wannabe

French translation: -

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	wannabe
French translation:	-
Entered by:	JCEC

20:49 Nov 16, 2006

English to French translations [PRO]
Marketing / Market Research

English term or phrase: wannabe

the difference between a visionary and a wannabee

Anca Nitu KudoZ activity Questions: 35 (none open) (3 closed without grading) Answers: 4738
Local time: 22:54

velléitaire

Explanation:
-

Selected response from:

Michel A.
Local time: 22:54

Grading comment

Merci beaucoup
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

un petit aspirant

Premium✍️

5 +1

NOTE

JCEC

rêveur

Stephanie Huss

3 +1

apprenti visionnaire

CMJ_Trans (X)

ambitieux

Dominique Sempere-Gougerot (X)

4 -1

velléitaire

Michel A.

(visionnaire) manqué

ormiston

aspirant

Stéphanie Soudais

1 -2

crâneur

swisstell

Discussion entries: 9

Jeff Allen

France

would-be in British English

11:07 Jul 19, 2009

I just talked with 2 British friends yesterday. They said that they would use "would-be" for such examples.

Jeff Allen

France

wannabe:person or object & if comparison indicated

13:04 Jul 18, 2009

if term wannabe refers to a person or to an object. Both are possible. And if a comparison is shown. eg, Mac users says that Windows is a Mac wannabe. Another example. XXX park is a Disneyland wannabe. It can be used a lot to describe the lack of functionality of the object; used for cameras, phones, cars, etc. So, "faible copie" or "pale copie" would be appropriate in context of comparison with another person or object. <br>As for someone and their ability and will: "il se prend pour qui" or "qqn qui n'est pas à la hauteur" or "qqn qui n'a pas la compétence".<br>

Anne Patteet

18:35 Nov 17, 2006

Ou encore: prétendu, factice, ersatz...

CMJ_Trans (X)

22:25 Nov 16, 2006

à mon avis, on ne vous a peut-être pas (encore) proposé de solution idéale mais celle que vous avez choisie n'est certainement pas la bonne - a bon entendeur, salut

Premium✍️

United States

22:17 Nov 16, 2006

PS If you check French dictionaries and English dictionaries, you'll realize that "velléitaire" is not in fact the meaning of "wannabee" in English and could be considered as a serious mistranslation by some pros.

Premium✍️

United States

22:15 Nov 16, 2006

BTW, the correct spelling of "visionaire" in French is with 2 Ns.

Premium✍️

United States

22:14 Nov 16, 2006

I am not at all "upset". I was just concerned for the sake of the true meaning of words, the accuracy of the KudoZ glossary entries and the client (if s/he knew French). Otherwise, who cares?

Anca Nitu

ASKER

22:11 Nov 16, 2006

Thank you for your concern, veilleitare is the closest you can get in my opinion
craneur - is not suitable, doesn't convey the message that it should
un petit aspirant - was my own first thought and I was not happy with it
apprenti visionaire - might be successful when he graduates from apprentice status so not suitable for a wannabee :)
A waverer that cannot decide what he wants to do if he wants to do it is the closest, I'm afraid.
Sorry if this is upsetting you but I shall stick to my opinion and will thank again everybody for their help

Premium✍️

United States

21:55 Nov 16, 2006

About "velléitaire": if your client knows French and understands its nuances, there might be a problem. Besides, if the client were to ask for a back translation, s/he would get: Dffce btw a visionary and a "waverer"???...

Answers

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

wannabee

velléitaire

Explanation:
-

Michel A.
Local time: 22:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 119

Grading comment

Merci beaucoup

11 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -2

wannabee crâneur

Explanation:
la différence entre un visionnaire et un crâneur

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 04:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 19

19 mins confidence:

wannabee aspirant

Explanation:
ou ambitieux, bof! pas sûre qu'il existe un terme idéal en français.

On dit bien "has-been" en français, pourquoi pas laisser wannabee (ou wanna-be) si le contexte le permet?

Stéphanie Soudais
France
Local time: 04:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 142

23 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

wannabee un petit aspirant

Explanation:
La différence entre un visionnaire et un aspirant-visionnaire ;
La différence entre un visionnaire et celui qui le désire / qui y aspire / qui SE voudrait un visionnaire...

PS Le terme est péjoratif, d'où l'usage de mon diminutif, 'petit' aspirant. HTH.

--------------------
wan·na·be also wan·na·bee (wŏn'ə-bē', wôn'-) pronunciation Informal.
n.

1. One who ASPIRES TO a role or position.
2. One who IMITATES the behavior, customs, or dress of an admired person or group.

Premium✍️
United States
Local time: 19:54
Works in field
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 89

27 mins confidence:

wannabee rêveur

Explanation:
c'est-à-dire qui voudrait mais qui ne fait jamais rien. dans ce sens d'ailleurs, cela rejoint le "velléitaire" de michel...

Stephanie Huss
France
Local time: 04:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 28

35 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

wannabee apprenti visionnaire

Explanation:
le visonnaire et l'apprenti visionnaire

Définition de wan(n)abee: programmeur qui aimerait bien être un hacker mais qui n'en a définitivement pas l'étoffe. Le wannabee doit être regardé avec commisération et compassion pour la santé que lui donne son ignorance.

TRES PEJORATIF

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-11-16 22:24:16 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

UN SIMILI-VISIONNAIRE

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 04:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 281

6 hrs confidence:

wannabee ambitieux

Explanation:
ou plus négatif "arriviste"
mais la solution choisie n'est pas la bonne

Dominique Sempere-Gougerot (X)
France
Local time: 04:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 16

17 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

wannabee NOTE

Explanation:
WANNABE

n.

1. One who aspires to a role or position.

2. One who imitates the behavior, customs, or dress of an admired person or group.

3. A product designed to imitate the qualities or characteristics of something.

adj.

Wishing or aspiring to be; would-be.

[Alteration of want to be.]

http://yourdictionary.com/

NOTE : TERMIUM propose la traduction "velléitaire" qui est manifestement fausse car les définitions figurant dans le fiche se contredisent.

DEFINITON: A person who aspires to something. Anyone who wants to be someone else.

DÉFINITION : Personne qui a des intentions faibles et ne se décide pas à agir.

Ceci m'a été confirmé par les locuteurs anglophones consultés.

JCEC
Canada
Local time: 22:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 25

22 hrs confidence:

wannabee (visionnaire) manqué

Explanation:
comme "artiste manqué" etc. , ceux qui voudraient bien mais qui n'arrivent pas...!

ormiston
Local time: 04:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 41

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

wannabe

French translation: -

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

Your current localization setting

Select a language

wannabe

French translation: -

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

You have native languages that can be verified

Your current localization setting

Select a language