Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
nappe phreatique souterraine
English translation:
underground water-table
Added to glossary by
French2English
Feb 23, 2007 08:01
17 yrs ago
9 viewers *
French term
nappe phreatique souterraine
French to English
Science
Environment & Ecology
water tables; groundwater
Aren't all water tables underground? Is this tautological or am I missing the point here? See right at the end of the passage below - and thanks in advance for any comments.
Situé au centre de la plaine d’Alsace, le Ried, vaste zone humide, a été façonné par les caprices du Rhin et de l’Ill. Le terme Ried vient du vieil alémanique « Rieth » qui signifie « jonc » (roseau). Par extension, ce nom désigne la région où poussent ces plantes d’eau ainsi que le secteur constitué de vastes prairies (parfois inondées) et de forêts à la végétation luxuriante, sillonnées par de nombreux cours d’eau et par une nappe phréatique souterraine.
Situé au centre de la plaine d’Alsace, le Ried, vaste zone humide, a été façonné par les caprices du Rhin et de l’Ill. Le terme Ried vient du vieil alémanique « Rieth » qui signifie « jonc » (roseau). Par extension, ce nom désigne la région où poussent ces plantes d’eau ainsi que le secteur constitué de vastes prairies (parfois inondées) et de forêts à la végétation luxuriante, sillonnées par de nombreux cours d’eau et par une nappe phréatique souterraine.
Proposed translations
(English)
4 +10 | underground water-table |
Tony M
![]() |
4 | deep-seated groundwater |
Johanne Benoit-Gallagher
![]() |
4 | deep water-table |
jacqueb
![]() |
3 | subterranean water-table |
Miranda Joubioux (X)
![]() |
Proposed translations
+10
10 mins
Selected
underground water-table
Yes, it IS redundant up to a point, but they are clearly using it to make the specific contrast between the "cours d'eau" (= surface water) and the "napp phr." (= underground water); something along the lines of "water table that is of course underground" (though of course I'm NOT suggesting that as the actual translation, just to give the idea!)
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Kathryn Strachecky
: Yes, I think this is the point they're trying to make
5 mins
|
Thanks, Kathryn!
|
|
agree |
Michele Fauble
: "The depth to the water table is highly variable and can range from zero, when it is at land surface, ..." pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1139/htdocs/boxa.htm
29 mins
|
Merci, Michele !
|
|
agree |
tatyana000
49 mins
|
Thanks, Tatyana!
|
|
agree |
Claire Cox
: Yes, see my note above!
1 hr
|
Thanks, Claire! And for your clarification
|
|
agree |
Mundi
: this is an accurate translation.
1 hr
|
Thanks, alinemex!
|
|
agree |
Conor McAuley
: Yes, Michele, sometimes the water table reaches land surface, hence the specification
1 hr
|
Thanks, Conor!
|
|
agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
3 hrs
|
Efharisto, Vicky!
|
|
agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
6 hrs
|
Thanks, 1045!
|
|
agree |
jean-jacques alexandre
: sounds right
1 day 1 hr
|
Merci, J-J !
|
|
agree |
gabuss
: Bravo Tony
4 days
|
Thanks a lot, friend Gabuss!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Indeed, Tony...and I got there in the end, myself, in the meantime, but your confirmation (and the overwhelming agreement) was very helpful on this one...which to me still rang with tautology, even as I typed the term into my translation (which I did!). Thanks to all contributors, very helpful comments. "
1 hr
subterranean water-table
There are quite a lot of hits for this and I think it sounds a little less redundant.
5 hrs
deep-seated groundwater
This is another option. Termium also mentions ''deep groundwater level'' and goes on to explain: S'oppose à «nappe phréatique proche de la surface» ---EX – In diked baylands, seasonal wetlands are mainly due to local infiltration or irrigation water or rain that causes the near-surface groundwater level to rise above the ground surface.
1 day 2 hrs
deep water-table
As opposed to "shallow" water-table. Here in Florida, the shallow water-table has a sulfur smell that the deep one does not.
Discussion