Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
chassé-croisé
English translation:
By a curious twist of fate
Added to glossary by
Miranda Joubioux (X)
Nov 25, 2011 14:19
12 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term
Miranda Joubioux (X)
chassé-croisé
French to English
Art/Literary
Architecture
Target=UK
Article for a magazine on architecture
Context:
Selon un curieux chassé-croisé : alors que le monde s’appliquait à confirmer ses thèses, on ne lisait plus Lefebvre
It's Friday, so maybe that's why I can't think of anything to use for this.
Lefebvre wrote a book at a time when nobody was listening to his theories and his only followers were his students, then certain events turned his book into a sort of bible that reinforced the protests at that period.
A lapse of time passed and his book was left by the wayside again.
I can only think of swings and roundabouts, but have come up with nothing really suitable.
Article for a magazine on architecture
Context:
Selon un curieux chassé-croisé : alors que le monde s’appliquait à confirmer ses thèses, on ne lisait plus Lefebvre
It's Friday, so maybe that's why I can't think of anything to use for this.
Lefebvre wrote a book at a time when nobody was listening to his theories and his only followers were his students, then certain events turned his book into a sort of bible that reinforced the protests at that period.
A lapse of time passed and his book was left by the wayside again.
I can only think of swings and roundabouts, but have come up with nothing really suitable.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Nov 25, 2011 15:03: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary" , "Field (specific)" from "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters" to "Architecture"
Proposed translations
+1
6 mins
Andrew Mason
France
France
Native in English
France
Pharma, scientific, business translation
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
By a curious twist of fate
Just a thought
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "This read really well, so I chose this.
I don't think in this particular context that it is possible to stay close to the orignial meaning of chassée-croise, which according to the FR dictionary means a reversal of situation, so this seemed the best English solution.
I was wary of using the word irony. Many thanks to everyone for your help on this one. Some of the answers may work in different contexts."
+1
8 mins
Chris Pott
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
15 years working in continental Europe
Native in: English
Works in: Italian to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
turn of events
Fits but perhaps too general.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Theodora OB
2 mins
|
| neutral |
Pablo Strauss
: I wonder whether there are enough actual events here to make this the best choice.
49 mins
|
23 mins
changing of horses
Or something from: dithering, hesitation, indecision, beating-around-the -bush, and crossing over.
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Note added at 33 minutes (2011-11-25 14:52:58 GMT)
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How about TURNABOUT!
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Note added at 36 minutes (2011-11-25 14:56:18 GMT)
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or turnaround; via volte-face.
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Note added at 33 minutes (2011-11-25 14:52:58 GMT)
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How about TURNABOUT!
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Note added at 36 minutes (2011-11-25 14:56:18 GMT)
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or turnaround; via volte-face.
+1
46 mins
Martin Cassell
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
25 years as a specialist communicator
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
reversal of fortunes/of fate
.
Note from asker:
| This was a good one too, except that I didn't feel that fortune came into it and the usual expression is 'reversal of fortunes'. In another context it could well work. |
+3
55 mins
irony
It's ironic that...
The most abused word in EN actually seems to fit here.
The most abused word in EN actually seems to fit here.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marco Solinas
42 mins
|
| agree |
Andrew Mason
: I think this fits well.....
47 mins
|
| agree |
Catherine Gilsenan
10 hrs
|
1 hr
Jean-Claude Gouin
Canada
Canada
Native in French
Canada
Subscribe to my newsletter ...
Native in: French 
Works in: French to English, English to French, French, and 1 more.
comings and goings
* chassé-croisé, nom masculin
* pluriel: des chassés-croisés
* définition: mouvement de personnes qui se croisent sans
parvenir à se rencontrer
* anglais: comings and goings (toujours au pluriel)
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Note added at 1 heure (2011-11-25 15:31:29 GMT)
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Deuxième définition: Échange réciproque et simultané de deux
choses, deux situations ...
* pluriel: des chassés-croisés
* définition: mouvement de personnes qui se croisent sans
parvenir à se rencontrer
* anglais: comings and goings (toujours au pluriel)
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Note added at 1 heure (2011-11-25 15:31:29 GMT)
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Deuxième définition: Échange réciproque et simultané de deux
choses, deux situations ...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Martin Cassell
: don't see how this would fit the context
3 hrs
|
|
Neither do I ...
|
3 hrs
Verginia Ophof
Belize
Belize
Native in English
Belize
Near Native Proficiency in Source langua
Native in: English
Works in: Portuguese to English, Dutch to English, French to English
life can turn on a dime/sixpence
life is fleeting, it can turn on a dime and tables are turned.
