un sentiment de déclassement généralisé

22:27 Mar 5, 2015
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Media / Multimedia / Culture, insecurity, democracy
French term or phrase: un sentiment de déclassement généralisé
Elle est une réaction inquiète, et apparemment inexorable, aux symptômes d'une société bouleversée par un chômage persistant, des inégalités croissantes, ;un sentiment de déclassement généralisé', une pauvreté de plus en plus visible, ou encore la relégation territoriale pour une part croissante de nos concitoyens.

Article about 'cultural insecurity' following the aftermath of the most recent Charlie Hebdo attacks and discussion of the book 'L'insécurité culturelle' by Laurent Bouvet.

http://www.marianne.net/faut-il-avoir-peur-insecurite-cultur...
Educat (X)
United Kingdom


Summary of answers provided
3 +1a broad/general feeling of having been demeaned
David Hollywood
4a general feeling of downgrading/being downgraded
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3a sense of general decline
Melissa McMahon
3a widespread feeling of disenfranchisement
ValoirVictor (X)


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
a broad/general feeling of having been demeaned


Explanation:
maybe

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Note added at 1 hr (2015-03-05 23:59:29 GMT)
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in this particular context

David Hollywood
Local time: 21:53
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Victoria Britten: I would go for "downgraded", rather.
5 hrs

neutral  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: Sorry, just seen Victoria's comment. I go along with "downgraded" as it describes how people feels, is easily understood and is also a recognised term in socio-economics. "Demean" suggests people insult, which may be so, but is not meant here I think.
14 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a sense of general decline


Explanation:
To be honest, I tossed up a lot of "de-" words - degradation, degeneration, deterioration... but I think this might best suit a feeling about society or "civilisation".

Melissa McMahon
Australia
Local time: 11:53
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Victoria Britten: My understanding is that "généralisé" refers to the feeling rather than the de-whatever. // Well, the question isn't just about that term, and in any case I would say the rendering of "déclassement" will be different depending on that very understanding
2 hrs
  -> Yes, you could be right, but I think the important part of the question is rendering 'déclassement'

neutral  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: Works well for the economy, but less well for a feeling people have about their socio-economic status.
11 hrs
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a widespread feeling of disenfranchisement


Explanation:
The scenario painted in the provided text is one of generalised anger at social inequalities.

Example sentence(s):
  • Dans les faubourgs, il y a un sentiment de déclassement généralisé
ValoirVictor (X)
Nigeria
Local time: 01:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in YorubaYoruba
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a general feeling of downgrading/being downgraded


Explanation:
You may consider rearranging the elements in the suggested rendering, bearing in mind where "general" ought to be placed, which I'm not that sure about myself. In English, I feel it sits better with "feeling" but the French links it more to "déclassement". Not sure in the long run that "général" is the diffult part of this phrase.

"Déclassement" has a specific menaing in socio-economic contexts, which is the case here. A person, or a group of individuals are "déclassé" when they move down the socio-economic ladder. I'm not talking about the official INSEE classifications as this is describing a feeling. None the less, I think there is a strong argument to retain the usual scio-economic terminology for "déclass", hence "downgrading".

http://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/déclassement

"A.− Action de déclasser une personne ou une chose, de la faire sortir de sa catégorie initiale.
1. [Le déclassement concerne des pers.] Action de faire sortir une personne de sa classe sociale pour une classe inférieure; état en résultant. Déclassement, dernier cercle de l'enfer bourgeois, damnation sans recours (Bernanos, Crime,1935, p. 869):
De là date ma grande réconciliation avec les pauvres : j'épouse une des leurs. Du reste, mon déclassement commencé par la vente de mes biens, ma démission d'homme du monde était incomplète sans cela. Larbaud, A. O. Barnabooth,1913, p. 150."

"B.− [Avec une idée de dévalorisation]
1. Déchéance, dégradation morale. Une sorte de déclassement moral qui lui fera connaître l'angoisse de la solitude intérieure (Bernanos, Joie,1929, p. 627)."

Then I had the bright (?!) idea of looking where I ought to have looked first, the GDT, whcih gave "downgrading". http://www.granddictionnaire.com/Resultat.aspx

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Note added at 15 hrs (2015-03-06 14:18:58 GMT)
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"Déclassement" whether you retain specific socio-economic vocabulary or a more general temrinology, when it realtes to people, then it really does mean a shift to the next category down. A loss in social and economic status.

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Note added at 15 hrs (2015-03-06 14:23:42 GMT)
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Somehow I had overlooked Victoria's comment to one answer in which she suggested "downgraded". Apologies to Victoria!

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Note added at 15 hrs (2015-03-06 14:24:19 GMT)
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Or of "having been -ed".

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 01:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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