English translation: wearing the famous grey-sweatshirt-with-wolves
Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
07:37 Sep 14, 2009
French to English translations [PRO] Textiles / Clothing / Fashion
French term or phrase:affichant le fameux loup
This is the sentence: "...James Bond, avec un coton ouaté grisâtre ***affichant le fameux loup***, perd beaucoup de son charme et de son sérieux."
It's about look and clothing.
I think this phrase is somewhat idiomatic.
Explanation: Or something along those lines.
It seems there is a lot of mocking in French on the net for people who wear clothing, often t-shirts or sweatshirts, with wolves on.
Here's a fine example: http://monsieurreponse.blogspot.com/2008/11/pourquoi-le-loup...
"Je pense que la pire combinaison, c'est un jacket de jeans avec un loup dans le dos. Ou mieux, des joggings gris bien usés agencés à un hoodie en coton ouaté avec des loups (déjà vu dans le train... ouch)!
Y faut être fier pour mettre ça, et pas avoir peur du ridicule..."
So the point is that there's a stereotypical greey hoodie with a wolf or wolves on that is associated with really bad style. Style that would make James Bond seem a lot less suave.
My suggestion is not perfect, dependent on style, but something like that certainly seems to fit this tongue in cheek tone.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2009-09-14 10:01:42 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
To be honest I'd be quite tempted to reference the (in)famous Three Wolf Moon t-shirt, but perhaps that's just my love of pop culture net references... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Wolf_Moon
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2009-09-14 10:08:05 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Or even 'the (in)famous grey-sweatshirt-with-wolves' or 'the infamous grey-sweatshirt-with-wolves'.
Perhaps 'wearing the (in)famous/famous/infamous wolf-embalzoned grey sweatshirt', if you want something with a more standard phrasing and a good deal less hyphens :)
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2009-09-14 10:08:37 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Sorry, typo there, I mean 'emblazoned', of course.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 hrs (2009-09-14 14:31:44 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Wow, it's actually *exactly* about Three Wolf Moon? Awesome! That's what it instantly reminded me of, so I'm pleasantly surprised it was actually that!
In that case I'd say that Three Wolf Moon is probably even more famous in English than it is in French, since it's an English meme originally, so you should have no trouble using it.
Grey, perhaps not, but the naff-clothing-with-wolves-on phenomenon definitely exists. I've seen a fair few people in black wolf t-shirts and, as I say in my answer, just take a look at the Three Wolf Moon meme! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Wolf_Moon
I wonder whether this wouldn´t be a case for cultural equivalence. I can imagine a suburban Frenchman in his faded grey sweatpants and hoodie emblazoned with a wolf transfer on the back looking particularly naff, but I can´t say I have ever seen anyone in London dressed like this. Do I just visit the wrong places, or would the equivalent be something else entirely? In any case I´m not sure "famous" would be the right adjective outside of France.
The book describes few steps to follow if one wishes to gain self-confidence. Then it states "Clothes make the man". It doesn't talk about the real James Bond, but ask a man to consider himself as James Bond.
Whole sentence: "En matière d'apparence, l'habillement est primordial. Il va sans dire que James Bond, avec un coton ouaté grisâtre ***affichant le fameux loup***, perd beaucoup de son charme et de son sérieux."
What is made of coton ouaté grisé, what has James Bond got to do with it? Is it JB or some item of clothing that has this wolf on it/him? Makes me think of the famous Lacoste crocodile, but I'm not familiar with a wolf as a clothing logo.
Explanation: I lack context to be sure that this proposal is a real good one. But it fits if Bond is wearing a T-shirt with a picture of a wolf who was mentioned before...
Explanation: Or something along those lines.
It seems there is a lot of mocking in French on the net for people who wear clothing, often t-shirts or sweatshirts, with wolves on.
Here's a fine example: http://monsieurreponse.blogspot.com/2008/11/pourquoi-le-loup...
"Je pense que la pire combinaison, c'est un jacket de jeans avec un loup dans le dos. Ou mieux, des joggings gris bien usés agencés à un hoodie en coton ouaté avec des loups (déjà vu dans le train... ouch)!
Y faut être fier pour mettre ça, et pas avoir peur du ridicule..."
So the point is that there's a stereotypical greey hoodie with a wolf or wolves on that is associated with really bad style. Style that would make James Bond seem a lot less suave.
My suggestion is not perfect, dependent on style, but something like that certainly seems to fit this tongue in cheek tone.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2009-09-14 10:01:42 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
To be honest I'd be quite tempted to reference the (in)famous Three Wolf Moon t-shirt, but perhaps that's just my love of pop culture net references... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Wolf_Moon
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2009-09-14 10:08:05 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Or even 'the (in)famous grey-sweatshirt-with-wolves' or 'the infamous grey-sweatshirt-with-wolves'.
Perhaps 'wearing the (in)famous/famous/infamous wolf-embalzoned grey sweatshirt', if you want something with a more standard phrasing and a good deal less hyphens :)
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2009-09-14 10:08:37 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Sorry, typo there, I mean 'emblazoned', of course.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 hrs (2009-09-14 14:31:44 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Wow, it's actually *exactly* about Three Wolf Moon? Awesome! That's what it instantly reminded me of, so I'm pleasantly surprised it was actually that!
In that case I'd say that Three Wolf Moon is probably even more famous in English than it is in French, since it's an English meme originally, so you should have no trouble using it.
Lianne Wilson United Kingdom Local time: 04:35 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks for your help. It is the Three Wolves Moon Shirt. The writer really made reference to it.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, you're right, something in the line.
"famous wolf-emblazoned grey sweatshirt" is not bad, I will keep "famous" though as it still connotes something negative in this phrase. Thanks
Asker: It's exactly the Three Wolf Moon T-shirt. The text is about men's self-confidence and seduction power.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
