Traduction / If anything

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Traduction / If anything
Message de kazan posté le 10-06-2014 à 13:01:52 (S | E | F)
Hello,

I have trouble translating the following sentence; could anybody give me a nudge please?
The current average cost of patents for marketable technologies remains, if anything, on the low side.
(taken from the "Linguee" Website)

I've been struggling with the meaning of 'if anything' and came up with a LOT of different meaning. Now, which is true is my guess.
-En moyenne
-En fait
-Plutôt
Is it a synonym of "rather"?
Many thanks in advance.
Pascal

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Modifié par lucile83 le 10-06-2014 13:15

Réponse: Traduction / If anything de bluestar, postée le 10-06-2014 à 18:53:09 (S | E)
Hello,

In the sentence you quote 'if anything' means something like 'contrary to what might be expected'..

The idea of the contrary being true is embodied in the expression, for example:
"Do you think he talks too much?"... Answer: "If anything he is too quiet"

Réponse: Traduction / If anything de traviskidd, postée le 10-06-2014 à 21:00:21 (S | E)
Hello, yes, it's something like that.

"It isn't too heavy. If anything, it is too light." (Its weight is normal, and if not, it's because it's too light, not because (as suspected) it is too heavy.)
I'm not sure how to translate it into French; maybe "si pas moyen(ne)"?
See you.

Réponse: Traduction / If anything de lucile83, postée le 10-06-2014 à 22:26:50 (S | E)
Hello,

It isn't too heavy. If anything, it is too light.
Ce n'est pas trop lourd. En fait c'est trop léger/ c'est plutôt trop léger.

Réponse: Traduction / If anything de kazan, postée le 11-06-2014 à 08:04:35 (S | E)
Thanks to you all !

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