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édifiant

English translation: awe-inspiring / staggering

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:édifiant
English translation:awe-inspiring / staggering
Entered by: Sheila Hardie

11:28 Mar 18, 2006
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Geography / Algeria - mountains
French term or phrase: édifiant
Le Nord de l’Algérie est caractérisé par une série de chaînes de montagnes d’orientation Sud-Ouest - Nord Est. La plus septentrionale correspond à l’Atlas Tellien et la plus méridionale à l’Atlas Saharien. Elles se rejoignent en un massif connu sous le nom de massif des Aurès. Quelques grandes montagnes sont ***édifiantes***. Ce sont d’Ouest en Est l’Ouarsenis, l’Atlas Blidéen, le massif du Djurdjura, les Monts Babors et Tababort (Figure 1).

I am not sure if 'édifiantes' should be translated as 'enlightening' or 'edifying' here or if they perhaps mean something else.

Many thanks in advance,


Sheila
Sheila Hardie
Spain
Local time: 09:08
awe inspiring -or- staggering
Explanation:
I feel that perhaps one of these conveys the sense of "edifiant" more, don't you think?
Selected response from:

Leveleki
France
Local time: 09:08
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone for the answers and comments. In the end, I went along with awe-inspiring - I agree that it seems a strange use of 'édifiant'!


Sheila
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2awe inspiring -or- staggering
Leveleki
3 +1awe-inspiring
sergey (X)
2revealing (or illustrative of...)
iol


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
awe inspiring -or- staggering


Explanation:
I feel that perhaps one of these conveys the sense of "edifiant" more, don't you think?

Leveleki
France
Local time: 09:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 6
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone for the answers and comments. In the end, I went along with awe-inspiring - I agree that it seems a strange use of 'édifiant'!


Sheila

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  sergey (X): i was too slow ...
7 mins
agree  Dr Sue Levy (X): or "particularly impressive" - strange use of "édifiant"!
25 mins
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
?difiant
awe-inspiring


Explanation:
mountains are often awe-inspiring|

sergey (X)
Local time: 08:08

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alina Barrow: the author appears to be talking about a range of mountains 'developed' or 'built up' (edifiant) together. first sentence tells all. Characterised by a series of mountain chains.
50 mins
  -> agree :-)
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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
revealing (or illustrative of...)


Explanation:
I believe this is an improper use of the word "edifiant" unless if comes after some geological description of the mountains. In that case it should mean that they illustrate some feature which has already been described.

iol
France
Local time: 09:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
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