Re: Help with French translation

[Willem-Jan Markerink <w.j.markerink@a1.nl>]

On 17 Jun 97 at 15:52, Jim Brick wrote:

> At 05:56 AM 6/18/97 +0800, you wrote:
> >Hi
> >
> >Thanks for the various inputs from LUG members concerning the German
> >translation. Now I really require the French translation for this sentence,
> >preferably in its most elegant style of usage.
> >
> >           "These photos are taken by my father."
> >
> >
> >I can assure all our French speaking LUG members that many of the pictures
> >concerned were indeed made with a leica.  TIA.
> >
> >Dan Khong
> >
> 
> I've been following this translation thread. What bothers me is that I
> believe the ENGLISH is wrong. How can you translate incorrect English into
> another language and do it correctly? You said it in your last sentence, "I
> can assure all our French speaking LUG members that many of the pictures
> concerned WERE indeed made with a leica." You are asking to translate
> "these photographs" which obviously WERE taken earlier than the present
> moment, but you say ARE taken by my father. ARE is the present moment. I am
> not an English intellect but I have spoken English all of my life and this
> just does not compute. It should be "These photos WERE (implying a past
> action) taken by my father." Am I wrong??? Webster says:

I pondered about that too....the better expression is 'are being 
taken', but that can only apply to a picture *showing* the father 
actually taking a photo, but not the one on the web.
Unless he shoots in a mirror of course....:-))


- -- 
Bye,

Willem-Jan Markerink


      The desire to understand 
is sometimes far less intelligent than
     the inability to understand


<w.j.markerink@a1.nl>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]