This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English
  3. Journalism

à quelle sauce on le mange

English translation: what's being cooked up for us

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:à quelle sauce on le mange
English translation:what's being cooked up for us
Entered by: Dr Andrew Read

10:08 May 20, 2004
French to English translations [PRO]
Journalism
French term or phrase: à quelle sauce on le mange
La charge de Michael Moore est brutale. On comprend les hésitations de Disney à laisser sa filiale Miramax le diffuser au pays du président Bush. L’Amérique pourra néanmoins le voir dès août prochain. Le monde entier a tout intérêt à savoir à quelle sauce on le mange. Michael précise la recette.
laurawheeler
France
Local time: 12:04
Some ideas...
Explanation:
Martha's suggestion above is going in the right direction. It would be good to carry over the same metaphor between the two different sentences, (not necessarily involiving food), but it's hard.

So far all I can think of is:

The whole world needs to know what stuff is being forced down our throats. In this movie, Michael tells us.

OR
The whole world needs to hear what's going on. Michael tells it straight.

OR
The whole world needs to understand what b**lsh*t they're feeding us. Michael Moore's film is a good place to start.

So, can't get it as neat as the French, but hope these ideas help!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 10:52:47 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The phrase \"tells it like it is\" could be useful, too.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 10:54:57 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another idea:

The whole world could use some lessons on the truth. Michael Moore is a good teacher.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 13:34:27 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Variant inspired by Jane\'s suggestion:

The whole world needs to know what\'s going on. Michael Moore lifts the lid on the whole stinking mess.

OR

The whole world needs to know what\'s cooking. Moore lifts the lid on the neo-cons\' putrid pot of lies.

!!! ;-)
Selected response from:

Dr Andrew Read
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:04
Grading comment
Many thanks, Andrew !
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5Some ideas...
Dr Andrew Read
5 +4It's in the interest of the whole world to know what's cooking. Michael tells us. [or is telling us
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
5 +1The whole world has an interest in
zaphod
4 +1see comment
Martha Melter
3 +2What goes on behind closed doors is everyone's concern.
Carruthers (X)
4 +1see comment
Hacene
5what's going on
Stephen Hay (X)
3The whole world has an interest in knowing what to expect.. MM. spells it out for us.
Richard Nice
4 -1how he (his image) will be destroyed
RHELLER
4 -2what lies in store for the film (or) how it is going to be received
Narasimhan Raghavan


  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
à quelle sauce on le mange
what lies in store for the film (or) how it is going to be received


Explanation:
Help taken from Larousse dictionnaire général

Narasimhan Raghavan
Local time: 15:34
Native speaker of: Tamil
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Richard Nice: surely what lies in store for the world ?
9 mins
disagree  Dr Andrew Read: No - this is misunderstanding the original.
20 mins
agree  Bourth (X): Definitely a possibility, despite Disagrees. "le (film) diffuser", "le (film) voir", "le (film) mange", makes sense. French badly written or insufficient context if definitely something else.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Bourth. One agree from you has more than compensated the two disagrees, as far as I am concerned.
disagree  Sophie Raimondo: "Le monde entier a tout intérêt"... Michal précise la recette... literally, the whole world needs to know how it'll be eaten... Michael gives the recipe, it is what lies in store for the world, not the film. Granted, the French text is poorly writte
9 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
à quelle sauce on le mange
The whole world has an interest in knowing what to expect.. MM. spells it out for us.


Explanation:
can be improved but this seems the sense?

Richard Nice
Germany
Local time: 12:04
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
à quelle sauce on le mange
see comment


Explanation:
Perhaps you have to change the image. For example, "the whole world should be aware of what's being planned for it. Michael Moore has the blueprints." Something to that effect.

Martha Melter
France
Local time: 12:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  NancyLynn
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
à quelle sauce on le mange
What goes on behind closed doors is everyone's concern.


Explanation:
What goes on behind closed doors is everyone's concern. Michael Moore gives us a glimpse.

Carruthers (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dr Andrew Read: Nice carry-over of the metaphor.
7 mins
agree  sktrans
15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Some ideas...


Explanation:
Martha's suggestion above is going in the right direction. It would be good to carry over the same metaphor between the two different sentences, (not necessarily involiving food), but it's hard.

So far all I can think of is:

The whole world needs to know what stuff is being forced down our throats. In this movie, Michael tells us.

OR
The whole world needs to hear what's going on. Michael tells it straight.

OR
The whole world needs to understand what b**lsh*t they're feeding us. Michael Moore's film is a good place to start.

So, can't get it as neat as the French, but hope these ideas help!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 10:52:47 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The phrase \"tells it like it is\" could be useful, too.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 10:54:57 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another idea:

The whole world could use some lessons on the truth. Michael Moore is a good teacher.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 13:34:27 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Variant inspired by Jane\'s suggestion:

The whole world needs to know what\'s going on. Michael Moore lifts the lid on the whole stinking mess.

OR

The whole world needs to know what\'s cooking. Moore lifts the lid on the neo-cons\' putrid pot of lies.

!!! ;-)

Dr Andrew Read
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:04
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Many thanks, Andrew !

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): What's cooking, Andrew..what's cooking...:) Right under our noses, huh?
2 hrs
agree  NancyLynn
2 hrs
agree  sarahl (X): 1A + 2B would work fine IMO.
5 hrs
agree  Sophie Raimondo: Moore lifts the lid... that's a good one
8 hrs
agree  sktrans
15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
à quelle sauce on le mange
It's in the interest of the whole world to know what's cooking. Michael tells us. [or is telling us


Explanation:
WHAT'S COOKIN', YOU ALL....

