Subjunctives and conditionals

[Pete Laubscher]

I found this in the Le Figaro today, Februaqry 9, 2011 (on Mubarak).
http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2011/02/08/01003-20110208ARTFI...

'n'aiment'  is in the present subjective tense    and

'auraient'  in the conditional.

« Cependant, les autorités allemandes n'aiment pas être prises au dépourvu et auraient déjà identifié un possible lieu d'accueil, affirme l'hebdomadaire Der Spiegel :… »

Subjunctives usually include a 'should'  and conditionals 'if'.  

But does a proper translation of this sentence include 'should' and 'if'? 

Could someone please translate this sentence?

Thnks

[stu harris]

In this context n'aiment is not a subjunctive, it's just the 3rd person plural, present tense.

I had to look up dépourvu, and arrived at this:

 

Meanwhile, the German authorities, not wishing to be caught unaware, have already decided on a possible refuge, according to the weekly Der Spiegel.

[stu harris]

auraient is, of course, a conditional, but I'm extremely reluctant to translate it as "..would have already decided." This would have the connotation of a fact that is not actually known, but assumed from previous experience. French, especially the journalistic version, uses conditionals where English would not. I'd like to see a comment on that from one of the native speakers.

[Erwan]

You're right. French and English don't use conditionnal  in the same occasions.

The most imaginary facts that require conditionnal in French are :

- eventuality :Je prendrais bien un verre

- a kinf of politeness : Je voudrais m'entretenir avec vous

- an hypothetical claim (Journalists like that) :  Le premier ministre annoncerait cette mesure dans l'après-midi.

- what someone would have done instead of someone else : Je lui aurais parlé dès notre rencontre.

- all kind of hypothesis : S'il faisait beau, j'irais au travail en vélo.

 

[stu harris]

Merci Erwan. Now, about that Le premier ministre annoncerait cette mesure dans l'après-midi.

 

Does that mean the minister will announce, or did announce, or we think he announced?

[Pete Laubscher]

Thnk you very much Stu and Erwan!

[Erwan]

When a journalist says that kind of phrase that means he is pretty sure  the prime minister will annouce this measure in the afternoon.

It's not sure at 100% but the information is quite good.

[Neil Coffey]

To translate the conditional in this case, the usual equivalent in English are words such a "reportedly", "allegedly", "is said/believed to be..."

[stu harris]

Neil, do you think that should apply to the sentence from Le Figaro? Should it be Meanwhile, the German authorities, not wishing to be caught unaware, are already said to have decided on a possible refuge, according to the weekly Der Spiegel.

[Neil Coffey]

In this case because there's a clear source mentioned, you could even just say "have decided", though "have reportedly decided" or "are reported to have" would work too.

[Pete Laubscher]

Thnks chaps!  What a great site this is! 

 

Wish there was something like this in German. Anyone know of one?  If so, I'd dearly love to have access to it (As you may have guessed I am also trying (is the operative word) to get to grips with German too!)