorraine Dubuc Apr 12, 2018:
A mix of all suggestions Maybe : 'needs to be constantly challenged about her limitations' would translate the meaning of 'confrontée à ses limitations' (celles qu'elle se crée elle-même).
Lorraine Dubuc Apr 12, 2018:
Answer from a PhD in psychology Allo!

«Je suis entièrement d’accord avec ta vison du contexte. Je me disais la même chose en lisant le texte. »
Ta traduction est très bonne à mon avis.
Lorraine Dubuc Apr 11, 2018:
C'est là où l'on ne s'entend pas La psychologue voit que la dame vit le deuil pour incapacité mais en même temps, elle n'en a pas d'incapacité (comme l'a déclaré le médecin) donc la dame doit tirer un quelconque avantage de se victimiser, sinon elle ne se déprimerait pas puisqu'elle est en bonne santé et que ses incapacités sont dans sa tête, ce que la psychologue essaie de lui faire réaliser en la confrontant sans cesse par rapport à ces soi-disant maux.
Drmanu49 Apr 11, 2018:
Non Lorraine, si la psychologue dit "que la patiente travaille encore à faire le deuil psychologique de ses capacités physiques" c'est qu'il s'agit bien d'un traitement/travail visant a lui faire accepter ses limitations fonctionnelles même si le médecin l'ayant consolidé (donc après un problème médical) n'en a pas fait état. Peut-être simplement en fonction de son âge.
Lorraine Dubuc Apr 11, 2018:
@Drmanu49 Dans le cas qui nous préoccupe, la dame semble fabuler qu'elle dépérit. Le médecin l'a déclarée apte physiquement mais elle obsède sur des pertes physiques qu'elle ne semble même pas avoir en réalité. Donc le thérapeute doit constamment la recadrer et lui faire réaliser que ses incapacités ne sont pas réelles et qu'elle s'y accroche pour un motif qui lui apporte un avantage : de l'attention, apitoiement etc.
Drmanu49 Apr 11, 2018:
faire le deuil psychologique de ses capacités physiques//limitation fonctionnelle definitely points to physical limitations.
Barbara Cochran, MFA Apr 11, 2018:
You Understand It Correctly, Lorraine Based on what the asker has posted, I would say it has more to do with malingering than any physical deficiencies.
Lorraine Dubuc Apr 11, 2018:
The way I understand it. Must constantly be confronted about the handicaps she thinks she has. Since her doctor declared she has none and still the patient is grieving her supposedly lost abilities.
philgoddard Apr 11, 2018:
I'm not sure, but the answer is presumably in the previous sentence, which also mentions limitations. I interpret this to mean "she is grieving for her supposedly declining physical faculties, even though her doctor has told her there is nothing wrong." But I may have misunderstood this.

Proposed translations

-2
1 hr
Selected

must constantly be questioned about her limitations

Could be a possibility, to indicate that the limitations she is obsessing about, ought to be presented to her for her to realize that they don't really exist and that there must be a reason why she insists to have them.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 heures (2018-04-11 19:34:44 GMT)
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I will ask a doctor in psychology and see what she thinks.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 heures (2018-04-12 01:39:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here is the answer she gave me :

«Allo!

Je suis entièrement d’accord avec ta vison du contexte. Je me disais la même chose en lisant le texte.
Ta traduction est très bonne à mon avis. »

So, maybe questioning the limitations is a way of putting it.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 heures (2018-04-12 01:51:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Reference to the psychologist
http://psychologueenfants.ca/formation/edith-st-jean-trudel/
Peer comment(s):
disagree Nikki Scott-Despaigne : "doit être confronté à" does not mean that the person has to be questionned about her limitations. She needs to be reminded of them. There is no reference to obsessions, nor to limitations not existing, rather the contrary.
3 hrs
I know the verb 'question' is probably not ideal for 'confronté à', the idea is the specialist has to put her limitations in her face constantly (to make her realize she makes them up or so..) Or ought to look her limitations in the eye...
disagree Drmanu49 : Agree with Nikki.
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Used this translation in the end"
-3
24 mins

is constantly challenged because of her cognitive limitations

This is how I interpret it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 48 mins (2018-04-11 17:19:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think that it's "cognitive" rather than "physical limitations", because you stated that that she's complaining for the "secondary gains" (attention) she will receive because of her complaints.
Peer comment(s):
disagree philgoddard : It says "doit être" and "confrontée à", and there's nothing about "cognitive".
24 mins
"must be", "is", not much of a difference-bogus "disagree". And what do you think her limitation is, if not "cognitive", in the current psychological parlance?
disagree Drmanu49 : NOT cognitive ->limitation fonctionnelle //capacités physiques
30 mins
Yes, primarily "cognitive". Read the context the asker posted_SANS limitation fonctionelle.".
disagree Nikki Scott-Despaigne : Sorry, but this is purely functional. No mention is made of cognition. It is about her attitude, but that is not about cognitive ability.
4 hrs
I was certainly talking about her lack of intelligence by indulging in such behavior, therefore, it's a cognitive limitation.
neutral Daryo : you seem to be forgetting that the ST is about a patient with imagined symptoms + I think it's the patient herself talking ....
1 day 7 hrs
Something went wrong...
50 mins

