Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
phare la bise / fend la bise
English translation:
he's a real whirlwind
Added to glossary by
Wendy Streitparth
Aug 22, 2015 19:18
8 yrs ago
French term
phare la bise / fend la bis
French to English
Other
Other
conversation
Well now I have another puzzle for my esteemed colleagues. I cannot find it anywhere, nor can I even guess at it litterally. Or is it a mistake in the trascription from the audio? Here is the sentence, speaking of her 3 young grandchildren:
"Celui du milieu, c’est phare la bise, comme on dit chez nous…" the sentence ends there.
This is a present day interview and the speaker lives in the region of Limoges if that is any help.
"Celui du milieu, c’est phare la bise, comme on dit chez nous…" the sentence ends there.
This is a present day interview and the speaker lives in the region of Limoges if that is any help.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 2 +1 | he's a real whirlwind |
Wendy Streitparth
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Change log
Aug 23, 2015 21:48: Yolanda Broad changed "Term asked" from "phare la bise" to "phare la bise / fend la bis"
Aug 24, 2015 08:58: Wendy Streitparth Created KOG entry
Aug 24, 2015 09:00: Wendy Streitparth changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/1219907">Wendy Streitparth's</a> old entry - "phare la bise / fend la bis"" to ""he's a real whirlwind""
Proposed translations
+1
19 hrs
Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
45 years experience
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
French term (edited):
phare la bise
Selected
he's a real whirlwind
Bearing in mind the latest information from asker.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Odile Raymond
: I racked my brains very hard, but in vain... : ) Well done, Wendy!
3 hrs
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Merci beaucoup, Odile :)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "The responses were somewhat a collective zeroing in on the meaning. I think Wendy found the best word in English. I'm now pretty sure the transcription should have read "fends la bise". I am comfortable with changing obvious small transcription errors, but when it comes to expressions, I am glad to have the input of my colleagues. My thanks to all. This speaker uses very colloquial language, and I am happy to be nearing the end of this translation :-)"
Discussion
Ask anyone very familiar with colloquial french, or better let them listen to the recording. "faire la bise" is not a nickname. Under very unusual circumstances it could be but it is very unlikely and the middle grandchild being hyperactif is also pointing towards this direction.
/added/
"la bise" indeed is not a kiss but a cold winter wind...
La cigale , ayant chanté
Tout l'été,
Se trouva fort dépourvue
Quand la bise fut venue.
(La Fontaine / La Cigale et la Fourmi)
Actually, it should be "fend-la-bise", as it is a noun.
Plus it's a recording, what is the quality of this recording?
On top of that "comme on dit chez nous" is probably a way to say "caution you might not get the meaning of it"
I'll put my money on "fend la bise" very very common, and not only in the Perigord/Limousin. As a matter of fact often used especially when a kid start walking as -because of their lack of balance- they have to walk very quickly not to fall...
But indeed more context won't do any harm
And no, there is no lighthouse in Limoges — though oddly, there IS one in BRive — equally phare from the sea!
Not impossible... Of course
Can't think of a Phare in Limoges, very far from the sea....
I have something else in mind....
Celui-ci c'est "fend la bise" (=always in a hurry) comme on dit chez nous..
not surprising if the kid is a young boy very agitated, running everywhere and all the time !-)
It will only make translateable sense with more context.
What I'd like to know, is to whom the grandmother is presenting her grandchildren?
"Faire la bise" is not a regional expression. It is used all over France. So is the grandmother presenting her g/children to someone who is not French?
"La bise" can be either a kiss on the cheek or even a light wind.
A "phare" is a lighthouse of course. A "far" is a breton eggy cakey thing to eat.
I was wondering if it is not "faire la bise".