It is difficult to recognise history when you are in the middle of it

11:57 Jan 17, 2020
English to French translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - History
English term or phrase: It is difficult to recognise history when you are in the middle of it
Je comprends ce que l'auteur veut dire mais j'ai du mal à trouver une bonne traduction en français. C'est dans un documentaire sur l'immigration au Danemark et l'attitude de plus en plus negative du gouvernement et du peuple envers les immigrés.
Anne Paturet
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:29


Summary of answers provided
4 +1il est difficile de se rendre compte qu'on écrit l'histoire quand on en fait soi-même partie
Natacha Faubert
3 +1Nous avons rarement conscience que nos actes d'aujourd'hui écrivent l'Histoire.
Nathalie SERIEYS
4il est difficile de mesurer ou le poids de l'histoire l'histoire individuelle quand vous y êtes mélé
Maïté Mendiondo-George
3Il est difficile de percevoir le sens de l'histoire quand on est en plein milieu
Françoise Vogel
Summary of reference entries provided
To paraphrase Natasha's reading (which I like)
ormiston

Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
it is difficult to recognise history when you are in the middle of it
il est difficile de se rendre compte qu'on écrit l'histoire quand on en fait soi-même partie


Explanation:
Sinon, "quand on en est acteur".
Ou encore utiliser une voix passive : "que l'histoire est en train d'être écrite" ?

Natacha Faubert
France
Local time: 17:29
Native speaker of: French

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Raoul COLIN (X)
18 hrs

neutral  ormiston: Slight quibble with the awkwardness of "Quand on en fait soi-même...". Could "Quand on est plein dedans" not work? // Agree about the register, don't know what kind of article it is though. "acteur" excludes mere "témoins", which I think is intended
19 hrs
  -> As Maïté said, "en plein dedans" is too informal. The part "en faire soi-même partie" could be improved, but is neutral enough to work. I prefer "être acteur", which I think convey more the meaning of the source text, but might be a bit too far from it.
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
it is difficult to recognise history when you are in the middle of it
Nous avons rarement conscience que nos actes d'aujourd'hui écrivent l'Histoire.


Explanation:
Other suggestion:
Il est difficile de se rendre compte que l'Histoire s'écrit au quotidien.

This is how I would interpret the source sentence in the absence of more context.

Nathalie SERIEYS
France
Local time: 17:29
Native speaker of: French

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Fatine Echenique
1 day 9 hrs
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
it is difficult to recognise history when you are in the middle of it
Il est difficile de percevoir le sens de l'histoire quand on est en plein milieu


Explanation:
juste une idée, en réfléchissant à partir de l'idée d'identifier (pour recognize).

Françoise Vogel
Local time: 17:29
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
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43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
it is difficult to recognise history when you are in the middle of it
il est difficile de mesurer ou le poids de l'histoire l'histoire individuelle quand vous y êtes mélé


Explanation:
..tout dépend du contexte exact

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Note added at 2 jours 9 heures (2020-01-19 21:22:46 GMT)
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quand on y est soi même mêle

Maïté Mendiondo-George
France
Local time: 17:29
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in GermanGerman
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Reference comments


23 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: To paraphrase Natasha's reading (which I like)

Reference information:
As a non native I timidly suggest:
Il est difficile de se rendre compte que l'on s'inscrit dans l'histoire quand on est plein dedans"

ormiston
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Maïté Mendiondo-George: en plein dedans est très familier ..
1 day 9 hrs
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