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Mon 17 Jun, 2013 11:50 pm
What does "personne, en Europe au moins, n'ose plus soutenir la creation independante et de toutes pieces, des especes" mean?
Here's Google translation:
person, in Europe at least, no longer dares support independent establishment and all parts, of the species.
Who would like to edit it into plain English?
Context:
THE DESCENT OF MAN
by Charles Darwin
INTRODUCTION.
THE NATURE of the following work will be best understood by a
brief account of how it came to be written. During many years I
collected notes on the origin or descent of man, without any intention
of publishing on the subject, but rather with the determination not to
publish, as I thought that I should thus only add to the prejudices
against my views. It seemed to me sufficient to indicate, in the first
edition of my Origin of Species, that by this work "light would be
thrown on the origin of man and his history"; and this implies that
man must be included with other organic beings in any general
conclusion respecting his manner of appearance on this earth. Now
the case wears a wholly different aspect. When a naturalist like
Carl Vogt ventures to say in his address as President of the
National Institution of Geneva (1869), "personne, en Europe au
moins, n'ose plus soutenir la creation independante et de toutes
pieces, des especes," it is manifest that at least a large number of
naturalists must admit that species are the modified descendants of
other species; and this especially holds good with the younger and
rising naturalists. The greater number accept the agency of natural
selection; though some urge, whether with justice the future must
decide, that I have greatly overrated its importance. Of the older and
honoured chiefs in natural science, many unfortunately are still
opposed to evolution in every form.
@oristarA,
"Nobody, at least in Europe, still believes in the independent creation, in complete and final form, of species."
@Walter Hinteler,
Well, Gunga did, but he moved to the other side of the pond as he felt he was a bit outnumbered.
@Walter Hinteler,
Oser is best translated into English as to dare.
Soutenir might best be translated in this context as to indulge in. "Nobody, at least in Europe, dares any longer to indulge in the independent creation . . . etc."
@Setanta,
Well, I've only learnt French at school
@Walter Hinteler,
I have complete confidence in your ability to translate French accurately and idiomatically . . . into German. I've only learned French in school, as well, and from my African acquaintance of years ago. However, English
is my native language.
@Setanta,
Well, that's why I compared Carl Vogt's sentence in German and French (he was a native German speaker
)
@Walter Hinteler,
If that is to suggest that what Vogt said does not correspond to my translation, then i'd have to say that either Vogt said in French something other than what he meant, or that whoever translated it into French did a poor job.
By the way, i'm not arguing against your method. A translation of soutenir other than that which i suggested could easily be argued. However, oser can only be translated into English as "to dare," in this context, or any context i can imagine.
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:However, oser can only be translated into English as "to dare," in this context, or any context i can imagine.
Dare, certainly, or venture, or be bold enough to...
@contrex,
I consider those cognates, but if you wish to quibble, be my guest.