Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
je m'en veux d'avoir arraché à...
English translation:
I resent having wrenched or wrenching ...
Added to glossary by
Bianca Jacobsohn
Oct 1, 2005 14:29
18 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term
France
Finance & Energy // French & English
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, English to French
je m'en veux d'avoir arraché à...
Homework / test
French to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Hello,
I'm struggling to grasp the meaning (and tense) of this phrase. It is a writer describing how he "sketches" his characters. Some context:
"J'ai tracé ainsi des portraits. Et après, je m'en veux d'avoir arraché à l'intimité et à l'anonymat des visages, des paroles, des regards. De quel droit m'y suis-je autorisé?"
I have an idea of what it might be, though I'm really not confident: ...I am determined to tear myself away from the intimacy, etc...
TIA for your thoughts
I'm struggling to grasp the meaning (and tense) of this phrase. It is a writer describing how he "sketches" his characters. Some context:
"J'ai tracé ainsi des portraits. Et après, je m'en veux d'avoir arraché à l'intimité et à l'anonymat des visages, des paroles, des regards. De quel droit m'y suis-je autorisé?"
I have an idea of what it might be, though I'm really not confident: ...I am determined to tear myself away from the intimacy, etc...
TIA for your thoughts
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 +1 | I resent having wrenched or wrenching a,b,c from z |
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
|
| 3 +4 | I blame myself for having stolen ... |
JCEC
|
| 5 | I hate myself for having |
Maria Constant (X)
|
| 3 +1 | I hate myself for having taken away their anonymity and intimity |
DocteurPC
|
| 3 +1 | I feel bad about snatching/having snatched |
sporran
|
| 4 | I'm angry at myself for... |
Maria Karra
|
| 4 -2 | I wanted to extract from them... |
Besmir (X)
|
Change log
Oct 1, 2005 16:30: Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X) changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Proposed translations
+1
1 hr
French term (edited):
je m'en veux d'avoir arrach� �...
Selected
I resent having wrenched or wrenching a,b,c from z
it's just resent, period. And I suggest everyone think about why....:)
The reason: one can have resentment against oneself....
cheers
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Note added at 2 hrs 1 min (2005-10-01 16:31:22 GMT)
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This is does not mean hate....not
Better: I resent having had to wrench...
it's the idea of resenting something you feel you had to do
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Note added at 2 hrs 3 mins (2005-10-01 16:33:40 GMT)
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Et après, je m'en veux d'avoir arraché à l'intimité et à l'anonymat des visages, des paroles, des regards. De quel droit m'y suis-je autorisé?"
And afterwards, I resent having wrenched the faces, words and gazes out of their intimacy and anonymity.
The reason: one can have resentment against oneself....
cheers
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 1 min (2005-10-01 16:31:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
This is does not mean hate....not
Better: I resent having had to wrench...
it's the idea of resenting something you feel you had to do
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 3 mins (2005-10-01 16:33:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Et après, je m'en veux d'avoir arraché à l'intimité et à l'anonymat des visages, des paroles, des regards. De quel droit m'y suis-je autorisé?"
And afterwards, I resent having wrenched the faces, words and gazes out of their intimacy and anonymity.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Resent fits best in my text. Thanks, Jane!"
12 mins
French term (edited):
je m'en veux d'avoir arrach� �...
I hate myself for having
I hate myself for having seized faces, words and glances from their privacy and anonymity.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Richard Hedger
: don't you think hate is too strong a term
3 mins
|
| neutral |
Besmir (X)
: Not "hate" though because he is doubtfull, but beautiful construction though.
7 mins
|
| neutral |
Olivia MAHÉ
: He's angry with himself
10 mins
|
-2
8 mins
French term (edited):
je m'en veux d'avoir arrach� �...
I wanted to extract from them...
"And right after that, I wanted to extract from them the intimacy...."
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Note added at 17 mins (2005-10-01 14:47:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry: "I have wanted to extract from them..."
Basically, I think that he is reflecting on what he should have done while painting them. He wanted to have a painting for what it is, free of his emotional interference with his models, and vice versa. He is aware that he was involved with his models on one or another level of emotional communication, but he is sorry now that his paintings don't represent it. :-)
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Note added at 17 mins (2005-10-01 14:47:32 GMT)
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Sorry: "I have wanted to extract from them..."
Basically, I think that he is reflecting on what he should have done while painting them. He wanted to have a painting for what it is, free of his emotional interference with his models, and vice versa. He is aware that he was involved with his models on one or another level of emotional communication, but he is sorry now that his paintings don't represent it. :-)
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Richard Hedger
: the meaning is one of regret - "s'en vouloir"
8 mins
|
|
Yes, definetely, but I implied it in my explanation and by my linguistic construction, did I not?
|
|
| disagree |
Olivia MAHÉ
: It means he feels angry//He feels resentment against himself for having created characters who now will have to live, let's say a "public" life. He feels responsible for exhibiting their intimacy - a reflection on the omnipotence of the creator...
8 mins
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|
Is this a comment to my explanation of his state of mind or linguistic construction? Yes, but ur not commenting on my language, but on my explanation of philosophies, why not put "neutral" then?
|
+1
1 hr
French term (edited):
je m'en veux d'avoir arrach� �...
I hate myself for having taken away their anonymity and intimity
you could also use grab from
but I prefer taken away
but I prefer taken away
+4
1 hr
French term (edited):
je m'en veux d'avoir arrach� �...
I blame myself for having stolen ...
-
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Olivia MAHÉ
: blame sounds good
21 mins
|
|
Thanks
|
|
| agree |
DocteurPC
: si "hate" est trop fort (ma réponse et celle de Maria) blame myself sounds good
23 mins
|
| agree |
Georges Tocco
2 hrs
|
| agree |
mportal
: this sounds very good, although isn't the meaning slightly stronger than 'en vouloir'?
16 hrs
|
+1
3 hrs
French term (edited):
je m'en veux d'avoir arrach� �...
I feel bad about snatching/having snatched
une autre suggestion
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
mportal
: this is more informal than 'blame', but, to me, gives the exact meaning
15 hrs
|
|
thanks mportal !
|
3 hrs
Maria Karra
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
Engineer & Linguist
Native in: English , Greek
Works in: Greek to English, English to Greek, French to English, and 5 more.
French term (edited):
je m'en veux d'avoir arrach� �...
I'm angry at myself for...
I always think of "je m'en veux" as "I'm angry at myself"; I don't think it's as strong as "I hate myself", but on the other hand we use this last phrase so often in every-day language that it doesn't seem to have such a strong meaning any more. Still, in this context I'd rather use "I'm angry at myself". I also like Jane's suggestion (I voted for that answer).
Discussion