patate

English translation: oval areas

09:41 Oct 19, 2005

French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Environment & Ecology

French term or phrase: patate

This is from an article talking about regional disparity in the size and distribution of Natura 2000 sites throughout France. It refers to regions that have chosen large areas as sites, but will only apply measures to certain parts of them, and regions that have chosen hard cores that will be fully covered by measures.

"Ainsi pour se référer aux quatre régions dans lesquelles nous avons travaillé, le Nord-Pas de Calais et la Bourgogne rejoignent les régions affichant une superficie en dessous de la moyenne nationale tandis que le Poitou-Charentes et la région PACA affichent au contraire des pourcentages élevés. Dans le premier cas, les sites choisis se limitent à des noyaux durs alors que dans le deuxième cas, ce sont bien des « patates » qui ont été retenues.

Does anybody know what these potatoes could be?!

Anna Kiff KudoZ activity Questions: 69 (2 open) (7 closed without grading) Answers: 32
Local time: 12:49

English translation:oval areas

Explanation:
drawn on the map...

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Note added at 2005-10-19 09:54:06 (GMT)
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Seems to confirm what I suggested! Thank you! We should also call these areas \"haricots\" (still vegetables!)... ;-)

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Note added at 2005-10-19 10:25:57 (GMT)
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The areas are different: in Nord-Pas de Calais , limited surfaces, under the average. Poitou-Charentes and Paca have wider zones So on the map, the boundaries look like potatoe-shaped areas.

Selected response from:

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 12:49

Grading comment

Thanks to everyone for your ideas. Think this is probably what it's getting at.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

oval areas

Pierre POUSSIN

hot potatoes

Cristina Pereira

outliers, on the fringe, nodules

Bourth (X)

big chunks

RHELLER

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

oval areas

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 12:49
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thanks to everyone for your ideas. Think this is probably what it's getting at.

3 hrs confidence:

patate (in this context) hot potatoes

Explanation:
Could this be a short form for "hot potatoes"? Just guessing...

RDS - Lawrence Phillips, une patate chaude pour les Alouettes
C'était une patate chaude pour la direction de l'équipe. Je crois que les Alouettes
ont décidé de se départir d'un problème avant le début du camp ...
www.rds.ca/alouettes/chroniques/122828.html - 84k - 17 Out 2005 - Em cache - Páginas semelhantes

L'HOMME MALADE DE L'EUROPE – À NOUVEAU
Il est ensuite passé, comme une patate brûlante, entre les mains des gouvernements
... He was then passed like a hot potato between European governments, ...
www.nuitdorient.com/n271.htm - 76k - Em cache - Páginas semelhantes

Learning English | BBC World Service - [ Traduzir esta página ]
A hot potato is a delicate or tricky situation that has to be handled with extreme
care. The new law is politically a hot potato for the government as many ...
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/ grammar/learnit/learnitv142.shtml - 32k - Em cache - Páginas semelhantes

Cristina Pereira
Local time: 11:49
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Portuguese

4 hrs confidence:

patate (in this context) outliers, on the fringe, nodules

Explanation:
I think "patate" is often used to describe an irregular shape (unlike apples or oranges, for instance, which all have the same size and shape (within a certain variety) potatoes, even of the same kind, come in all shapes and sizes).

From the context, these "patates" are the contrary of the "hard core", so I see "outliers", "bits on the fringe", "nodules" ...

Bourth (X)
Local time: 12:49
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 227

4 hrs confidence:

patate (in this context) big chunks

Explanation:
I have no idea if this fits your context (difficult to visualize here) but chunk can refer to pieces of land vs centers/central points

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 04:49
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 7

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English translation: oval areas

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