le poids des mots, le choc des couleurs

English translation: weighty words and a festival/kaleidoscope of colours

14:46 Jan 12, 2011
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Advertising / Public Relations / Clothes catalogue
French term or phrase: le poids des mots, le choc des couleurs
QQ'un pourrait-il m'aider à traduire de façon assez sympa en anglais ce titre qui est inspiré d'un slogan de Paris Match ? Cette phrase fait partie de mon texte et je cherche un 'rendu' expressif. Thanks in advance !
RocMer
Local time: 06:00
English translation:weighty words and a festival/kaleidoscope of colours
Explanation:
but I think you ought to abandon hope and invent something more marketable

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-01-12 16:09:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

NEAT TEXT, GREAT COLOURS

KISS
Selected response from:

polyglot45
Grading comment
Thanks, took a piece of your answer and another one.....
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3strong words, strong colors
cc in nyc
3 +2the weight of words, the clash of colours
eggsacion (X)
5Bold words, bold colours
Catherine Gilsenan
4The power of words, the strength of colours
kevin lb
4Glamorous names, glamourous colors
MatthewLaSon
3words for your ears, colours for your eyes
Daniel Frisano
3weighty words, punchy pictures
Emma Paulay
3Resonant words, vibrant colours
Joseph Jeffries (X)
2weighty words and a festival/kaleidoscope of colours
polyglot45


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
words for your ears, colours for your eyes


Explanation:
an idea

Daniel Frisano
Italy
Local time: 06:00
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
the weight of words, the clash of colours


Explanation:
another suggestion reproducing the alliteration of the original

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2011-01-12 14:51:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I take back what I said - in fact the original doesn't have alliteration - I had the letter "c" before my eyes!

eggsacion (X)
France
Local time: 06:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Denise DeVries: Alliteration is always awesome!
6 mins

neutral  polyglot45: great alliteration but clashing colours for a fashion catalogue - I don't think so !
8 mins

agree  Cécile A.-C.: beautiful, like it!
16 mins

disagree  Bourth (X): Not "clash".
22 mins

agree  mimi 254: what about fusion of colours?
31 mins

neutral  philgoddard: I don't see how you can attempt to translate this question when we don't have any context. What does "the weight of words" mean?
43 mins

neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: not "clash" in catalogue
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
weighty words and a festival/kaleidoscope of colours


Explanation:
but I think you ought to abandon hope and invent something more marketable

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-01-12 16:09:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

NEAT TEXT, GREAT COLOURS

KISS

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 32
Grading comment
Thanks, took a piece of your answer and another one.....
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
strong words, strong colors


Explanation:
Another alternative for ad-speak.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-01-12 17:01:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I do agree with Bourth in that more information about the "weighty words" might yield something even better.

cc in nyc
Local time: 01:00
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  jenbikkal (X)
34 mins
  -> Thank you.

agree  Verginia Ophof
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  Catherine Gilsenan: Your suggestion is appropriately succinct and snappy
18 hrs
  -> Thank you for your comment.

neutral  MatthewLaSon: Still the best yet, but not convinced. Yes, we do need more context -- no doubt there. And I am not so sure you need a clause here after all. I have a hunch, though, that "mots" is referring to the "big labels", but not sure. Have a nice weekend.
1 day 38 mins
  -> Hmm... Strong language, strong colors? But we still need more context from the Asker.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The power of words, the strength of colours


Explanation:
une symbolique assez forte tout en gardant le sens original...

kevin lb
Local time: 01:00
Native speaker of: French
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
weighty words, punchy pictures


Explanation:
If the word 'colours' isn't necessary in your text.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2011-01-12 18:19:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or "punchy prose, striking colours". I imagine the key to this is impact (like the famous Paris Match slogan).

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 06:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 108
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Resonant words, vibrant colours


Explanation:
I tried to think of words that would convey the 'poids' and the 'choc' - resonant and vibrant were the best I could come up with.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2011-01-13 13:31:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

'Sparkling colours' might also work

Joseph Jeffries (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Bold words, bold colours


Explanation:
-

Catherine Gilsenan
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 days 11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Glamorous names, glamourous colors


Explanation:
Hello,

It seems to me that "le poids des mots" is referring to the big-named brands in this catalogue, and the "choc des couleurs" means the "extravagent colors", or something like that.

poids, choc = glamour (here)
For all your designer clothes including Armani, D&G, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Nike, Paul Smith, Pringle, Ted BakerVersace, ...
www.ukshoptilludrop.co.uk/SiteListing.aspx?sn=29 -

All said in my very humble opinion.

I hope this helps.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days11 hrs (2011-01-16 02:08:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

poids, choc (in this context) = glamour

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 01:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search