Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
au fil d\'eau
English translation:
gradually, as events occur, progressively, continuously, in real time
Added to glossary by
Gurudutt Kamath
Jul 25, 2011 02:11
12 yrs ago
20 viewers *
French term
au fil d'eau
French to English
Tech/Engineering
Nuclear Eng/Sci
software system
aller au fil d'eau = go with the current or stream (as per Harrap's)
The writer talks about "les échanges au fil de l’eau" and many other such phrases. I thought it could mean "exchanges with the flow" or "exchanges downstream". Here is one more sentence: "Ils acquièrent également au fil de l’eau des
données process issues du Contrôle-Commande via le Système Information".
Aval = downstream (at least during my career I did not find this word in English software docs. But the French are fond of aval!)
So, Proz professionals, please do try to help me understand what the writer exactly has in mind. Thanks in advance.
The writer talks about "les échanges au fil de l’eau" and many other such phrases. I thought it could mean "exchanges with the flow" or "exchanges downstream". Here is one more sentence: "Ils acquièrent également au fil de l’eau des
données process issues du Contrôle-Commande via le Système Information".
Aval = downstream (at least during my career I did not find this word in English software docs. But the French are fond of aval!)
So, Proz professionals, please do try to help me understand what the writer exactly has in mind. Thanks in advance.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Jul 27, 2011 01:56: Gurudutt Kamath changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/99346">Gurudutt Kamath's</a> old entry - "au fil d\'eau"" to ""gradually, as events occur, progressively, continously""
Proposed translations
+3
5 hrs
Selected
gradually, as events occur
As someone has said, the expression has different meanings in different circumstances. Presumably your échanges are data exchange, not heat exchange (via flowing water). In the latter case you would need something different.
But here it means au fur et à mesure, another great translation favourite, i.e. gradually, progressively, as it happens. TV reporters stationed outside an ongoing bank holdup will be - or will believe they are - giving news au fil de l'eau (when in fact most of the time it will be repeated rehash of what happened an hour previously and what the anchorman in the studio has already said three times).
It COULD be "in real time" as has been suggested, but I'd be wary of using that in a data/computer context since that might be much more immediate, and had it been meant I imagine the writer - who is probably intending to be more "technical" with this expression than with au fur et à mesure - would have said en temps réel.
But here it means au fur et à mesure, another great translation favourite, i.e. gradually, progressively, as it happens. TV reporters stationed outside an ongoing bank holdup will be - or will believe they are - giving news au fil de l'eau (when in fact most of the time it will be repeated rehash of what happened an hour previously and what the anchorman in the studio has already said three times).
It COULD be "in real time" as has been suggested, but I'd be wary of using that in a data/computer context since that might be much more immediate, and had it been meant I imagine the writer - who is probably intending to be more "technical" with this expression than with au fur et à mesure - would have said en temps réel.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks Bourth for your excellent explanation. Thanks to others also for their valuable inputs."
20 mins
as a consequence
This expression is highly dependant on context. In the specific example you cited:
"Ils acquièrent également au fil de l’eau des données" = «They also obtain as a consequence».
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2011-07-25 02:34:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oops. Inverted the French and English quotes. :D
"Ils acquièrent également au fil de l’eau des données" = «They also obtain as a consequence».
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2011-07-25 02:34:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oops. Inverted the French and English quotes. :D
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Lori Cirefice
: agree that it's dependant on context, but I have never heard this expression used to mean "as a consequence" and I don't believe that the meaning you suggest fits here at all
9 hrs
|
3 hrs
streamlined / continuous(ly) etc. (cf. below)
Neither English nor French is my mother tongue (for this reason: CL2), nevertheless, here is a proposal from a French to German reference comment (made by VJC): Among others, which fitted better in that case, cf.
gestion des événements en mode "fil de l'eau"
streamlined event management
from
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_german/transport_transpo...
Other German proposals (e.g. laufend, kontinuierlich, zeitnah), which did not fit there so well, translated into English, seem to fit here, e.g. "continuous(ly)" etc. .
You will find there many links for fil de l'eau, also kudoZ links.
gestion des événements en mode "fil de l'eau"
streamlined event management
from
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_german/transport_transpo...
Other German proposals (e.g. laufend, kontinuierlich, zeitnah), which did not fit there so well, translated into English, seem to fit here, e.g. "continuous(ly)" etc. .
You will find there many links for fil de l'eau, also kudoZ links.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
MatthewLaSon
: Sure seems like "in real-time" to me, in this particular context. They're talking about the real-time exchange of data, or so it seems. "Au fil de" is very, very tricky to translate, depending on the context (sees errors a lot with this expression).
1 day 16 hrs
|
13 hrs
as they come/ as they appear
This is a contextual guess. Hope it helps --- at least it might help to eliminate what it shouldn't be.
"stream-line" is the technical engineering term, but I do not feel it fits with the context here.
"stream-line" is the technical engineering term, but I do not feel it fits with the context here.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
MatthewLaSon
: Sure seems like "in real-time" to me, in this particular context. They're talking about the real-time exchange of data, or so it seems. "Au fil de" is very, very tricky to translate, depending on the context (sees errors a lot with this expression).
1 day 5 hrs
|
14 hrs
progressive(ly)
* maybe "ongoing"?
1 hr
in real-time
Hello,
au fil de l'eau = at any time (without knowing in avance; it just happens)
They can also acquire at any time ....
I'd put a "can" in there in English.
Hello,
I think they mean "in real-time" (with the "current", if you will)
I hope this helps.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-07-25 03:46:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
What I said after my first "hello" doesn't apply to your situation, but what I did say after my second one does LOL.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2011-07-26 21:19:59 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
I do not agree with the dictionary entry made here. I think this means "in real-time" in this particular context.
au fil de l'eau = as it comes = in real-time
NOTE: "Au fil de" is very difficult to translate because it's meaning changes depending on context.
au fil de = according to, over, on, with, along, etc
Be most careful with this French adverbial prepositional phrase.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2011-07-26 21:20:59 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
CachedHospira's Medication Management Systems is a full portfolio of software solutions ... This real-time exchange of data improves clinician workflow efficiency ...
www.hospira.com/Products/hospiramednetsoftware.aspx -
au fil de l'eau = at any time (without knowing in avance; it just happens)
They can also acquire at any time ....
I'd put a "can" in there in English.
Hello,
I think they mean "in real-time" (with the "current", if you will)
I hope this helps.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-07-25 03:46:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
What I said after my first "hello" doesn't apply to your situation, but what I did say after my second one does LOL.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2011-07-26 21:19:59 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
I do not agree with the dictionary entry made here. I think this means "in real-time" in this particular context.
au fil de l'eau = as it comes = in real-time
NOTE: "Au fil de" is very difficult to translate because it's meaning changes depending on context.
au fil de = according to, over, on, with, along, etc
Be most careful with this French adverbial prepositional phrase.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2011-07-26 21:20:59 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
CachedHospira's Medication Management Systems is a full portfolio of software solutions ... This real-time exchange of data improves clinician workflow efficiency ...
www.hospira.com/Products/hospiramednetsoftware.aspx -
Note from asker:
| Hello Matthew, While I agree with you that real time fits in the context above, the general sense of the term is what is provided in the dictionary entry. I just got confirmation from the client that this interpretation -- the dictionary entry above -- is correct. Above all, I agree with you, Bourth and others that this is a very tricky word to translate. In my humble opinion (even with my Intermediate level of French knowledge), it is rather a quaint usage in a technical document. Thanks again and best wishes. Guru |
Something went wrong...