Översättning - Franska-Engelska - La caricature comme art graphique concernant le...

I made a couple of small edits ("bears witness to" instead of "witnesses to", but I got stuck on "the very elements of posterity" - what is meant here? In English, posterity means "the generations to come", but that wouldn't make sense here. Any ideas?

IS there a specific word for "portrait charge" like "exagerated portrait" or something like that ? The meaning of caricature is larger that this type of portrait and includes, in this work, what can be named humoristic cartoon.
About posterity, I could have made an non sense. It is what last after the death, like children, but denotes facts of the life.

Hi Kafetzou

"bears witness" is much better! You did well to change it.

For the posterity bit, I must admit that I had some trouble with this phrase. The French is very approxiamtive, inventive even.

To be honest with you, I hoped someone would step in with an idea of how to express this same idea in understandable English.

The idea in general is that the caricatures of the 1900s & Nancy, represent aspects of the medical profession likey to instill a certain proudness in generations to come.

Hi ba-z

The only definition/translation of "portrait charge" that I found is "caricature". Maybe if we used "humourisitic drawing" it could englobe this larger idea of the caricature?

Could we put "in portraying, under humoristic traits, the very elements which have lead to the annals of history, they can be seen as a form of praise" for instance?

Bises
Tantine

Tantine, I agree with your proposition about posterity. Concerning the definitions of "caricature" and "humoristic drawing" ... les sens de ces différents termes et les champs qu'ils recouvrent sont déjà assez variables en français selon les auteurs. Je crois que je vais en rester au terme global de caricature qui est celui que j'ai retenu. A moins qu'en anglais il ne désigne que le portrait charge, ce qui m'amènerait nécessairement à trouver autre chose pour le sens élargi.
En tous cas merci pour ton aide, et bravo à ce site pour le service rendu et la rapidité des réponses. Je ne serai hélas pas très utile pour y contribuer. Mais c'est promis quand je me débrouillerai en breton je me mets à sa disposition !

Hi ba-z and Tantine

1) I think that Tantine is right in using the word caricature - in English it has the meaning of a portrait which exaggerates some identifying physical trait, such as a misshapen nose or bushy eyebrows. Caricatures are almost never flattering.

2) What does "englobe" mean? I have never heard this word in English.

3) I love your suggestion for fixing the final sentence, Tantine. I will edit it with this and validate it.

I feel that it's misleading to translate the definite article in the opening words.Surely 'Caricature.. 'is better.
For the troublesome 'elements de posterite', I suggest 'the way Medicine was (about?) to change'.

Thank you, embryman - these are very good suggestions. I will edit as you suggested.

Later: I did, and then I re-edited. Please tell me if you think this is still correct.

Hello Kafetzou,
Yes it looks fine now; as always, when you iron out one problem, it makes another one more apparent; I'm not sure that a drawing can have humorous tone; perhaps it can be done with 'a humorous touch'

I understand what you mean, since "tone" evokes something auditory, but I think it's OK as is.