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les affaires n'en iront que mieux
vu et joint
Jun 11, 2009 19:08
15 yrs ago
French term

activisme

French to English Other Poetry & Literature
in this excerpt (which, as before, I'm just going to summarize in English for the author's privacy):
we are prevented from truly enjoying leisure because of our love of work and

activisme anglo-saxon

the phrase above seems more common than "Anglo-Saxon activism"... activism just isn't the right word here, laden as it is with political meaning; in the example above, it has a more religious element...

could it be Anglo-Saxon Protestant work ethic (a bit of a stretch, but it's better than activism...)
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 work ethic
3 +2 industriousness
4 hyperactivity
2 +1 pro-active character
3 inability to relax; inability to let go
2 entrepreneurial tendency

Discussion

Tegan Raleigh (asker) Jun 12, 2009:
"need to achieve" is really good, too
Tegan Raleigh (asker) Jun 12, 2009:
industriousness is really good!
the essay is about our need to constantly be active, to always be changing things and redeem ourselves through such acts. context is contemporary, with references to Buddhism and the perspective on activisme is definitely a negative one
Loperhet (X) Jun 12, 2009:
alternative suggestion 'the need to achieve'
Carol Gullidge Jun 12, 2009:
agree with Melissa I see what you're getting at, but that's quite different from your original protestant work ethic. Definitely more context needed here to put us in the picture, as it could be anything. I for one, have 2 quite opposing suggestions to make - each feasible in different contexts - but as we're only supposed to post 1 answer at a time, I need to know which way to go...
Melissa McMahon Jun 12, 2009:
more context? I feel like I need more info on who the speakers are, what their situation is, what era this is, to be clearer on what is meant here...
PRen (X) Jun 12, 2009:
I think they mean physical activity - meaning, we work too hard and we play too hard, with an excessive emphasis on exercise, workouts, cycling, running, you name it.
Carol Gullidge Jun 11, 2009:
love of work and ... work ethic I'm confused: surely you aren't contemplating using both of these?

Proposed translations

+6
7 mins
Selected

work ethic

-
Peer comment(s):
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : sometimes also referred to as "protestant workl ethic", depending on the context, of course
5 mins
agree Valentina Viganò
17 mins
agree Glen McCulley : agree with ingeborg
25 mins
agree Helen Shiner : Yes, lose the Anglo-Saxon altogether and either use your suggestion or preferably as Ingeborg says, Protestant work ethic.
1 hr
agree Catherine Gilsenan
3 hrs
agree Zoe Perry : agree with Ingeborg
5 hrs
neutral PRen (X) : I think this is redundant - didn't they already refer to love of work (and wouldn't that be work ethic?)
5 hrs
neutral Vicky James : agree with PRen
11 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
1 hr

entrepreneurial tendency

Another stab :-)
Something went wrong...
+1
18 mins

pro-active character

Like take action, do things.

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Note added at 21 mins (2009-06-11 19:29:19 GMT)
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Or even, involvement/ sense of involvement.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2009-06-12 04:56:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------


I think I got your term: Drive
Peer comment(s):
agree George C. : This makes sense as I don't think it could be 'our love of work and work ethic'.
22 mins
Thanks, solarstone! I think so too...
Something went wrong...
+2
12 hrs

industriousness

industriousness
might work, or some variation on:
fear of idleness (religious take)
tireless activity

Not sure how helpful this is, or whether you are looking for a "jargon" expression or not.
Peer comment(s):
agree Carol Gullidge : this was to be one of my suggestions, pending clarification on the context!
1 hr
Thanks Carol
agree Melissa McMahon : I was also thinking of something like "aversion to idleness" - industriousness nice too!
1 hr
Thank you Melissa.
Something went wrong...
13 hrs

inability to relax; inability to let go



I.e., we anglo-saxons sometimes tend to be really bad at just relaxing, lying back, and simply enjoying ourselves

Another possible take...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 hrs (2009-06-12 08:40:34 GMT)
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ALSO: the need to be constantly doing something (useful)

the need to be constantly on the move

restlessness



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 hrs (2009-06-12 08:42:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------


the need to be constantly active



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 hrs (2009-06-12 08:43:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or "urge" of course!

The urge to be constantly active

etc
Something went wrong...
2 days 19 hrs

hyperactivity

It's a term everyone undestands these days and is currently used to denote much of what is suggested in the other possibilities entered.
Something went wrong...
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