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French: clic clac (or banquette clic clac)

English translation: (clic-clac) sofa bed



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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:(banquette) clic clac
English translation:(clic-clac) sofa bed
Entered by:Tony M
Options:
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3:13pm May 9, 2007Login or register (free) for more options.
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Furniture / Household Appliances / seating/bedding
French term or phrase: clic clac (or banquette clic clac)
I just want to confirm that this is what we know in the US as a futon. I am pretty sure it is, but I would like incontrovertible confirmation.
jmleger
United States
Clarification request(s) and response
juliebarba: 3:41pm May 9, 2007: http://www.littlewoodsdirect.com/rf/lxd/navigation/product.d...
Tony M: 4:38pm May 9, 2007: J-M, I believe 'futon' is possibly used rather differently in the US than in Europe; however, be that as it may, I think you'd be best to avoid the term, which is not an accurate description of what a clic-clac is
Delphine Joly: 11:27am May 10, 2007: I agree with tony and overhere we use just "sofa bed"

sofa bed
Explanation:
No, it isn't really the same as a futon, even though they do both serve the same function, of course.

'clic-clac' refers to the particular type of mechanism used, which I'd never seen before I came to France, and really is very simple and ingenious.

In the UK we used to call them a 'put-U-up', but that referred to a particular design, and was I suspect a proprietary term.

They have also, in the past, in the UK at least, been referred to generically as a 'studio couch', although there the mechanism is not specified.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-05-09 16:44:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I agree up to a point with Amy's comment to Emma's answer, that the clic clac is of course one specific type of all sofa beds; however, as CMJ has already pointed out, the term has become so generic these days, if someone says "we can out you up on the clic-clac", they're not really thinking about the technical details of its mechanism, but just its function in their home.

So in more everyday contexts, other than perhaps technical furniture trade literature, I think 'sofa bed' tout court is adequate, and nearly as snappy as the original.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Note from asker to answerer
Let's go with sofa bed then, since it seems to be the consensus.

Cheers!

JM
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +14sofa bed
Tony M
3 +10clic-clac sofa bedEmma Paulay
4 +1convertiblexxxCMJ_Trans
4 -1foldaway bed
Odette Grille
3 -1Z-bed
Rebecca Parker - Into English Ltd.


  

Answers

3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Z-bed

Explanation:
I thought i was a z-bed, or camp bed, but maybe that was in the pre-futon days...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2007-05-09 15:17:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I thought IT was a z-bed (not that I was a z-bed... tsk tsk)

Rebecca Parker - Into English Ltd.
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral Emma Paulay: I'd like to see you try to be a Z bed!!
4 mins
  -> Lol I feel like one at the mo!
disagree Tony M: No, that's one quite specific KIND of ad hoc bed, and not the same at all
7 mins
  -> Ok then :)
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
convertible

Explanation:
futon is a Japanese bed - something different again

xxxCMJ_Trans
France
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree romainlaine
3 mins
neutral Emma Paulay: An "ordinary" sofa can be convertible, but it doesn't have the "clic-clac" mechanism.
4 mins
  -> the term has become generic
neutral Rebecca Parker - Into English Ltd.: makes me think of cars more than beds ...
18 mins
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
foldaway bed

Explanation:
You can put a futon as mattress

Odette Grille
Canada
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree Tony M: Not really, because the whole point is that it doesn't fold AWAY, but stays there doubling as a sofa
6 mins
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +10
clic-clac sofa bed

Explanation:
Can't say I've ever heard the term in EN - but it is used apparently. The second ref even says "Le" clic-clac!


    Reference: http://www.dealclick.co.uk/subcat/sofa-beds.php
    Reference: http://www.churchfield.com/catalogue/contemporary_range.htm#...
Emma Paulay
France
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree juliebarba: I posted some links on asker note....\ it can be written click-clack too...
15 mins
  -> Thanks Julie//for the links too!
agree Assimina Vavoula
16 mins
  -> Thanks Assimina
agree Nathalie Elson: and different to a futon
21 mins
  -> Thanks Nathalie
agree Sandra Petch: I'm a futon girl myself ;-)
28 mins
  -> Thanks Sandra
agree Tony M
34 mins
  -> Thanks Tony
agree Amy Williams: as opposed to a normal sofa bed, which pulls out from the bowels of the sofa. This one simply folds flat.
45 mins
  -> Thanks Amy. Exactly. I like the bowels!
agree David Goward: As Amy says.
54 mins
  -> As I said to Amy!
agree Ingeborg Gowans: this is the "real McCoy"
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Ingeborg
agree danièle davout
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Danièle
agree writeaway: This is the most accurate answer. sofa bed alone doesn't do it. there are too many different kinds. fwiw-It's not a futon in the USA either . Some futons do fold up, others don't. but a clic-clac sofa bed is definitely NOT a futon in anyone's English
6 hrs
  -> Thanks writeaway
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +14
(banquette) clic clac sofa bed

Explanation:
No, it isn't really the same as a futon, even though they do both serve the same function, of course.

