histoire vache

English translation: a nasty story

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:histoire vache
English translation:a nasty story
Entered by: Etienne Muylle Wallace

09:47 Feb 19, 2008
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase: histoire vache
"Une histoire vache" is the subtitle of a short piece in a cookery book about a couple who raise cows. I gather there's a pun going on here - that "histoire vache" is a bit of idiom, but I haven't been able to work out just what this phrase means.

The pun may not be able to be saved, but knowing the meaning will be a start.

Thanks for your help.
Melissa McMahon
Australia
Local time: 00:11
a nasty story
Explanation:
Highest yes, because that is a meaning, but I feel like there is a word game here between the cow story and the nasty story. If you do have the text of the story, you will probably confirm my feeling.
In any case I hope it has been somewhat helpful.
Selected response from:

Etienne Muylle Wallace
Spain
Local time: 14:11
Grading comment
There's no real deciding between all the pun suggestions - I still haven't settled on my own. For giving me the meaning first, which was the core of the question, thanks to etienne, but many thanks to all who joined in the fun...
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4Amazing Graze
Sandra Petch
3 +4a moo-ving tale
David Goward
5 +1a nasty story
Etienne Muylle Wallace
3 +3one helluva story
Tony M
3 +1a sorry story
Victoria Porter-Burns
4suggestions for pun
Anne de Freyman (X)
3 +1pat-a-cake
B D Finch
3How I got carved up
Bourth (X)
3the mean or the lean
Emma Paulay
3the Dairy diaries
CMJ_Trans (X)


Discussion entries: 22





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
a nasty story


Explanation:
Highest yes, because that is a meaning, but I feel like there is a word game here between the cow story and the nasty story. If you do have the text of the story, you will probably confirm my feeling.
In any case I hope it has been somewhat helpful.

Etienne Muylle Wallace
Spain
Local time: 14:11
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
There's no real deciding between all the pun suggestions - I still haven't settled on my own. For giving me the meaning first, which was the core of the question, thanks to etienne, but many thanks to all who joined in the fun...

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
9 mins
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
a sorry story


Explanation:
Another suggestion. I suppose the exact translation will depend on the content of the story.

Victoria Porter-Burns
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jack Dunwell: yes, the "vache" content can keep you going forever!
35 mins
  -> Absolutely! Thanks fourth.
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
one helluva story


Explanation:
Given where it is being used, I think it would probably be best to steer clear of the negative meanings.

'Oh, la vache !' can also be used in an astonished but possibly admiring way, as in when you tell someone just how much you paid for your new car.

I think it might be more appropriate to view the expression in this sort of light — though I suspect it might be better to avoid the pun altogether, concentrate on the cows, and simply convey the feeling of the pun by way of the tone you use.

Tony M
France
Local time: 14:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 348

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bourth (X): "Steer clear"! O dear, Tony, you're getting as bad as me! Don't you mean "a heiferlump story"?
12 mins
  -> Thanks, Alex! Oh no, I could never aspire to your heights of pun-dom

agree  Alain Pommet: Melissa should chew it over before deciding to milk this tale for what it's worth.
16 mins
  -> Ouch! Thanks Alain (I think)!

agree  David Goward: I think the punmeister from Bourth "has a beef" with your comment, Tony!
17 mins
  -> Thanks, David! Oh dear, 'mad pun disease' seems to be catching
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
suggestions for pun


Explanation:
In line with CMJ's comment, since a cow also means a "mean woman", depending of course on the actual story, you could play on the word along the lines of
A tale of cows
A cow of a tale
A mean/rotten tale of cows etc.

Anne de Freyman (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:11
Native speaker of: French
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
How I got carved up


Explanation:
How well that will work will depend on the story, the protagonists, etc., but you might be able to work "carve up" into it.

"Carve up" in the sense of carving meat, of course, but also in the sense of "doing the dirty" on someone, which is, or can be the meaning of a "histoire vache".

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Note added at 30 mins (2008-02-19 10:18:19 GMT)
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Or "A Story Overherd" (or "Over Herd" even)

A Cock-and-Bull story?

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Note added at 33 mins (2008-02-19 10:21:07 GMT)
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Now that's a story and a calf (half)!


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Note added at 34 mins (2008-02-19 10:21:59 GMT)
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A whole udder story?

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Note added at 36 mins (2008-02-19 10:24:15 GMT)
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A dirty Friesian (friggin') story.

Bourth (X)
Local time: 14:11
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 204
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43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
pat-a-cake


Explanation:
If that is not in poor taste!

B D Finch
France
Local time: 14:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 136

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Attorney DC Bar: just barely, but only in Britain, since in the US they're 'cow pies', not 'cow pats".
5 hrs
  -> So that's what Dangerous Dan was eating!
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42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the mean or the lean


Explanation:
A "vacherie" is a mean trick or a dirty trick. You'll have to play with this depending on the story itself but I'm sure you can come up with a title either playing on beef or milk or mooing or herds. There's plenty of vocab to choose from!

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Note added at 48 mins (2008-02-19 10:36:11 GMT)
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a cow-ardly tale

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 14:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 126
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Amazing Graze


Explanation:
My suggestion :-)

Sandra Petch
Local time: 14:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Goward: Excellent!
5 mins
  -> Thank you. This is where we can show our true (black and white) colours!

agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): I lke it!!
1 hr

agree  Emilie Naudin: J'adore !!
1 hr

agree  Silvia Brandon-Pérez
3 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the Dairy diaries


Explanation:
moo

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 14:11
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 231
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
a moo-ving tale


Explanation:
Another one in the mix.
Tabloid headline writers have nothing on proZians!

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-02-19 10:56:35 GMT)
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A bit less corny:
"Dairy farming - taking stock"

David Goward
France
Local time: 14:11
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 43

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: I like it!
22 mins
  -> Thanks! Although it might be taking the thing to a new "low"...

agree  Silvia Brandon-Pérez
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Silvia!

agree  PB Trans: Nice pun!
1 day 1 hr
  -> Thanks, Pina.

agree  writeaway: super!!!/yes
23 days
  -> Thanks! Have you only just found this?
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