Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
dispersion
English translation:
self-fragmentation
Added to glossary by
Helen Shiner
Sep 4, 2009 13:45
14 yrs ago
4 viewers *
French term
dispersion
French to English
Art/Literary
Philosophy
This occurs in a text about St. Augustine.
Ce qui sépare l'homme de la manifestation divine en laquelle résident sa béatitude et sa fin, Augustin le pense comme différence radicale de la créature au Créateur, mais que le péché a encore aggravée, faisant d'elle un abîme infranchissable. L'homme diffère désormais selon les modes de la dissemblance, du refus, de la dispersion, de l'atermoiement et du regard. Une phénoménologie de la différence augustinienne ne doit pas reculer devant le recours au terme derridien de "différance", seul à même de rendre compte du mouvement de différer qui fait toute la vie de l'ego ainsi envisagé.
My client tells me that this is 'dispersion de soi', a sort of equivalent of the loss of self and a descent into 'le multiple'. Has anybody got any good ideas about how I might render this? In my view 'dispersal' alone will not work.
Ce qui sépare l'homme de la manifestation divine en laquelle résident sa béatitude et sa fin, Augustin le pense comme différence radicale de la créature au Créateur, mais que le péché a encore aggravée, faisant d'elle un abîme infranchissable. L'homme diffère désormais selon les modes de la dissemblance, du refus, de la dispersion, de l'atermoiement et du regard. Une phénoménologie de la différence augustinienne ne doit pas reculer devant le recours au terme derridien de "différance", seul à même de rendre compte du mouvement de différer qui fait toute la vie de l'ego ainsi envisagé.
My client tells me that this is 'dispersion de soi', a sort of equivalent of the loss of self and a descent into 'le multiple'. Has anybody got any good ideas about how I might render this? In my view 'dispersal' alone will not work.
Proposed translations
(English)
3 | fragmentation | John Detre |
4 | dissipation | Constantinos Faridis (X) |
4 | self-dispersion | Gabrielle Leyden |
3 | modes of distraction | MatthewLaSon |
References
Augustine & dispersion de soi | Gabrielle Leyden |
Proposed translations
16 mins
Selected
fragmentation
possibly
Note from asker:
Thanks, John, for putting me on the right track. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for pointing me in the right direction."
8 mins
dissipation
dispersion
nf [+débris, objets] scattering
[+efforts] dissipation
Translation French - English Collins Dictionary
Note from asker:
Thank you for your answer, Constantinos, but I am afraid 'dissipation' sounds like descent into drink, drugs and loose women! Scattering of the self might work, but I was hoping for something else since this is not very clear either. |
1 hr
modes of distraction
Hello,
Doing too many things at one time...not focused enough
I know that in French when you say "dispersion" in everyday language, it probably means that someone is focused on too many things at one time (arrêtez la dispersion = Get more focused)
"La dispersion d'esprit" is what, I believe, is being referred to here.
I hope this helps.
Doing too many things at one time...not focused enough
I know that in French when you say "dispersion" in everyday language, it probably means that someone is focused on too many things at one time (arrêtez la dispersion = Get more focused)
"La dispersion d'esprit" is what, I believe, is being referred to here.
I hope this helps.
Note from asker:
This is a good thought - I will suggest a variety of solutions to my client and see which he prefers. |
7 hrs
self-dispersion
It would appear to be the same term in English theological and philosophical writings: a scattering of oneself in all directions. Check out other references to Saint Augustine and dispersion versus unicity of the self. Unfortunately, I don't have "The Confessions" here.
Fragmentation does not seem right. Client happiness is not always the solution!
Fragmentation does not seem right. Client happiness is not always the solution!
Example sentence:
In addition to Bergson, St. Augustine of Hippo, in the Confessions, .... of real or pretended self-dispersion, or national and historical catastrophes
Reference:
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/research_in_african_literatures/v039/39.1eze.html
Note from asker:
Thanks, Gabrielle, for your assistance. My client is the author of the text and an expert in the field, so if he is happy, and he is very precise about language, English included, I am happy. It does look as if your 'self-dispersion' is used, as, indeed, is 'self-fragmentation' in similar contexts. Clearly Augustine was writing in Latin so there are a variety of ways of rendering the original phrase. I was unable to get very far with the link you give here unfortunately - the usual subscription issue. But I am grateful for your prompt to check the academic literature which has confirmed 'self-fragmentation', too, which seems clearer to me than 'self-dispersion'. Your reference material below is also great, so thanks very much indeed for taking the time to submit this information. |
Reference comments
6 hrs
Discussion