schevallier Dec 1, 2010:

@ FX : Come to think of it... not extremely well written, to say the least...
what you say makes perfect sense! you're absolutely right even though what they meant by "once" remains a mystery to me

FX Fraipont (X) Dec 1, 2010:

@Kashew No, that is not possible.
You would need "Once the response has been analysed , .... [main clause].
There is only one clause here.
The passage is not extremely well written, but I think the meaning is fairly clear: "the number of NGO's being limited, the only option is to stick with the one you've got, even if you are not fully satisfied".

kashew Dec 1, 2010:

No typo! The article is missing after once.

kashew Dec 1, 2010:

No typo! The article is missing after once.

Damien Lacroix (asker) Dec 1, 2010:

I agree that it is over-interpretation, Tony, but I can't help feeling that with the translation "une solution est de...", the reader will wonder: so, what are the other options? But actually, the next sentence in the document is unrelated. Euqinimod's suggestion makes sense to me too.

Tony M Nov 30, 2010:

one response I don't quite agree with Damien; "the only response..." is by no means the only way this could be interpreted.

"Faced with a shortage of potential partners, one response is... simply to stick with the partners you've already got"

Makes perfect sense, even though the telegraphed nature of the source text doesn't help comprehension.

I think to assume "the only" amounts to over-interpretation, and runs the grave risk of putting words into the author's mouth.

Euqinimod (X) Nov 30, 2010:

Isn't it a transcript? It might be "hence" instead of "once", meaning "par voie de conséquence". Reading "once" as a typo for "one" or for "only" gives a sentence with a faulty, or at least awkward, structure.

Damien Lacroix (asker) Nov 30, 2010:

En fait, au lieu de "one response", on attend plutôt "the only response", puisqu'il n'y en a aucune autre possible (la seule solution, c'est de conserver ses partenaires, même s'ils ne sont pas parfaits).

SOL MARZELLIER DE PABLO Nov 30, 2010:

Faites-moi signe dès que vous la trouverez, la vilaine!

Laura Nagle (X) Nov 30, 2010:

Ça pourrait être "one's response," c'est-à-dire une réaction typique.

Damien Lacroix (asker) Nov 30, 2010:

Vous avez sans doute raison: il y en a pas mal dans le texte, et je n'arrive pas toujours à identifier la coupable!

SOL MARZELLIER DE PABLO Nov 30, 2010:

Un typo, peut-être? One au lieu de once? Cela semblerait plus logique.