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Ce qui ne tue pas engraisse

English translation: [cultural footnote:] "What doesn't kill me..."

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Ce qui ne tue pas engraisse
English translation:[cultural footnote:] "What doesn't kill me..."
Entered by: Heathcliff

03:41 Dec 15, 2000
French to English translations [PRO]
French term or phrase: Ce qui ne tue pas engraisse
Does anyone have a good translation for this saying? Here's the context: "'Ce qui ne tue pas engraisse' constate la sagesse populaire. Les Etats ont beaucoup tue, mais dans les voies de l'evolution, tout impenetrables et choquantes qu'elles soient, ils ont joue leur role positif."
Thanks, Karen
Karen Tucker (X)
United States
Local time: 13:23
[cultural footnote:]
Explanation:
The English phrase (which, yes, has now become idiomatic, largely through (over) exposure in American films) is a rough translation of Nietzsche's "Was nicht mich umbringt, macht mir staerker" (German spelling approximate, apologies) -- "What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger."

Cheers, HC
Selected response from:

Heathcliff
United States
Local time: 10:23
Grading comment
Somehow this question got posted twice, so I got two sets of answers and chose an answer from the other set a few weeks ago. The one I chose was "What doesn't kill you will cure you" because I've heard the expression before even though you don't hear it very often. Thanks for providing an alternative. Karen
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
naWhat doesn't kill, makes one fatter.
Anna Stevenson
naWhat doesn't kill you will make you stronger
Matthew Folley
na[cultural footnote:]
Heathcliff
naWhatever doesn't kill you makes you fatter.
Stephanie Mitchel


  

Answers


3 mins
What doesn't kill, makes one fatter.


Explanation:
Or possibly also "What doesn't kill, fattens."


    Larousse French-English Dictionary
Anna Stevenson
France
Local time: 19:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Lydia Brady
Heathcliff
Brandie Brunner
Louise Atfield
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4 hrs
What doesn't kill you will make you stronger


Explanation:
English idiom for this phrase, though not literal it gives the meaning while being convincing English rather than horrible franglais.

Matthew Folley
Local time: 18:23

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Lydia Brady
Brandie Brunner
Louise Atfield
Wouter van Kampen
Gemmstone
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11 hrs
[cultural footnote:]


Explanation:
The English phrase (which, yes, has now become idiomatic, largely through (over) exposure in American films) is a rough translation of Nietzsche's "Was nicht mich umbringt, macht mir staerker" (German spelling approximate, apologies) -- "What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger."

Cheers, HC

Heathcliff
United States
Local time: 10:23
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 953
Grading comment
Somehow this question got posted twice, so I got two sets of answers and chose an answer from the other set a few weeks ago. The one I chose was "What doesn't kill you will cure you" because I've heard the expression before even though you don't hear it very often. Thanks for providing an alternative. Karen
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70 days
Whatever doesn't kill you makes you fatter.


Explanation:
This is just a guess, but I've read, and heard, "Ce qui ne tue pas rend plus fort" already, so I think if that were the meaning, that's what they'd use. In any case, it sounds like this commentary on the US is negative enough that my interpretation might work in the figurative sense. Very late, I know, just a postmortem (pardon the expression).

Stephanie Mitchel
United States
Local time: 13:23
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 115
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