EFrench (X) (asker) Dec 16, 2009:

Merci pour vos réponses Merci pour toutes vos réponses. Je pense opter pour "petites natures" qui me semble bien correspondre au sens.

Tony M Dec 13, 2009:

Comments... It's certainly by no means an "enormous insult", just suggesting that people who drink shandy are a bit 'girly', as Stéphanie says at the end.

I don't think 'manièré' would work; this is not about their actual behaviour, but rather, the stereotype of how they would behave.

Sheila Wilson Dec 13, 2009:

@ Stéphanie I think "an enormous insult" is putting it a bit strong, and I don't think there is any idea of anti-social, complaining, no sense of humour. The 'girly' bit at the end is how I see it.

Sheila Wilson Dec 13, 2009:

I like your turn of phrase, Tony I think you've summed the whole thing up very well. I was known as "one of the lads" in my beer-swilling youth, and my hubby is seen as odd here in France because he prefers muscat to pastis. These stereotypes are a real pain, but they do exist.

EFrench (X) (asker) Dec 13, 2009:

affected people What do you think of "affected people" personnes maniérées

Tony M Dec 13, 2009:

Yes... ...that's the right idea: 'people from the South of England are all wimps"

EFrench (X) (asker) Dec 13, 2009:

Mauviette? like a mauviette, maybe.

Tony M Dec 13, 2009:

North of England It's not "the north and south of London", but rather "the North of England" (where people are tougher, associated with industry and the working class, 'men are men', etc.) and the soft South of England (typified here by London) where people are more middle-class, and a bit pansy — as exemplified by the rather effete idea of drinking shandy, instead of proper beer, which is what 'real men' drink.

All tongue-in cheek stereotypes, of course.

I wouldn't attempt to translate it literally, but just give a cultural equivalent in FR: like a man who drinks muscat instead of pastis, for example.

Stéphanie Bellumat Dec 13, 2009:

Maybe it is not enourmously offensive after all... It is just that I have seen the expression coupled with highly offensive words in several instances on the Web. It was so vulgar that I can not possibly repeat them here!

Trivia
The term shandy drinker is British slang for an effeminate or possibly homosexual male. The comes from the fact that a shandy is sweeter and less alcoholic than regular beer and is therefore seen as a 'girly' drink.
http://en.allexperts.com/e/s/sh/shandy.htm

EFrench (X) (asker) Dec 13, 2009:

Social class I think here it is to make a comparison between people from the North of London and people from the South. It was in the 90's

polyglot45 Dec 13, 2009:

on parle de quelle époque ? tout cela paraît bien dépassé