Apr 5, 2010 12:49
14 yrs ago
French term
Canada
contaminées à leur tour
French to English
Science
Nuclear Eng/Sci
Nuclear Waste Management
"à son tour" is not the real problem, but the "lynchpin" in a sentence I am having difficulty with. I feel that the French grammar is ambiguous.
I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks
Une telle méthode permet l’élimination des composés organiques contenus dans les huiles contaminées par des radionucléides*** et autres matières organiques contaminées à leur tour par divers produits chimiques.***
My proposal is ***otherwise contaminated organic compounds.***
In this reading the oil in question can be contaminated by a)radionuclides or b)otherwise contaminated organic compounds. My otherwise is (rather weakly) standing in for "contaminated by a range of chemicals" under the assumption that the word "contaminated" implies chemicals. I have a feeling there might be a better solution out there...
I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks
Une telle méthode permet l’élimination des composés organiques contenus dans les huiles contaminées par des radionucléides*** et autres matières organiques contaminées à leur tour par divers produits chimiques.***
My proposal is ***otherwise contaminated organic compounds.***
In this reading the oil in question can be contaminated by a)radionuclides or b)otherwise contaminated organic compounds. My otherwise is (rather weakly) standing in for "contaminated by a range of chemicals" under the assumption that the word "contaminated" implies chemicals. I have a feeling there might be a better solution out there...
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
5 hrs
Selected
and
I don't think you need to translate "à leur tour" literally here.
It seem to me that all they're saying is that this method eliminates two things:
A) organic compounds in contaminated oil
B) organic materials contaminated by various chemicals
"À leur tour" just serves to emphasize the distinction between A and B. They've used "à leur tour" in French because in one case it's the oil that's contaminated and in the other the organic materials, so it's partially turned around in the second case, but "in turn" doesn't really fit in this context in English. I think you could just translate it as "A and B" ("This method eliminates organic compounds contained in radionuclide-contaminated oil and organic materials contaminated by various chemicals").
It seem to me that all they're saying is that this method eliminates two things:
A) organic compounds in contaminated oil
B) organic materials contaminated by various chemicals
"À leur tour" just serves to emphasize the distinction between A and B. They've used "à leur tour" in French because in one case it's the oil that's contaminated and in the other the organic materials, so it's partially turned around in the second case, but "in turn" doesn't really fit in this context in English. I think you could just translate it as "A and B" ("This method eliminates organic compounds contained in radionuclide-contaminated oil and organic materials contaminated by various chemicals").
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you, John. I also didn't want to use "in turn," but the sentence you came up with was better than mine. I appreciate the help. "
+5
13 mins
chris collister
France
France
Native in English
France
precision engineer, precision translator
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
55
contaminated in their turn
" and other organic materials contaminated in their turn by various chemical products". Pretty much a straight translation of the source text. The idea is that the oils have become radioactive, whereas the other organic materials (NB NOT compounds: a "material" (eg cotton overalls) is often a mix of many compounds (composés))) have been contaminated by (probably toxic) chemicals, not necessarily radioactive.
I think "otherwise" does not convey the right emphasis.
I think "otherwise" does not convey the right emphasis.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
SueE
: snap!
1 min
|
|
crackle...!
|
|
| agree |
Mark Nathan
5 mins
|
| agree |
philgoddard
22 mins
|
| agree |
Claire Cox
4 hrs
|
| neutral |
Chris Hall
: "in turn" sounds neater to me.
4 hrs
|
| agree |
imatahan
11 hrs
|
+3
14 mins
contaminated in turn
I may be missing the point you are trying to make, but I would suggest something along the lines of:
"...and other organic matter contaminated in turn by miscellaneous chemicals".
In other words, which has itself been contaminated by a variety of chemicals.
I think the "matières organiques" in the second part of the sentence is unrelated to the "composés organiques" in the first part. I see the whole thing as rather a knock-on effect, hence the "in turn".
"...and other organic matter contaminated in turn by miscellaneous chemicals".
In other words, which has itself been contaminated by a variety of chemicals.
I think the "matières organiques" in the second part of the sentence is unrelated to the "composés organiques" in the first part. I see the whole thing as rather a knock-on effect, hence the "in turn".
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Chris Hall
1 hr
|
|
Thanks Chris
|
|
| agree |
Bourth (X)
: Yes, you have "direct" and "indirect" contamination. Were the autres matières organiques not contaminated (in turn), they would not contaminate the oil.
2 hrs
|
|
Precisely! Thank you.
|
|
| agree |
Claire Cox
: Yes, or even which have also been contaminated by various...
4 hrs
|
|
Thanks Claire
|
+1
4 hrs
margaret caulfield
Native in English
Accurate, natural and very hard-working
Native in: English 
, Spanish
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, French to English, and 3 more.
and, in turn, other organic materials/substances contaminated (by different...)
I would not use "otherwise" here, for this would mean that these materials have been contaminated in a different way, which is not the case.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2010-04-05 17:27:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
P.S. Sorry to send this so late!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2010-04-05 17:27:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
P.S. Sorry to send this so late!
5 hrs
Wendy Cummings
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
The highest professional standards
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English
other organic substances which in turn are contaminated by
Just a different word order suggestion.
Something went wrong...