"Fervent" is written the same way in both French and English but can you always translate fervent by fervent and vice versa - if you see what I mean ... ?
In a French translation I was proofing this week I queried the use of the word "fervent" for committed (as in committed Christian). I'm still not entirely sure about this but after talking it through with my French colleague I began to realise that just because I didn't want to be referred to as a fervent Christian in English, it might nevertheless be the term that ordinary French people would use to express something like committed.
I suppose it must be my latent buttoned up Britishness with added Calvinist undertones that doesn't like the term "fervent Christian" in English. I don't mind being thought of as a passionate Christian, it's a bit more gutsy and sensual, but fervent sounds a bit unreflected touchy-feely-fundamentalist to me. Fervent or passionate I'm certainly getting to be a bit too fussy about words, especially those used to describe what I believe
Thursday 25 June 2009
Word of the day "fervent"
Publié par Jane à l'adresse 22:47
Libellés : translation, words
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2 Comments:
I can't leave a comment on your friday five, but I wanted to let you know that I thought that it was great that your grandmother is your all-time favorite performer.
Jane,
thanks for commenting on my blog and thus helping me find yours. I am liking what I have read so far. I agree with you about the overtones of "fervent" in English. I definitely think that one can be a committed Christian without being fervent. Fervent Christians sound to me like the ones that buttonhole you on public transport and subject you to views about faith issues that you don't agree with but don't have the energy to argue about with a stranger. Fervent prayer is certainly not the same as committed prayer. :-)
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