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French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / music lyrics | | French term or phrase: Une fille qui tangue et vient mouiller | In an interview with a well-known gallery owner, he is asked to give a symbol of the "l'esprit parisien". His answer:
une attitude, "une fille qui tangue et vient mouiller".
This is part of a song by Léo Ferré (I've copied the lyrics below). I was thinking of dealing with this with something like:
an attitude, like when Léo Ferré sings "une fille qui tangue et vient mouiller"
and then putting the English translation in brackets.
Interested in what creative suggestions you have for this quote. I have my idea, but I'm curious to see what others come up with. :-)
Many thanks in advance,
Mara
Léo Ferré
C'est extra
1969
Une robe de cuir comme un fuseau
Qu'aurait du chien sans l'faire exprès
Et dedans comme un matelot
Une fille qui tangue un air anglais
C'est extra
Un moody blues qui chante la nuit
Comme un satin de blanc d'marié
Et dans le port de cette nuit
Une fille qui tangue et vient mouiller
C'est extra c'est extra
C'est extra c'est extra
Des cheveux qui tombent comme le soir
Et d'la musique en bas des reins
Ce jazz qui d'jazze dans le noir
Et ce mal qui nous fait du bien
C'est extra
Ces mains qui jouent de l'arc-en-ciel
Sur la guitare de la vie
Et puis ces cris qui montent au ciel
Comme une cigarette qui brille
C'est extra c'est extra
C'est extra c'est extra
Ces bas qui tiennent hauts perchés
Comme les cordes d'un violon
Et cette chair que vient troubler
L'archet qui coule ma chanson
C'est extra
Et sous le voile à peine clos
Cette touffe de noir jésus
Qui ruisselle dans son berceau
Comme un nageur qu'on attend plus
C'est extra c'est extra
C'est extra c'est extra
Une robe de cuir comme un oubli
Qu'aurait du chien sans l'faire exprès
Et dedans comme un matin gris
Une fille qui tangue et qui se tait
C'est extra
Les moody blues qui s'en balancent
Cet ampli qui n'veut plus rien dire
Et dans la musique du silence
Une fille qui tangue et vient mourir
C'est extra
C'est extra
C'est extra
C'est extra |
| French FoodieKudoZ activityQuestions: 423 (none open) ( 8 closed without grading) Answers: 423
| Local time: 11:03
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| | A girl who sways and comes (in) to dock | Explanation:
I agree with the simple translation given at this site
http://www.franceinfo.us/picassa/frenchmix/target1.html
which you should visit because you can also listen to the song.
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Note added at 8 hrs 12 mins (2005-08-23 16:51:05 GMT)
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I didn't adopt that translation just because I found it at that site.
The phrase "une fille qui tangue" (a girl that sways) has already turned up in a previous line. So we have to repeat that.
"Mouiller l'ancre" is to cast anchor. "Comes in to dock" is a good translation.
"A girl that sways and comes to dock" also repeats the meter of the original line. Great with me. Give me a lesson in sailing and you've lost me.
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Note added at 9 hrs 8 mins (2005-08-23 17:47:07 GMT)
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From Le Petit Robert:
mouiller (3) Mar. Mettre à l'eau. Mouiller une sonde, une mine, une ligne, un casier. Mouiller l'ancre. — Absolt. *Jeter l'ancre, s'arrêter*: Yacht qui mouille en grande rade, dans un port, dans une baie.
Therefore, in English: cast anchor, drop anchor.
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Note added at 1 day 6 hrs 18 mins (2005-08-24 14:57:47 GMT)
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Re the translation of "tanguer" when it relates to people:
French-English Robert for "tanguer":
3. (tituber) to reel, to sway
des marins ivres tanguaient dans la rue, drunken sailors were reeling / swaying along the street
Same thing in the Larousse Advanced French-English.
Maritime terms like 'tack' or 'pitch' do not belong to the way a person moves (unless the girl pitches in a baseball team).
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| Selected response from:
  Nick Lingris
Local time: 12:03
| Grading comment While Jane's answer may be correct sailing-wise, I'm going with Nick's suggestion because the line is repeated later as "une fille qui tangue et vient mourir" and I think it's important to keep the same word. Sway works well in both lines. Thanks to everyone for helping.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
| |
| Discussion entries: 0 |
|---|
Automatic update in 00:
|
1 hr confidence:   peer agreement (net): +1 Wets down her keel...
Explanation:
A girl that tacks and wets her keel...
(same rythm as the French sentence...)
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Note added at 4 hrs 19 mins (2005-08-23 12:58:49 GMT)
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zaphod is right: "a girl who tacks..."
| irat56
France
Local time: 11:03
Native speaker of:  French
PRO pts in category: 20
|
| |
37 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +3 A girl who sways and comes (in) to dock
Explanation:
I agree with the simple translation given at this site
http://www.franceinfo.us/picassa/frenchmix/target1.html
which you should visit because you can also listen to the song.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs 12 mins (2005-08-23 16:51:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I didn't adopt that translation just because I found it at that site.
The phrase "une fille qui tangue" (a girl that sways) has already turned up in a previous line. So we have to repeat that.
"Mouiller l'ancre" is to cast anchor. "Comes in to dock" is a good translation.
"A girl that sways and comes to dock" also repeats the meter of the original line. Great with me. Give me a lesson in sailing and you've lost me.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs 8 mins (2005-08-23 17:47:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
From Le Petit Robert:
mouiller (3) Mar. Mettre à l'eau. Mouiller une sonde, une mine, une ligne, un casier. Mouiller l'ancre. — Absolt. *Jeter l'ancre, s'arrêter*: Yacht qui mouille en grande rade, dans un port, dans une baie.
Therefore, in English: cast anchor, drop anchor.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 6 hrs 18 mins (2005-08-24 14:57:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Re the translation of "tanguer" when it relates to people:
French-English Robert for "tanguer":
3. (tituber) to reel, to sway
des marins ivres tanguaient dans la rue, drunken sailors were reeling / swaying along the street
Same thing in the Larousse Advanced French-English.
Maritime terms like 'tack' or 'pitch' do not belong to the way a person moves (unless the girl pitches in a baseball team).
| Nick Lingris
Local time: 12:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:  Greek
PRO pts in category: 28
|
| | Grading comment | While Jane's answer may be correct sailing-wise, I'm going with Nick's suggestion because the line is repeated later as "une fille qui tangue et vient mourir" and I think it's important to keep the same word. Sway works well in both lines. Thanks to everyone for helping. |
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The translation workplace 
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