Nov 26, 2021 16:43
2 yrs ago
49 viewers *
French term
se creuse
French to English
Other
Architecture
The write-up I’m translating is about a large university building. How would you translate 'se creuse' in this sentence?
La matière se creuse, filtre la lumière, s’ouvre sur le jardin : un « monolithe » à la fois simple et complexe apparaît.
Here's the sentence in context:
Le plein et le vide installent un poids, une temporalité dans le site par creusement, évidements successifs et par perméabilité. La matière se creuse, filtre la lumière, s’ouvre sur le jardin : un « monolithe » à la fois simple et complexe apparaît.
Thanks.
La matière se creuse, filtre la lumière, s’ouvre sur le jardin : un « monolithe » à la fois simple et complexe apparaît.
Here's the sentence in context:
Le plein et le vide installent un poids, une temporalité dans le site par creusement, évidements successifs et par perméabilité. La matière se creuse, filtre la lumière, s’ouvre sur le jardin : un « monolithe » à la fois simple et complexe apparaît.
Thanks.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
2 hrs
Selected
is hollowed out / is set back
I have not studied the pictures yet, but on a purely linguistic level, I would interpret it rather along these lines.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2021-11-27 09:34:20 GMT)
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OK, I see now — bits of the building stick out, and other bits are indented.
As I suspected, 'la matière' is not any kind of 'material', but just the 'substance' or 'body' of this rather boring box-like structure that they are try to talk up to being something æsthetically pleasing!
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Note added at 16 hrs (2021-11-27 09:34:20 GMT)
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OK, I see now — bits of the building stick out, and other bits are indented.
As I suspected, 'la matière' is not any kind of 'material', but just the 'substance' or 'body' of this rather boring box-like structure that they are try to talk up to being something æsthetically pleasing!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
philgoddard
19 mins
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Thanks, Phil!
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| agree |
Andrew Bramhall
: Tony hits the bullseye once again!
1 hr
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Thanks Oliver! Most kind :-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
8 mins
Sarah Smith
United States
United States
Native in French
United States
Native in: French 
Works in: French to English, English to French, Arabic to English, and 2 more.
deepens
creux et creuser sont différente de se frayer un chemin
1 hr
Johannes Gleim
Works in field
40 years Engineer, 20 years translations
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German to English, French to German, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
widening
Unsure, whether this virtual interpretetion will convey the correct meaning, but it may work:
The volume and void create a structure and temporality on the site through widening, successive recesses and permeability. The material is hollowed out, filters the light, and opens onto the garden: a "monolith" appears that is both simple and complex.
The volume and void create a structure and temporality on the site through widening, successive recesses and permeability. The material is hollowed out, filters the light, and opens onto the garden: a "monolith" appears that is both simple and complex.
+1
48 mins
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
(the material) is hollowed/dug through
https://context.reverso.net/translation/french-english/creus...
So that the light can filter through.
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Note added at 56 mins (2021-11-26 17:39:27 GMT)
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"the building material"
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Note added at 2 hrs (2021-11-26 18:45:23 GMT)
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Yes, I agree with some of the others that "hallowed OUT" would be preferable.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2021-11-26 18:46:14 GMT)
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Whoops, I meant "hOllowed out", of course.
So that the light can filter through.
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Note added at 56 mins (2021-11-26 17:39:27 GMT)
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"the building material"
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Note added at 2 hrs (2021-11-26 18:45:23 GMT)
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Yes, I agree with some of the others that "hallowed OUT" would be preferable.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2021-11-26 18:46:14 GMT)
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Whoops, I meant "hOllowed out", of course.
1 day 9 hrs
is scored out
Second attempt based on Cyril's reference in the discussion with pictures
5 days
a recess forms ...
... in the material, filtering the light, opening on to the garden.
Having looked at the planning documents I was disappointed... I thought it meant something more floaty and flowery, something of a speciality with architects, especially French and Italian ones. But according to the diagram it appears that they are in fact starting with a block and then hollowing it out (unless those diagrams refer merely to a conceptual "becoming" of the building ...).
Because it is an architectural thing I think we have to use something more consistent with the floaty, pretentious style of the French than "is hollowed out". Language, in short, that comes across as slightly ludicrous.
NB The fact that it is the matière which filters the light, etc., not the recess, is immaterial in the context.
Having looked at the planning documents I was disappointed... I thought it meant something more floaty and flowery, something of a speciality with architects, especially French and Italian ones. But according to the diagram it appears that they are in fact starting with a block and then hollowing it out (unless those diagrams refer merely to a conceptual "becoming" of the building ...).
Because it is an architectural thing I think we have to use something more consistent with the floaty, pretentious style of the French than "is hollowed out". Language, in short, that comes across as slightly ludicrous.
NB The fact that it is the matière which filters the light, etc., not the recess, is immaterial in the context.
Discussion
http://www.amiante.eu.org/Autres/Vinci/Documents/PC-M6A1-sca...
I too see it more figuratively and where for instance, Robert says in this discussion
"Hollowed out seems right, Tony. They started with a single block, then cut away parts to arrive at the final form."
I'm not convinced.
The verb is passive. Nobody has literally hollowed out the material as far as we know.
The whole passage is surely to be taken more figuratively IMHO
But still a bit vague I think.
But without seeing actual images of this building, it's almost impossible to try and describe what is intended here.