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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

On vous donne la menthe...

English translation: we give you the ingredients

10:46 Feb 17, 2010
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
French term or phrase: On vous donne la menthe...
This is from a company newsletter article about in-house training: the company has just standardised its sales method throughout the entire Group."

Formateur le temps d’une session, Mr X, Directeur (subsidiary name), plante assez joliment le décor : « Aujourd’hui on vous donne la menthe et après ce sera à vous d’y ajouter l’eau ». Effectivement, cette formation ne se veut pas révolutionnaire, au contraire. Elle fait appel aux fondamentaux du métier et se veut avant tout libératrice. « La prospection intimide souvent par peur de l’inconnu. Par l’association de toutes nos méthodes, on essaye de lever les inquiétudes en donnant des techniques, en corrigeant des attitudes par des mises en situation... Il s’agit d’aider les acteurs du terrain à passer les étapes le mieux possible. Il n’y a rien de magique, seulement quelques astuces à connaître pour mieux appréhender ce moment et surtout l’optimiser ».

Thanks!
Ysabel812
English translation:we give you the ingredients
Explanation:
it's up to you to bake the cake

The options are legion
Selected response from:

polyglot45
Grading comment
Thanks, this is perfect here!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4change of metaphor to seeds
arbizonne
3 +3we give you the ingredients
polyglot45
3 +2give the basics, you need to elaborate
Mary Moritz
4We give you the ball...
Sarah Bessioud
4Today we're giving you the building blocks, but it's up to you what you create with them.
MatthewLaSon
3We give you the key...
Evans (X)


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
change of metaphor to seeds


Explanation:
Changing the metaphor slightly - we plant the seeds, you water them?

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Note added at 7 mins (2010-02-17 10:54:00 GMT)
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Or we give you the mint, you make the juleps ;-)

arbizonne
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Silvia Martinez Waterhouse: It is a metaphor indeed and seeds is good. You wouldn't be able to do a literal translation.
4 mins
agree  philgoddard
15 mins
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): good solution
54 mins
agree  claudiocambon: something like "We provide the seeds; all you have to do is add water."
3 hrs
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
We give you the key...


Explanation:
...it's up to you to open the lock

a possible way of expressing the idea

Evans (X)
Local time: 16:31
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
give the basics, you need to elaborate


Explanation:
"donne de la menthe" gives very few ghits.

So, this could be a cultural reference from one French person to a French audience. French people drink "sirop" and a popular flavor is mint (especially for kids). To make the drink, you pour a tiny bit of syrup in the bottom of the glass and then you add the desired amount of water.

I see it as being, he provides the "sirop" the audince must add the water.

He provides the basics, they audience must elaborate on it.
I don't have an idiomatic saying off the top of my head, though.

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Note added at 10 mins (2010-02-17 10:57:24 GMT)
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arbizonne has the correct idea

Mary Moritz
Local time: 17:31
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Isabelle17
11 mins
agree  mimi 254: lors d'une séance de formation des prospecteurs, le directeur relève que la prospection est timide à cause de l'inconnu. Il essaie de donner qlques éléments et techniques de base pr lever les inquiétudes - aux prospecteurs maintenant d'en faire usage en y
11 mins
neutral  philgoddard: I think this loses the color of the original phrase - it's too literal.
13 mins
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
we give you the ingredients


Explanation:
it's up to you to bake the cake

The options are legion

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 42
Grading comment
Thanks, this is perfect here!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: I like ingredients.
14 mins
agree  L.J.Wessel van Leeuwen: my choice.
47 mins
agree  Marianna Tucci
1 hr
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
We give you the ball...


Explanation:
...it's up to you to hit it!

A change of metaphors is definitely needed here. I immediately thought of this - a variation on the popular saying 'the ball is in your court'.

When water is added to mint sirop, the person can decide how strong he or she wants to drink it. Similarly here, the person can determine for him/herself exactly how the ball will be played.



Sarah Bessioud
Germany
Local time: 17:31
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: Run with it?
19 mins
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Today we're giving you the building blocks, but it's up to you what you create with them.


Explanation:
Hello,

This might work here. It's a training program: they're giving you want you need to build on a career in this profession.

I hope this helps.

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 11:31
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 30
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