Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
plus de force que de gré
English translation:
more from necessity than choice
Added to glossary by
Tony M
May 30, 2012 11:55
11 yrs ago
3 viewers *
French term
plus de force que de gré
French to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Cathars
A panel for an archaeological exhibition in a museum. I understand what it means and my tentative translation is "more out of circumstances than out of a personal desire", but I'm sure there must be a more natural way of expressing it in English.
"Il revint aux sources de ses œuvres de jeunesse avant de se consacrer six mois, plus de force que de gré, à ce qui serait ultérieurement reconnu comme son chef-d'œuvre."
"Il revint aux sources de ses œuvres de jeunesse avant de se consacrer six mois, plus de force que de gré, à ce qui serait ultérieurement reconnu comme son chef-d'œuvre."
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+11
10 mins
Selected
more from necessity than choice
I think your first bit and Cchat's second bit go best together.
Of course, it wold help to find the right expression if we knew why this was 'de force' — is it just that the work took longer than expected, or was there some other, external reason that obliged him to stick at it so long?
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Note added at 29 mins (2012-05-30 12:25:11 GMT)
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One could vary it to: "more out of necessity than from choice" — but I don't think adding extra words makes it better, quite the contrary, in fact; and cf. such other 'balanced' expressions as "more by luck than judgement", for example.
Of course, it wold help to find the right expression if we knew why this was 'de force' — is it just that the work took longer than expected, or was there some other, external reason that obliged him to stick at it so long?
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Note added at 29 mins (2012-05-30 12:25:11 GMT)
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One could vary it to: "more out of necessity than from choice" — but I don't think adding extra words makes it better, quite the contrary, in fact; and cf. such other 'balanced' expressions as "more by luck than judgement", for example.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+1
6 mins
more by chance than by choice
A possibility, but not a direct translation
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Tony M
: I can't help feeling that 'chance' rather under-translates 'de force'
2 mins
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I think Rosie's "circumstances" suggestion is closer to the meaning, but she asked for something more 'natural' in English.
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| neutral |
NancyLynn
: with Tony
6 mins
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I agree that it under-translates 'de force', but I think it's more force of circumstance than actual brute force that is intended in the original.
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| agree |
FlyHi
: Well, I like it.
53 mins
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Thanks. But it is an adaptation rather than a strict translation.
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+1
7 mins
more reluctantly/reticently than on his own accord
for instance
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
NancyLynn
: just plain reluctantly: He returned, reluctantly, to...
5 mins
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| neutral |
Tony M
: 'reticent' not really right here; and I can't help feeling even 'reluctant' is potentially too strong; it might just have been without specially wanting / choosing to, but no more than that...
1 hr
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Oh, Tony, you are such a Goldilocks. Too much, not enough...
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-2
9 mins
freekfluweel
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
M.Sc. in Architecture, B.A.
Native in: Dutch 
Works in: Dutch to German, German to Dutch, English to Dutch, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
11 mins
Letredenoblesse
Native in French
Works in field
The Right Word at the Right Time
Native in: French
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English to French, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
11
struggling against his natural inclination
:-)
13 mins
more nilly than willy
...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
jmleger
: eh eh, I thought about it too, but that is not the meaning of willy nilly.
27 mins
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| neutral |
Tony M
: JML has a point (it means 'like it or not') — and I also fear sniggering...
1 hr
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| neutral |
Evans (X)
: As others have pointed out "willy nilly" comes from Middle English "will he nill he" (whether he wills it or not).
2 hrs
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+1
12 mins
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
Specializes in field
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
88
more out of a sense of obligation than desire
fairly similar to your own but quite common
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Note added at 13 mins (2012-05-30 12:09:46 GMT)
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as Tony says, it would be good to know what the "force" was
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Note added at 13 mins (2012-05-30 12:09:46 GMT)
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as Tony says, it would be good to know what the "force" was
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
NancyLynn
: this is what first came to mind when I saw the question
1 min
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Thanks Nancy:-)
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+1
5 hrs
out of necessity rather than his own free will
Although I have never translated this expression, if you break it down into 2 separate expressions ("de force" = unwillingly, by force and "de son gré"= of one's own free will) I think you could express their combination as such.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Wolf Draeger
: Conveys the meaning perfectly; maybe a bit of a mouthful, though :-)
3 hrs
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8 hrs
albeit reluctantly
Just another option to complement other good answers, nice and simple/natural, fits easily into the text.
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Note added at 3 days23 hrs (2012-06-03 11:34:41 GMT)
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...albeit reluctantly at first...
If the context permits "at first" as a qualifier (maybe he ended up enjoying this field of study, especially if it became his main work).
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Note added at 3 days23 hrs (2012-06-03 11:34:41 GMT)
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...albeit reluctantly at first...
If the context permits "at first" as a qualifier (maybe he ended up enjoying this field of study, especially if it became his main work).
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Tony M
: I can't help feeling even 'reluctant' is potentially too strong; it might just have been without specially wanting / choosing to, but no more than that... the expression really describes the circumstances more than his feelings.
1 hr
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