Let's not miss the obvious....:)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 26 mins (2004-05-20 13:34:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

manger quelchose à une sauce= to know what\'s cooking, to know what\'s going on. to know what\'s happening....

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dr Andrew Read: Yes, a good metaphor. It's tempting to add, "Michael's opened the kitchen door" or similar, but this is probably going too far in English :-)
34 mins
  -> Funny, how these things come to one....:)
agree  roneill: Yes, this works well for the US
44 mins
disagree  Martha Melter: When I hear What's cooking? it doesn't express the idea that we have something unpleasant which is going to happen to a passive (person) in an active/passive relationship. This is the meaning that the colloquial French carries. ; )
1 hr
  -> what's cooking in this context can be negative or positive....what the honchos have cooked up..how about that??
agree  Sophie Raimondo: Yes, what's cooking is best... ça fait moins antropophage que l'expression française !
6 hrs
agree  sktrans
13 hrs
agree  avsie (X): ok for what's cooking :-)
17 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
The whole world has an interest in


Explanation:
knowing how much salt to swallow with what they're cooking up, and Michael Moore gives them the recipe.
(From "taking it with a grain of salt")

Or: The Whole world has a right to know what they're cooking up and MM gives them the recipe.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 16:26:42 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

That\'s the whole point: Bush is feeding the world a line of crap and Moore is telling us how much salt to put on it to make it palatible. You could also say taking it with a bushel of salt if the lies are really outrageous (and I haven\'t heard anything from the Bush/Cheney cabal that wasn\'t.;>)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-20 17:30:20 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

By implication, having to take whatever Buch/Cheney or any other trained macaque says with a grain of salt means he is being exposed for the sub- human liar he is. That\'s why the salt is needed. The quantityu of salt is the determinant of how big the lie is ergo how much exposure as a liar he gets. See?

zaphod
Local time: 12:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  RHELLER: This is a film to expose Bush-not to make him palatable. Taking it with a grain of salt means accepting things with a little skepticism http://www.bartleby.com/59/4/grainofsalt.html
1 hr
  -> See my comment
agree  Martha Melter: Your second suggestion "What they are cooking up or what is being cooked up for us" sounds better than What's cooking
1 hr
  -> Thanks
neutral  Dr Andrew Read: I agree with Rita that "grain of salt" has quite the wrong implication, but I also agree with Martha that your suggestion "what they are cooking up *for us* carries an important implication of the original that's missed by most of the suggestions
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, I see the confusion,. but in common parlance, by virtue of having to take something with a grain of salt is a left handed complement, or being damned with feint praise
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
à quelle sauce on le mange
how he (his image) will be destroyed


Explanation:
literally: HOW he will be eaten/
how he will be destroyed/ brought to his knees/broken/
high image will be torn down/ will have his head on a plate


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 34 mins (2004-05-20 13:42:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

to be had - it is more important to get the meaning right than to keep the image IMHO

dans une entreprise apte à passer la crise. A quelle sauce sont mangés les managers ? - Leur bonus devrait moins souffrir de la ...
www.lentreprise.com/article/1.4897.1.441.html

... A quelle sauce allons-nous être mangés?» se sont demandé les ouvriers d\'entretien ... En contrepartie, ce sont eux les plus exposés aux aléas politiques. ...
www.lexpress.fr/reussir/dossier/ fonctionpubliq/dossier.asp

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 24 mins (2004-05-20 14:32:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A quelle sauce sera-t-il mangé ?

C’est à dire « de quelle manière sera-t-il attaqué, ou vaincu » : il n’est jamais question de choses agréables mais ce n’est guère agréable d’être mangé quelle que soit la sauce !
http://crdp.ac-bordeaux.fr/ac/cassiopee/5/cult2.htm

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 36 mins (2004-05-20 14:44:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A quelle sauce sera-t-il mangé ?

C’est à dire « de quelle manière sera-t-il attaqué, ou vaincu » : il n’est jamais question de choses agréables mais ce n’est guère agréable d’être mangé quelle que soit la sauce !
http://crdp.ac-bordeaux.fr/ac/cassiopee/5/cult2.htm

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 04:04
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Dr Andrew Read: I see what you're getting at - but I think "le" refers to the whole world; or else it's intended that we just read the whole phrase as we might with "what's cooking" or similar.
55 mins
disagree  Martha Melter: I agree with Andrew
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
à quelle sauce on le mange
see comment


Explanation:
The whole world better know how to lump it as Michael is sharping it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs 17 mins (2004-05-20 19:25:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

should read:
..as Michael is sharp with the truth

Hacene
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:04
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
12 mins
  -> cheers Vicky
neutral  Dr Andrew Read: Very strange phrasing to a UK English-speaker and doesn't really get over the sense intended.
25 mins
  -> lump it or leave it!! I hope my answer is not too sharp.
neutral  zaphod: what?????
4 hrs
neutral  Sophie Raimondo: sharping? do you mean "shaping"?
9 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
à quelle sauce on le mange
what's going on


Explanation:
normally the French would be in the future tense. And it always has a slightly negative tinge, eg. managers in meetings, workers not informed; the workers wonder what's going on. In this case, despite the culinary connotations, it's French after all, Moore is simply going to expose what thus far has been hidden...

Stephen Hay (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search