"At cross-purpose (s)" also comes to mind
"At cross-purpose (s)" also comes to mind
+1
6 hrs
In an ironic twist
what it means
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: that came to mind immediately when i saw the question
1 day 13 mins
|
|
Thank you.
|
7 hrs
all the fun of the fair
Roll up, roll up, ladies and gents, see and smell our ferocious lions and tigers, marvel at the daring of the trapeze flyers, goggle at the bearded ladies ... http://www.cartes-france.com/cartesgrd/fbarbe.jpg
Not swings and roundabouts for me, but "a sort of see-saw movement" or even a "roller-coaster succession of events/phases".
Oh the grand old Duke of Lefebvre, he wrote an ignored book ... and when he was up it was down, and when he was down it was up ...
"Topsy-turvy" could be worked in too.
Not swings and roundabouts for me, but "a sort of see-saw movement" or even a "roller-coaster succession of events/phases".
Oh the grand old Duke of Lefebvre, he wrote an ignored book ... and when he was up it was down, and when he was down it was up ...
"Topsy-turvy" could be worked in too.
18 hrs
Conor McAuley
France
France
Native in English
France
Excellence, Expertise & Experience
Native in: English (Variants: Wales / Welsh, UK, Scottish, Irish, British)
Works in: French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
confluence of events
or
paradox
Due to...
paradox
Due to...
+1
15 mins
Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
www.lingocraft.co.uk
Native in: English (Variants: Irish, Singaporean, UK, South African, British, Scottish)
Works in: French to English, Italian to English, Romanian to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
19
as the tables curiously/strangely turned
This is from the expression, 'the tables turn'
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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2011-11-26 16:22:08 GMT)
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"turn the tables (on someone)
Fig. to cause a reversal in someone's plans; to make one's plans turn back on one. I went to Jane's house to help get ready for a surprise party for Bob. It turned out that the surprise party was for me! Jane really turned the tables on me! Turning the tables like that requires a lot of planning and a lot of secrecy.
turn the tables (on somebody/something)
to change a situation so that someone's position is the opposite of what it was She turned the tables by playing a better game and recently has won most of her matches. Hendricks turned the tables on the media when he borrowed a camera from a TV crew and started filming. Dan was always the one in trouble, but now the tables are turned and he's doing very well."
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/turn the tables
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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2011-11-26 16:22:08 GMT)
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"turn the tables (on someone)
Fig. to cause a reversal in someone's plans; to make one's plans turn back on one. I went to Jane's house to help get ready for a surprise party for Bob. It turned out that the surprise party was for me! Jane really turned the tables on me! Turning the tables like that requires a lot of planning and a lot of secrecy.
turn the tables (on somebody/something)
to change a situation so that someone's position is the opposite of what it was She turned the tables by playing a better game and recently has won most of her matches. Hendricks turned the tables on the media when he borrowed a camera from a TV crew and started filming. Dan was always the one in trouble, but now the tables are turned and he's doing very well."
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/turn the tables
2 days 2 hrs
strange/bizarre back-and-forth mentality (idea: What is it here? Do you like him or not?)
Hello,
The meaning here, imho: se dit des mouvements qui changent constamment de direction sans donner de résultat.
http://www.diction-naire.com/definition/chasse-croise.html
I really enjoyed his back and forth mentality, attempting to make up his mind and act, yet being held back by an unseen force--I feel like this often!
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-ebook/product-reviews/B004XJ50BI
I'm not sure that the other answerers are really getting at the essence of the French here.
curieux = strange/bizarre (before an adjective)
I hope this helps.
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Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2011-11-27 16:35:48 GMT)
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un chassé-croisé (here) = going everywhere or in opposite directions with the impression of going nowhere/or not to any real destination (movement in vain)
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Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2011-11-27 16:42:50 GMT)
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I thought of "all-over-the-place mentality", but since we're talking about "contradiction" (two attitudes), I would just opt for "back-and-forth".
The meaning here, imho: se dit des mouvements qui changent constamment de direction sans donner de résultat.
http://www.diction-naire.com/definition/chasse-croise.html
I really enjoyed his back and forth mentality, attempting to make up his mind and act, yet being held back by an unseen force--I feel like this often!
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-ebook/product-reviews/B004XJ50BI
I'm not sure that the other answerers are really getting at the essence of the French here.
curieux = strange/bizarre (before an adjective)
I hope this helps.
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Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2011-11-27 16:35:48 GMT)
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un chassé-croisé (here) = going everywhere or in opposite directions with the impression of going nowhere/or not to any real destination (movement in vain)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2011-11-27 16:42:50 GMT)
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I thought of "all-over-the-place mentality", but since we're talking about "contradiction" (two attitudes), I would just opt for "back-and-forth".
Discussion
... or half-way down, he met the barrel (of his influence) of coming up
http://bleatings.blogspot.com/2006/01/literary-brick-brickla...