"L'exposition est gâchée par cet homme désagréable."
Translation:The exhibit is ruined by this unpleasant man.
30 CommentsThis discussion is locked.
"The exhibition is ruined by this unpleasant man". "Exhibition" is offered along with "exhibit" as optional translations for "exposition". Why is it not accepted?
1912
Report it. I wrote "the exhibition is ruined by this disagreeable man" and it wasn't accepted either. I reported it.
I've reported this wretched sentence twice now in this session (25.3.21): once for 'exhibition' (for the umpteenth time) and now for 'disagreeable'. In both cases with the support of Larousse, Collins and Linguee. The 'exhibition' issue is particularly exasperating as even the premier dictionary of American English, Merriam-Webster, suggests that Duo's understanding of 'exhibit' is not the primary meaning even in his native language!
"The exhibit is ruined by this disagreeable man." Accepted 16 April '21.
I know Duo's aversion to exhibition.. but I'll see if that has changed next time.
- 1831
Clearly if this was simple present as translated by Duo, the ruination has already happened and should be translated into past tense "was ruined" in English. "is ruined" is just incorrect.
No, it's not past tense, it's passive voice present tense. A better translation would be "The exhibit is being ruined by this ... man."
Of course, English teachers say to avoid the passive voice, so "This man is ruining the exhibit" is better English. That strays too far from the French, though. Besides, the lesson is meant to teach the French passive voice.
Agreed. There are many examples in this set where the tenses used don't sit comfortably in the given English translations.
- 1831
I think you misunderstand me, I'm not claiming the French is written in past tense, but that simple present should be translated into past tense for "ruined".
Where do you get past? The French isn't in the past tense; on that we agree. So why do you think its meaning is past tense? I think my suggestion of "is being ruined by" captures the French and is idiomatic English.
Not necessarily. If the ruination is happening now and is ongoing then "is being" is correct. For example: The exhibition is being ruined by this unpleasant man. Let's go!"
- 1831
Sorry, my point wasn't clear and I've edited my other comments to try to clear up the confusion.
What I mean is that Duo has translated this as simple present ("is ruined"), and this would actually mean the ruination (?) had happened in the past, and should be translated as such in English ("was ruined").
However the given translation is just wrong, since the French is actually the present passive tense, and so you are right that it should be "is being ruined". "is ruined" should not be accepted.
Ah, "is ruined" where "ruined" is functioning as an adjective. I understand now what you were saying.
- 1831
That's what happens when I write comments while doing duo before I've had my morning coffee...
Heh. I just spend a couple of weeks in France, where I had to speak French before I'd had my morning coffee. Fortunately "Je voudrais un expresso et un pain au chocolat, s'il vous plaît" and "Oui, c'est tout" was all I had to get out. Even if I didn't understand the numbers that came back at warp speed, my contactless credit card did.
- 1431
In a different sentence, Duo only accepted the continuous present - "is being ruined" - but in this one that is not accepted. Sigh. Reported
- 1132
'exhibition' not accepted. Reported. I have noticed before that l'exposition is always translated by Duo as 'the exhibit', but always previously 'exhibition' has been accepted. So why not here? To me (and all other British English speakers) 'exhibit' refers to a single item (that is, we would use it to refer to a specific piece in an exhibition, as in 'I don't like much in this exhibition, but this exhibit is wonderful'). Now, I suppose this unpleasant chap could be standing in front of a particular exhibit and not letting others see it, or possibly criticising it in a loud voice, but, come on, we're supposed to be learning a language, not speculating about possible scenarios!
- 314
An exhibit would be part of a show or exhibition and does not seem to be a correct translation of exposition.
- 1282
The exhibition is ruined by this unpleasant man. I also wrote that. I didn't even look at the hints.
What is the object of this passive sentence? Exposition or homme? So should it be gâché or gâchée?
L'exposition is grammatically the subject. There is no direct object; cet homme is the object of the preposition par. L'exposition is what is being modified by gâchée, so gâchée is feminine. Passive voice agreement is similar to the passé composé active voice agreement in verbs that use être, as in Elles sont parties. The agreement is with the subject.
If you recast the sentence into the active voice, it becomes Cet homme gâche l'exposition and the subject is Cet homme. L'exposition is the direct object. No matter the tense, there would be no agreement in the active voice. Ces femmes ont gâché l'exposition. Cet homme a gâché le spectacle.