who should be made to face her physical disabilities/limitations

Is what the source text says.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 50 minutes (2018-04-11 17:21:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or admit
Peer comment(s):
disagree Barbara Cochran, MFA : No, her issue, based on what the asker has stated, is primarily psychological.
3 mins
Absolutely not, read "limitation fonctionnelle//capacités physiques"
agree Yolanda Broad
11 mins
Thank you Yolanda.
agree philgoddard : I think the French is unclear, and you should say something like "supposed limitations". And you're right, they're physical.
54 mins
Thank you Phil.
agree Michele Fauble
1 hr
Thank you.
disagree Lorraine Dubuc : The asker is clear: a patient who makes up symptoms so she can get medical attention. First sentence of the text up there. How about: who should constantly be made to face her (own/supposed) limitations?
2 hrs
I completely disagree with you.
neutral Nikki Scott-Despaigne : I read this very much along the same lines as you here. I have posted a separate answer in order to explain the choice of modal and the term "need/has to be" with "reminded".
3 hrs
OK
disagree Daryo : "her physical disabilities/limitations" - which one? The imaginary ones? If it's not the patient but someone else who should be doing that - as this wording would be interpreted - it would mean the MD colluding with patient's imagined symptoms!
1 day 7 hrs
I guess you don't understand the understatement. But you are wrong on that one.
Something went wrong...
1 hr

must always/constantly face her physical limitations

My take
Peer comment(s):
neutral Nikki Scott-Despaigne : This suggestion is in the active voice and thus overlooks the meaning resulting from the use of the passive voice (être confronté à). But for that, I would have agreed, but it is an important oversight. ;-)
3 hrs
In the US, they say that active forms should always substitute for passive forms
neutral Daryo : I think you got it right - but by pure accident - thanks to this silly "rule" about active /passive forms // "My take" is not a credible proof that your line of reasoning was the right one for the given ST, nor your comments ...
1 day 6 hrs
No accident! Pls Read my response to Nikki!
Something went wrong...
4 hrs

needs to be (has to be) constantly reminded of her limitations

The French is not unclear to someone who has studied psychology. I agree with the general idea of DrManu's suggestion. However, rather than posting a comment to his answer, I decided to post my own answer. The difficulty of an English rendering here is in the use of the modal. "Doit être confronté" describes as necessity, a requirement, something that has to be done.

Might I suggest a slight "tweaking" of Dr Manu's suggestion? "Should be made to face (up to)" is a little directive. "Needs (or "has") to be constantly reminded of her limitations" is perhaps a more accurate and natural rendering in English.

I agree with DrManu's use of "limitations". It means what it says, idem in FR and in EN. It is referring to the limitations the patient now faces. It is not about her having to face up to her physical disability itself, but to the limitations that result from it. You have to pay great attention to detail in psychology. "Limitations" means what it says and in context has specific meaning. It cannot be glossed over. (As with the previous term "compensation", the term seems ordinary, but is not in context).


Peer comment(s):
agree Victoria Britten : "needs to be" sounds just right
14 hrs
disagree Daryo : she wouldn't be talking of herself that way // anyone else saying that would be colluding with / reinforcing her imagined symptoms!
1 day 4 hrs
Something went wrong...
-1
1 day 8 hrs
French term (edited): Elle ajoutera même : « doit être constamment confrontée à ses limitations ».

She will even add that she: "has constantly to be reminded of / deal with her limitations"



Un rapport de sa psychologue décrit que la patiente travaille encore à faire le deuil psychologique de ses capacités physiques et ce malgré que son médecin l’ait consolidée sans limitation fonctionnelle. Elle ajoutera même : « doit être constamment confrontée à ses limitations ».


Elle ajoutera même : « doit être constamment confrontée à ses limitations ».

This is mildly ambiguous - WHO is "elle"? We already know the patient is a female, so it could be the patient talking.

Could also be "la psychologue" although there is nothing to say it's not "le psychologue"

The whole extract is reported speech about someone else's report, so it could be that "Elle ajoutera même" is about "la psychologue" declaring that "the patient must be all the time made to be aware / confronted to its own limitations"

Only small fly in the ointment: these "limitations" are not real!! I can hardly imagine any MD going along with / reinforcing patient's delusions/imagined symptoms!

So it must the patient herself talking, about her own perceptions that she has "to deal all the time with her limitations" - limitations that may well be imagined, but are very real in her mind!
Peer comment(s):
neutral Francois Boye : In the US, they call this an unclear way of expressing oneself!
1 hr
don't hide behind "US fashion" if it's unclear to you ...
disagree Drmanu49 : Definitely unclear.
19 hrs
not when put together with tbe previous sentence(s) // ANY short fragment can potentially be puzzling, when put in context less so (would that be unexpected?)
Something went wrong...
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