English translation: a death blow or shot administered in mercy to end the suffering of a person or animal mortally wounded
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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:
coup de grâce
English translation:
a death blow or shot administered in mercy to end the suffering of a person or animal mortally wounded
English to English translations [PRO] Marketing - Advertising / Public Relations / slogan to advertise a sports car
English term or phrase:coup de grâce
In the text I am translating I have come across this slogan "A real coup de grâce" to promote/advertise a new car with a coupe-convertible body.
I believe this does not work at all due to the sinister meaning of the phrase, despite the double-entendre referring to the words "coupe" and "grace". If anything, it is likely to have the opposite effect.
The authors, however, claim that in English the meaning has shifted and that the term "coup de grace" has come to mean "anything which skilfully brings a situation to a conclusion, or redefines a situation in the provocateur's favour".
I suspect the argument does not hold water, and perhaps "coup" is what they should be referring to, but not "coup de grâce".
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 10 mins (2007-03-27 00:46:42 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
it does mean to bring a situation to a conclusion but they are trying to play on words: coup and coupé. Of course they can make complete fools of themselves.
Repost your question for suggestions on slogans but certainly tell them they are wrong.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 14 mins (2007-03-27 00:50:15 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
The coupé with/which makes a decisive (lifestyle) difference!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 19 mins (2007-03-27 00:55:34 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't dare use something so ambiguous as a slogan for car advertising unless they want to imply that by driving it, there is a risk of being killed! Good Lord!
Thank you very much for your input which confirms my original suspicions. I intend to discuss this with the agency yet again. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Except that in English this phrase has NOT lost its original meaning. Actually, the original meaning still seems to prevail. Would you use it a slogan to advertise a car?
It's important to note that words and phrases borrowed from another language often lose the meaning and/or connotation that they have in the original language. So a French speaker may interpret this differently...
This native English speaker agrees completely with your authors; to the English reader, "coup de grâce" has a positive meaning. On the other hand, "coup" by itself is sometimes used as short "coup d'état", which doesn't apply here, and doesn't...
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Answers
6 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
coup de grã¢ce
stroke of mercy
Explanation: You're right, Petrolhead, the authors are full of beans.
coup de grâce
(kooh duh GRAHS) The final blow: “He had been getting deeper and deeper in debt; the fates delivered the coup de grâce when he died.” The phrase is French for “stroke of mercy.” It originally referred to the merciful stroke that put a fatally wounded person out of his misery or to the shot delivered to the head of a prisoner after he had faced a firing squad.
Kim Metzger Mexico Local time: 14:45 Meets criteria Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 20
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thnak you for coming back to us, Kim.
Asker: Thank you very much for your input which confirms my original suspicions.
7 mins confidence:
coup de grã¢ce
coup de foudre; coup de main
Explanation: This is Merriam-Webster's def:
1 : a death blow or shot administered in mercy to end the suffering of a person or animal mortally wounded
2 : a decisive finishing blow : an act or event that puts an end to something
I'm with you, this is NOT A GOOD CHOICE! Now this might wor, but it may not be well known enough:
coup de fou·dre
Etymology: French, literally, clap of thunder
: an astonishing occurrence; especially : overwhelming love at first sight
another possibility: coup de main (a sudden attack in force : vigorous attack : sudden forceful development)
I think it's more widely known.
GOOD LUCK!
Patricia Rosas United States Local time: 12:45 Meets criteria Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you very much for your input which confirms my original suspicions.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 10 mins (2007-03-27 00:46:42 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
it does mean to bring a situation to a conclusion but they are trying to play on words: coup and coupé. Of course they can make complete fools of themselves.
Repost your question for suggestions on slogans but certainly tell them they are wrong.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 14 mins (2007-03-27 00:50:15 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
The coupé with/which makes a decisive (lifestyle) difference!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 19 mins (2007-03-27 00:55:34 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't dare use something so ambiguous as a slogan for car advertising unless they want to imply that by driving it, there is a risk of being killed! Good Lord!
Anna Maria Augustine at proZ.com France Local time: 21:45 Meets criteria Works in field Native speaker of: English, French PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you very much for your input which confirms my original suspicions. I intend to discuss this with the agency yet again.
Notes to answerer
Asker: We are actually locked in an argument. Hence my question here. Thank you for your feedback.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
