Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
bien si on ne s’emmêle pas les pinceaux
English translation:
OK if you don\'t get them muddled up
Added to glossary by
Bashiqa
Jul 5, 2012 13:14
11 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
bien si on ne s’emmêle pas les pinceaux
French to English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Operating theatre lighting
Here's some context:
En orthopédie, on bouge beaucoup la table.
Ce serait effectivement plus facile de bouger l’éclairage à condition qu’il soit très maniable.
XXXX suggère un système de rails pour bouger facilement.
« bien si on ne s’emmêle pas les pinceaux »
Comment limiter l’éblouissement ou les gênes dues à une lumière dans le champ opératoire ou autour (les plaques brillantes, les instruments font miroir).
Question d’un chirurgien
Can someone come up with a suitable idiom please. It ought to be obvious but escapes me at the moment.
TIA Chris.
En orthopédie, on bouge beaucoup la table.
Ce serait effectivement plus facile de bouger l’éclairage à condition qu’il soit très maniable.
XXXX suggère un système de rails pour bouger facilement.
« bien si on ne s’emmêle pas les pinceaux »
Comment limiter l’éblouissement ou les gênes dues à une lumière dans le champ opératoire ou autour (les plaques brillantes, les instruments font miroir).
Question d’un chirurgien
Can someone come up with a suitable idiom please. It ought to be obvious but escapes me at the moment.
TIA Chris.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Jul 5, 2012 14:13: philgoddard changed "Field" from "Medical" to "Other" , "Field (specific)" from "Medical: Health Care" to "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings"
Proposed translations
7 mins
Selected
OK if you don't get them muddled up
*
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you. "
10 mins
Michele Lemaire
Native in French
&
English
Precision, Honesty, Reliability (quoted)
Native in: French 
, English
Works in: English to French, French to English
good if one does not get mixed up/ good if not confusing
I am a french native abd this is the meaning of the expression
18 mins
Sarah Bessioud
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
A way with words
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK, US) 
Works in: German to English, French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
ok if we don't get in a mess (with it)
How I'd love to go with the "knickers in a twist" version ;-)
However, I think this may be more appropriate.
However, I think this may be more appropriate.
Note from asker:
| If I thought I could get away with my knickers I wouldn't have asked the question. However for what is undoubtedly an expensive market research focus group perhaps not appropriate. Thanks. |
42 mins
Fine, provided we do not get into a muddle
*
+4
51 mins
as long as we don't trip over our own feet
Or, with less imagery, "as long as we don't mess up" or "as long as we don't make a mess of it."
BTW, I wonder, "pinceaux" as "feet"? Maybe?
BTW, I wonder, "pinceaux" as "feet"? Maybe?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Wolf Draeger
16 mins
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Karen Vincent-Jones (X)
20 mins
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Yolanda Broad
: I like the "clumsiness" connotation in your solution.
2 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
5 hrs
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Thank you.
|
1 hr
...as long as we don't get our wires crossed OR don't get our hands in a knot / tied up
Tempted to substitute stitches for wires, in keeping with the surgical context, but that might ruin the expression.
Example sentence:
It's fine, as long as we don't get our wires crossed.
It's OK, as long as we don't get (tie) our hands in a knot / all tied up.
3 hrs
Kévin Bernier
France
France
Native in French
France
Translator & Game Loc Specialist | EN-FR
Native in: French (Variant: Standard-France)
Works in: English to French
OK provided we don't make it/them a pig's ear
^
7 hrs
we'll be fine as long as we don't get lost in the process
Hello,
I think that "trip over one's feet" is a bit of an overtranslation here. There doesn't seem to be a real sense of helplessness here in the French, imho. The idea is simply that you just don't get lost in the process (with the surgery, I guess)
I hope this helps.
I think that "trip over one's feet" is a bit of an overtranslation here. There doesn't seem to be a real sense of helplessness here in the French, imho. The idea is simply that you just don't get lost in the process (with the surgery, I guess)
I hope this helps.
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