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légère jusqu'à l'évanescence

English translation: so delicate or so fragile as to be evanescent or ephemeral

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:légère jusqu'à l'évanescence
English translation:so delicate or so fragile as to be evanescent or ephemeral
Entered by: Jenny Duthie

11:07 Mar 20, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Journalism
French term or phrase: légère jusqu'à l'évanescence
Hi everyone

In context...
"Sensuelle, espiègle, originale jusqu'à l'extravagance, légère jusqu'à l'évanescence, la femme se multiplie au gré des ses accessoires."

If it helps, I've translated "espiègle" as "frivolous". I was thinking along the lines of "carefree" for "légère".

Thanks for your ideas!
Sandra Petch
Local time: 03:37
so delicate or so fragile as to be evanescent or ephemeral
Explanation:
I think légére could be translated as delicate in this context while I think the point the writer is making is that a woman may so delicate, or rather her beauty, and her charms are so delicate or fragile that they're only temporary (!) or she's mysterious so you only catch a fleeting glimpse of her beauty and fragility.....
Selected response from:

Jenny Duthie
France
Local time: 03:37
Grading comment
Ultimately I went with ..."so carefree as to be almost evanescent" even though I'm not entirely convinced by "evanescent." All your great ideas were much appreciated.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5so delicate or so fragile as to be evanescent or ephemeral
Jenny Duthie
3 +3light as a bubble
Jacqui Audouy
4flightily evanescent
jean-jacques alexandre
2 +2light-hearted to the point of evanescence
Emma Paulay
3words......
CMJ_Trans (X)


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
words......


Explanation:
delicate (even 'fickle') to the point of being ephemeral

and for "espiègle" cheeky

more brainstorming later

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 03:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
flightily evanescent


Explanation:
I agree with CJM on mischievous

jean-jacques alexandre
France
Local time: 03:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
light-hearted to the point of evanescence


Explanation:
I would also have used mischievous for espiègle

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 03:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 48

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  French Foodie: I like light-hearted, maybe even simply "light-hearted and bubbly"
2 mins
  -> Thanks Mara, I like the bubble idea - it conveys the vanishing.
agree  Raymonde Gagnier: I like it!
10 hrs
  -> Thanks rousselures
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
light as a bubble


Explanation:
Just what came to mind on first reading

Jacqui Audouy
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:37
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  jean-jacques alexandre
2 hrs
  -> Merci J-J
agree  Patrice
11 hrs
  -> Thanks Patricia
agree  mill2
1 day 18 mins
  -> Thanks Millay
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
so delicate or so fragile as to be evanescent or ephemeral


Explanation:
I think légére could be translated as delicate in this context while I think the point the writer is making is that a woman may so delicate, or rather her beauty, and her charms are so delicate or fragile that they're only temporary (!) or she's mysterious so you only catch a fleeting glimpse of her beauty and fragility.....

Example sentence(s):
Jenny Duthie
France
Local time: 03:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
Ultimately I went with ..."so carefree as to be almost evanescent" even though I'm not entirely convinced by "evanescent." All your great ideas were much appreciated.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Swatchka
1 hr
  -> thanks I've only just signed up to Kudos term search so I'm a beginner to this!!
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): you are doing well for a beginner; caryy on, Jenny!
5 hrs
  -> thanks very much Ingeborg
agree  Gacela20
5 hrs
  -> thank you
agree  Patrice
11 hrs
  -> thanks Patricia, have a good day
agree  kironne
1 day 18 hrs
  -> thanks Kironne, bonne journée
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