This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English
  3. Poetry & Literature

autour de qui gravitaient de fait nombre de beaux esprits

English translation: around whom revolved many fine minds

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:autour de qui gravitaient de fait nombre de beaux esprits
English translation:around whom revolved many fine minds
Entered by: Paula Price

13:33 Mar 19, 2004
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
French term or phrase: autour de qui gravitaient de fait nombre de beaux esprits
Or, après avoir été longtemps idéalisé, le rôle d’Aliénor dans la vie littéraire de son époque a fait l’objet de récentes révisions, et l’étendue de son patronage, notamment sa qualité de commanditaire d’œuvres, a été revu à la baisse par certains, souvent au profit de son royal époux Henri II Plantagenêt, autour de qui gravitaient de fait nombre de beaux esprits.
Paula Price
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:32
around whom revolved consequently many fine minds.
Explanation:
en fait = consequently
gravitaient = revolved
Selected response from:

Hacene
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:32
Grading comment
Thanks a lot!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1who was in fact was surrounded by many fine minds
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
4 +1around which "de facto" swarmed (like planets) a lot of intellectuals
bistefano
4 +1around whom revolved consequently many fine minds.
Hacene
4Towards whom a number of talented minds were in fact attracted &rotated continuously
umsarah
3who in fact attracted many of the great wits of the day like moths to a flame
CMJ_Trans (X)
3who in fact attracted a constellation of witty minds
laurawheeler


  

Answers


38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
around which "de facto" swarmed (like planets) a lot of intellectuals


Explanation:
gravitaient (in metaphorical sense) = to always stay in the shadow of someone, with a dependancy link like that of planets gravitating around the sun.

"de fait" here means "de facto" like in juridic language.

"beaux esprits" = nice spirits (Lit.) are bright intellects


Bye

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2004-03-19 14:13:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

btw. nombre de = a lot of

bistefano
Local time: 08:32
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
7 mins
  -> Thanx :-)
neutral  Hacene: swarmed like bees?
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Towards whom a number of talented minds were in fact attracted &rotated continuously


Explanation:
Gravitaient gives the meaning of being attracted to a thing and also rotating around it without ever breaking free.

umsarah
Local time: 09:32
Native speaker of: Arabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Hacene: which not simply "revolving"
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
who in fact attracted many of the great wits of the day like moths to a flame


Explanation:
who was always surrounded by...
if you want to be more prosaic

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 08:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 94

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Hacene: en fait does not mean in fact
4 hrs
  -> I have doubts too but I checked it out
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
who in fact attracted a constellation of witty minds


Explanation:
.

laurawheeler
France
Local time: 08:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Hacene: en fait does not mean in fact
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
who was in fact was surrounded by many fine minds


Explanation:
beaux esprits= fine minds....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 6 mins (2004-03-19 18:40:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

only one was, sorry

FINAL: who was in fact surrounded by many fine minds

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 7 mins (2004-03-19 18:41:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

OR
around whom in fact many fine minds gravitated....

perfectly acceptable in more academic-sounding texts

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 80

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Hacene: sorry Jane, but in this context "en fait" does not mean in fact
23 mins
agree  Cynthia Johnson (X): As a medieval historian and academic myself, I think Jane's answer sounds best.
2284 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
around whom revolved consequently many fine minds.


Explanation:
en fait = consequently
gravitaient = revolved

Hacene
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:32
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Thanks a lot!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cynthia Johnson (X): sorry, can't agree with revolved here, sounds very strange also for meaning. surrounded is better
2284 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search