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sexy

English translation: erotic (film)

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07:12 Nov 11, 2009

French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama

French term or phrase: sexy

The Peeper, plus burlesque que sexy, suit ainsi un voyeur en herbe qui épie les filles chez son voisin photographe.

This describes a well-known director's first film, which he made in the sixties. It was what was called a 'nudie.' film, (early films displaying nudity). When the French say 'sexy' in this context, does it have the same meaning as sexy in English, or does 'un filme sexy' mean a soft-port film or explicit film.

Thanks

Sarah Robertson KudoZ activity Questions: 172 (none open) (8 closed without grading) Answers: 0 United Kingdom
Local time: 18:10

English translation:erotic (film)

Explanation:
rather a comedy than an erotic film

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-11-11 08:46:18 GMT)
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"Burlesque" is not likely to mean "burlesque" given the film description.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-11-11 10:10:04 GMT)
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Tend to agree with Emma that "sexy" in English can be used for a person, or an outfit -- but less so for a film.

So both "sexy" and "burlesque" are false friends in this context. Tricky!

Selected response from:

Jim Tucker
United States

Grading comment

2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +7

erotic (film)

Jim Tucker

3 +6

sexy/sensual

Jocelyne S

4 +3

kinky

Manuel Malherbe

blue

xxxBourth

soft-core porn

Mark Nathan

Answers

56 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

sexy/sensual

Explanation:
Given the "burlesque" in the same clause, I'm pretty sure they mean "sexy" in the same way we would use it in English. The sentence is making the point that the film is not a sensual wonder, but rather somewhat burlesque.

Good luck,
Jocelyne

Jocelyne S
France
Local time: 19:10
Native speaker of:

English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

mimi 254: sexy

14 mins

-> Thank you.

agree

Valerie SYKES: Sexy (not 'sensual')

16 mins

-> Thanks, Valerie.

agree

margaret caulfield: sexy

34 mins

-> Thanks.

neutral

Emma Paulay: I'm not sure we would describe a film as "sexy" in En.

1 hr

-> I believe that it's as common in EN as it is in FR. They appear to have deliberately chosen to use "sexy" rather than "érotique".

agree

Mark Nathan: I think I prefer sexy to erotic in this context. Saying that it is erotic moves it towards the category of pornography, which I do not think is the case here.

2 hrs

-> Thanks Mark.

agree

Anne Girardeau: I'd go for sexy too

6 hrs

-> Thanks Anne.

agree

Verginia Ophof: sexy

6 hrs

-> Thanks Verginia.

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

erotic (film)

Jim Tucker
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Emma Paulay: more comical than erotic

47 mins

-> yes, adjectives better - thanks

agree

wordgirl

51 mins

agree

jean-jacques alexandre: qu'érotique, en effet

1 hr

neutral

Jocelyne S: Re "burlesque": please note the in UK EN, burlesque means "a comically exaggerated imitation" (1st def. in my OED) - and not a false friend here if the asker is using UK EN.

1 hr

-> But there is no imitation here (unless you mean it in the Aristotelian sense). Also, not to pick nits, but the OED is a historical dictionary, rather than a descriptive one, so the first meaning is the oldest, rather than the predominant one.

agree

Caitlin Stephens: Agree with your points Jim. Emma has found the best way of putting it I think

1 hr

agree

John Detre

3 hrs

agree

Lingua 5B

5 hrs

agree

Chris Hall

6 hrs

4 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

kinky

Explanation:
More slapstick than kinky seems to fit the bill, doesn't it?

Manuel Malherbe
Local time: 19:10
Native speaker of:

French,

English

13 hrs confidence:

soft-core porn

Explanation:
I did not realize that this was Francis Ford Coppola's "The Peeper".
I think it is generally acknowledged as an embarassing foray into soft porn that he did in his early days to earn money.

http://www.sexbombsburgers.com/2009/08/triva-day-8-francis-f...

Mark Nathan
Local time: 19:10
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

13 hrs confidence:

blue

Explanation:
Doesn't "more burlesque than blue" have a nice ring to it. In addition, as an anagram, "burlesque" is conveniently "blue" with "risqué" less the i ...

Is "blue", said of movies, said and understood these days when they are not actually blue at all, or is another "generation thing"?

blue: Book Binding [home, info]; blue: English-French Aeronautical Glossary [home, info] ... adjective: suggestive of sexual impropriety ("A blue movie") ...
www.onelook.com/?bpl=add&bypass=1&lang=all...

Blue Movie: Slang for pornographic films. Breasts: Either of two milk-secreting glandular organs on the front of the chest in the human female. ...
www.coolnurse.com/sex_glossary/glossary_b.htm

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Note added at 13 hrs (2009-11-11 21:00:28 GMT)
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Well, so much for that theory ... Somewhere along the line I'd learnt that blue movies (coloured ones at least) were so called because they were tinged with blue because shot on low budgets with low-quality film or insufficient lighting. Or maybe the sets were underheated and the actors turned blue ... Googling comes up with none of this, so it must be some other reason.

xxxBourth
Local time: 19:10
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 52

Voters for reclassification
as
PRO / non-PRO

Non-PRO (3): writeaway, Jim Tucker, Anne Girardeau

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Changes made by editors

Nov 11, 2009 - Changes made by Anne Girardeau:
Level	PRO => Non-PRO

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English translation: erotic (film)

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English translation: erotic (film)

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

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