Mener une discussion et clarifier un malentendu en anglais
Vous apprendrez à intervenir dans une discussion, à laisser parler les autres et à préciser ce que vous vouliez dire lorsqu’on vous a mal compris. L’anglais emploie « you » aussi bien pour « tu » que pour « vous » : les formulations avec « could » conviennent aux échanges formels, tandis que « jump in », « hang on » et « reckon » donnent ici un ton plus familier. Ne traduisez pas ces expressions mot à mot : « hold the floor » signifie garder la parole, et « put the launch off » signifie reporter le lancement, comme « postpone the launch ». Pour éclaircir un malentendu, distinguez « I meant », ce que vous vouliez dire, de « you took that to mean », ce que l’autre a compris ; « Are you implying…? » vérifie un sous-entendu, mais peut paraître accusateur selon le ton.
Les expressions pour gérer la parole et les sous-entendus
- join the discussionentrer dans la discussion
- hold the floorgarder la parole
- yield the floorcéder la parole
- bring the discussion backramener la discussion au sujet
- invite someone to contributeinviter à contribuer
- implysous-entendre
Prendre la parole : demande polie ou intervention familière
Could I come in on a point connected to the current topic? / Can I jump in here or at another point in the discussion? join the discussion
- soutenu
Could I come in on that point? I think we need more time to test the proposal.
- familier
Can I jump in here? I think we need more time to try this out.
Je peux entrer dans la discussion ? Je pense qu’il nous faut plus de temps pour essayer ça.
Demander à terminer son raisonnement
If I could just finish my point, I’ll explain why it matters. / Hang on, let me finish this thought, then I’d like to hear your view. hold the floor
- soutenu
If I could just finish my point, I'll explain why the extra time matters.
- familier
Hang on, let me finish this thought, then I'd like to hear what you think.
Attends, laisse-moi aller au bout de mon idée, après j'aimerais avoir ton avis.
Céder la parole après avoir terminé
Please go ahead; say your point is complete. / Go on, invite the other person to speak; say what you wanted to say. yield the floor
- soutenu
Please go ahead; I've finished making my point.
- familier
Go on, it's your turn. I've said what I wanted to say.
Reconnaître une digression et revenir au sujet
Acknowledge or defer the side topic, but could we return to the intended topic? / Defer the side topic; let’s get back to the intended topic. bring the discussion back
- soutenu
Those costs are worth discussing, but could we return to the timing before we move on?
- familier
We can talk about costs later; let's get back to the timing.
Solliciter un avis dans un échange formel ou familier
What are your thoughts on the topic or proposal, name? / Name, what do you reckon we should do? invite someone to contribute
- soutenu
What are your thoughts on the proposal, Alex?
- familier
Alex, what do you reckon we should do?
Vérifier un sous-entendu en proposant deux interprétations
Are you implying a possible consequence, or an alternative interpretation? / When you say what the other person said, are you implying a possible consequence? imply
- soutenu
Are you implying that we should postpone the launch, or only extend the testing?
Vous sous-entendez qu'on devrait reporter le lancement ou simplement prolonger les tests ?
- familier
When you say we need more time, are you implying we should put the launch off?
Quand tu dis qu'il nous faut plus de temps, tu sous-entends qu'on devrait repousser le lancement ?
Distinguer ce qu’on voulait dire de ce que l’autre a compris
I meant the intended meaning, but you understood that as / took that to mean the interpretation. mean
- soutenu
I meant that testing should start earlier, but I can see you understood that as a request to postpone the launch.
- familier
What I meant was to start testing sooner; you took that to mean we should put the launch off.
Reformuler en précisant la condition et le résultat
Let me put that another way: reworded point if practical condition. / I’ll say it another way: reworded point that states a practical condition and result. paraphrase
- soutenu
Let me put that another way: we can keep the launch date if we begin testing next week.
- familier
I'll say it another way: starting the tests next week would let us launch on time.
Dialogue : intervenir et clarifier dans un échange formel
- Asoutenu
Could I come in on that point? I think we need more time to test the proposal.
- Bsoutenu
Please go ahead; I've finished making my point.
- Asoutenu
What are your thoughts on the proposal, Alex?
- Bsoutenu
Are you implying that we should postpone the launch, or only extend the testing?
Vous sous-entendez qu'on devrait reporter le lancement ou simplement prolonger les tests ?
- Asoutenu
I meant that testing should start earlier, but I can see you understood that as a request to postpone the launch.
- Bsoutenu
Let me put that another way: we can keep the launch date if we begin testing next week.
Dialogue : intervenir et clarifier entre proches
- Afamilier
Can I jump in here? I think we need more time to try this out.
Je peux entrer dans la discussion ? Je pense qu’il nous faut plus de temps pour essayer ça.
- Bfamilier
Go on, it's your turn. I've said what I wanted to say.
- Afamilier
Alex, what do you reckon we should do?
- Bfamilier
When you say we need more time, are you implying we should put the launch off?
Quand tu dis qu'il nous faut plus de temps, tu sous-entends qu'on devrait repousser le lancement ?
- Afamilier
What I meant was to start testing sooner; you took that to mean we should put the launch off.
- Bfamilier
I'll say it another way: starting the tests next week would let us launch on time.