Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
la tonalité opératoire
English translation:
the strictly functional nature
Added to glossary by
Carol Gullidge
Aug 1, 2007 11:58
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
United Kingdom
poetically precise prose with... panache
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English
la tonalité opératoire
French to English
Social Sciences
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
dysfunctional families/domestic violence
My hunch is that "opératoire" is talking in this context (twice) about a climate of control/power struggle - simply because it seems to fit, and not because I have any real idea...
Any clues from the experts would be very welcome!
TIA
... ce sont des familles où l’on ne se parle pas, presque toutes expriment le regret de n’avoir pu échanger avec leurs parents, le fait de s’être senties pendant leur enfance et leur adolescence seules et désemparées.
Cette problématique de la survie explique en partie ***** la tonalité opératoire *****, aux antipodes de la passion et a fortiori de l’amour, que revêtent certaines relations dont il est question ici. ...
Quand la relation n’est pas présentée comme opératoire, et donc comporte une tonalité amoureuse,...
Any clues from the experts would be very welcome!
TIA
... ce sont des familles où l’on ne se parle pas, presque toutes expriment le regret de n’avoir pu échanger avec leurs parents, le fait de s’être senties pendant leur enfance et leur adolescence seules et désemparées.
Cette problématique de la survie explique en partie ***** la tonalité opératoire *****, aux antipodes de la passion et a fortiori de l’amour, que revêtent certaines relations dont il est question ici. ...
Quand la relation n’est pas présentée comme opératoire, et donc comporte une tonalité amoureuse,...
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +7 | some ideas..... |
CMJ_Trans (X)
|
| 3 +2 | operational/clinical tone/note |
suezen
|
| 3 | emotionally dead /void |
veratek
|
Proposed translations
+7
9 mins
Selected
some ideas.....
purely functional nature, business-like/unemotional nature
Cette problématique de la survie explique en partie ***** la tonalité opératoire *****, aux antipodes de la passion et a fortiori de l’amour, que revêtent certaines relations dont il est question ici. ...
Ths whole issue of survival goes part of the way towards explaining the workmanlike/functional/flat style of some of the relationships described here, a world away from the notion of passionate and, by extension, loving relationships
This is a very rough quick translation but it is in this direction that you should be looking.
There may be a specific term - this is just in case nobody suggests one
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Note added at 10 mins (2007-08-01 12:09:20 GMT)
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in other words, I think you were barking up the wrong tree....
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Note added at 37 mins (2007-08-01 12:36:06 GMT)
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mechanical
pedestrian
still thinking - though actually trying to write an article in French, so don't expect miracles
Cette problématique de la survie explique en partie ***** la tonalité opératoire *****, aux antipodes de la passion et a fortiori de l’amour, que revêtent certaines relations dont il est question ici. ...
Ths whole issue of survival goes part of the way towards explaining the workmanlike/functional/flat style of some of the relationships described here, a world away from the notion of passionate and, by extension, loving relationships
This is a very rough quick translation but it is in this direction that you should be looking.
There may be a specific term - this is just in case nobody suggests one
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2007-08-01 12:09:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
in other words, I think you were barking up the wrong tree....
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Note added at 37 mins (2007-08-01 12:36:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
mechanical
pedestrian
still thinking - though actually trying to write an article in French, so don't expect miracles
Note from asker:
| thanks, CMJ! I hadn't thought of that interpretation, as the situation highly-charged with violence, but I see that it is a perfectly valid way of looking at it... And I thought this was going to be straightforward! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
suezen
: yes, along these lines ... don't know why your answer wasn't there when I looked before
12 mins
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|
at least we have the same basic idea
|
|
| agree |
Julie Barber
: although you'd have to be careful with the word 'functional' given that we're talking about dysfunctional families.... ;-)
1 hr
|
| agree |
cristina estanislau
: purely functional nature
1 hr
|
| agree |
veratek
: "purely functional nature" -> I also thought was best - I'm not really enthused with veering towards anything business/clinical/professional
2 hrs
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| agree |
Mark Nathan
2 hrs
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| agree |
sporran
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Emma Paulay
: with mechanical - esp. for the second occurence
5 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks, CMJ! Pending a response from the author (on holiday?), this is what I'll use. Whatever the outcome, your "barking up the wrong tree" comment was most helpful!"
2 hrs
emotionally dead /void
I suggest the above for a variation, a second occurrence of the term, for example, after using "purely functional nature" a first time.
note: just to my ears (not a professional note), the use of clinical applied to a relationship between a parent and a child in this context sounds too professionalized but not precisely expressing the very lack of emotion. For example, "the farmer had a clinical relationship with his son" wouldn't convey clearly what I read in French -- maybe it's just me.
note: just to my ears (not a professional note), the use of clinical applied to a relationship between a parent and a child in this context sounds too professionalized but not precisely expressing the very lack of emotion. For example, "the farmer had a clinical relationship with his son" wouldn't convey clearly what I read in French -- maybe it's just me.
+2
21 mins
operational/clinical tone/note
I think they're talking about the way the person is talking about the relationship in a matter of fact way, without emotion, at the opposite end of the spectrum to the relationship based on love or even with a modicum of love involved.
The relationship has been severely damaged by the behaviour and lack of love that has grown out of it.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-08-01 14:34:11 GMT)
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other options could include dispassionate or (coldly) detached. The definition of clinical BTW is efficient and coldly detached which certainly fits in with the idea of operative
The relationship has been severely damaged by the behaviour and lack of love that has grown out of it.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-08-01 14:34:11 GMT)
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other options could include dispassionate or (coldly) detached. The definition of clinical BTW is efficient and coldly detached which certainly fits in with the idea of operative
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
veratek
: definitely not clinical - but agree with your explanation (w/o emotion etc)
1 hr
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wonder if dispassionate would be moving too far from original ... see further note on clinical
|
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| agree |
Sheila Wilson
: For me, clinical is the best word for it
1 hr
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thanks Sheila
|
|
| agree |
Emma Paulay
: Clinical is closest to "opératoire" IMO
5 hrs
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thanks Emma
|
Discussion