'clic-clac' refers to the particular type of mechanism used, which I'd never seen before I came to France, and really is very simple and ingenious.

In the UK we used to call them a 'put-U-up', but that referred to a particular design, and was I suspect a proprietary term.

They have also, in the past, in the UK at least, been referred to generically as a 'studio couch', although there the mechanism is not specified.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-05-09 16:44:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I agree up to a point with Amy's comment to Emma's answer, that the clic clac is of course one specific type of all sofa beds; however, as CMJ has already pointed out, the term has become so generic these days, if someone says "we can out you up on the clic-clac", they're not really thinking about the technical details of its mechanism, but just its function in their home.

So in more everyday contexts, other than perhaps technical furniture trade literature, I think 'sofa bed' tout court is adequate, and nearly as snappy as the original.

Tony M
France
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 60
Note from asker to answerer
Let's go with sofa bed then, since it seems to be the consensus.

Cheers!

JM

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree xxxCMJ_Trans: this is not a bad idea - I think clic-clac was first a brand name....
0 min
  -> Thanks, Chris! Yes, I believe it was, and almost certainly still is. But as you say, it has now become generic, and I think this term is equally generic in EN
agree cristina estanislau
5 mins
  -> Thanks, Cristina!
agree Katherine Mérignac: I think this is the most suitable term and the one that springs to mind - a futon is generally unsprung, and (I think) is often made of wood, while the clic clac generally has a metal structure, is not as low as a futon and is a good sofa! Need I go on?!
11 mins
  -> Thanks, Katherine! No, I think you've about summed it up!
agree Charles Hawtrey: Futon is the term now in wide use in the UK too for sofa beds. Clic-clac must be recent... //Hey - the last time I bought an occasional sofa bed was about a dozen years ago
14 mins
  -> Thanks, Charles! Not THAT recent, but specifically FR, I think; 'futons' are a sub-set of all sofa-beds
agree juliebarba: because they click & clack when you open them....\ in fact they are listed on the net in Eng - see asker notes \ me neither
15 mins
  -> Thanks, julie! That's interesting, I hadn't seen them before I left the UK 10 years ago. Might as well call them 'ouch' as you trap your fingers...
agree Emma Paulay: I was pasting my refs while you posted your answer..
20 mins
  -> Thanks, Emma! Well done.
agree Assimina Vavoula: Hi, again....
20 mins
  -> Efharisto, Assimina! (again!)
agree Sandra Petch: I haven't heard "put-u-up" in years!!! / The best I can offer guests is a blow-up campbed tho I have splashed out on a foot-pump ;-)
32 mins
  -> Thanks, Sandra! Probably better not to admit to EVER having heard it, I'm afraid it dates us! // Never had much joy with blow-ups, though loads of giggles!
agree Vicky Papaprodromou
38 mins
  -> Efharisto, Vicky!
agree Bourth: Simple qnd ingenious, but hardly robust!//Not personally, no, but the one in the flat has been knackered in a short time by friends and friends of friends who've been to stay. And you seldom go far on a Paris street without finding an abandoned one ...
39 mins
  -> Thanks, Alex! Why, are you in the habit of wearing them out?! // Aw, all those poor, abandoned friends trudging the streets of Paris...
agree cmwilliams: yes, just 'sofa bed'
56 mins
  -> Thanks, CMW!
agree Charlie Bavington: altho I can't say whether it's ok for the US or not
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, CB! Very true, I only speak from a UK perspective, and I suspect in AE it might be more to do with a couch
agree writeaway: jein (a qualified agree) it's a clic-clac sofa bed. just sofa bed is not enough because it there are so many different kinds (very different to the clic-clac system). but it's NOT a futon in US, UK or anywhere else .
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, W/A! I understand your point, but I think the genericness (or not) of this term has been sufficiently highlighted for Asker to call that one
agree Delphine Joly: YES ! and in the US too !
20 hrs
  -> Thanks, Delphine!
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