Pouvez vous m'aider? (translation issue) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

shannon · 07-10-2004, 09:42 AM

hello lovely bilingual canadians

i have been contemplating getting a tattoo recently. i heard a saying that i really liked. i wanted to get it in french, because my grandmother was french and it means more to me than any other language. however, i haven't spoken french much in a while, and i was wondering if i could get your input on translations to help ensure that i get it translated properly. i don't want to have a tattoo that does not represent what i'm trying to get across, you know? and i thought it was important that it was approved by some actual francophones.
the saying is "love fate". to give context, it means, to me, to embrace what comes to you and what life brings you.
i was thinking it would be "aimez le sort" perhaps. i didn't really know the word sort before, but it came up in dictionaries.
i'm not sure about putting "le sort" or if i should just have "aimer sort". le just makes it seem more like an object to me. aimez sort sounds a bit like enjoying leaving to me...maybe that's just me.
also, i'm not sure that aimer captures the love correctly. adorer seems a little to over the top, but aimer seems a little too light. i think of aimer as "like" in english, but maybe it can be closer to love, i'm not sure.
any input is appreciated. and i won't be getting any ink for a bit yet, so don't worry that you might cause any rash decisions or anything like that.
thanks

laughter · 07-10-2004, 01:20 PM

"Embrassez le destin" translates to 'embrace fate', which seems to be about what you're going for.

I wouldn't use 'aimer' though. It has a different meaning in French than in English.

shannon · 07-12-2004, 09:00 AM

yeah, that's what i thought. aimer wasn't sitting all that well with me. thanks for the suggestion.

07-10-2004, 09:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
shannon Psycho Location: Canada	Pouvez vous m'aider? (translation issue) hello lovely bilingual canadians i have been contemplating getting a tattoo recently. i heard a saying that i really liked. i wanted to get it in french, because my grandmother was french and it means more to me than any other language. however, i haven't spoken french much in a while, and i was wondering if i could get your input on translations to help ensure that i get it translated properly. i don't want to have a tattoo that does not represent what i'm trying to get across, you know? and i thought it was important that it was approved by some actual francophones. the saying is "love fate". to give context, it means, to me, to embrace what comes to you and what life brings you. i was thinking it would be "aimez le sort" perhaps. i didn't really know the word sort before, but it came up in dictionaries. i'm not sure about putting "le sort" or if i should just have "aimer sort". le just makes it seem more like an object to me. aimez sort sounds a bit like enjoying leaving to me...maybe that's just me. also, i'm not sure that aimer captures the love correctly. adorer seems a little to over the top, but aimer seems a little too light. i think of aimer as "like" in english, but maybe it can be closer to love, i'm not sure. any input is appreciated. and i won't be getting any ink for a bit yet, so don't worry that you might cause any rash decisions or anything like that. thanks __________________ "When I look down I just miss all the good stuff. And when I look up I just trip over things"

07-10-2004, 01:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
laughter Tilted Location: Canada's capital, eh	"Embrassez le destin" translates to 'embrace fate', which seems to be about what you're going for. I wouldn't use 'aimer' though. It has a different meaning in French than in English. __________________ "Laughter is nothing else but a sudden glory arising from some sudden conception of some eminency in ourselves, by comparison with the infirmity of others, or with our own formerly." -Thomas Hobbes

07-12-2004, 09:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
shannon Psycho Location: Canada	yeah, that's what i thought. aimer wasn't sitting all that well with me. thanks for the suggestion. __________________ "When I look down I just miss all the good stuff. And when I look up I just trip over things"