Aug 4, 2005 13:31
19 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term
France
pretty big matzo ball
Non-PRO
English to French
Other
Linguistics
This is from "Seinfeld". I've seen that "matzo ball" is a dish, but I don't really understand the reference and why this seems to be so funny. Thanks for the help.
George: Anyway, I'm thinking of making a big move.
Jerry: What?
George: I might tell her that I love her.
Jerry: Oh, my!
George: I came this close last night, and then I just sort of chickened out.
Jerry: Well, that's a big move, Georgie boy. Are you confident in the "I love you" return?
George: Fifty-fifty.
Jerry: Because if you don't get that return, that's a pretty big matzo ball hanging out there.
George: Anyway, I'm thinking of making a big move.
Jerry: What?
George: I might tell her that I love her.
Jerry: Oh, my!
George: I came this close last night, and then I just sort of chickened out.
Jerry: Well, that's a big move, Georgie boy. Are you confident in the "I love you" return?
George: Fifty-fifty.
Jerry: Because if you don't get that return, that's a pretty big matzo ball hanging out there.
Proposed translations
(French)
| 2 | autrement t'as les boules |
Flo in London
|
| 3 +2 | just means it's a lot of dough (money) at risk/you could be left holding the bag |
writeaway
|
| 3 | des matzo balls |
Conor McAuley
|
Proposed translations
1 day 1 hr
Selected
autrement t'as les boules
Well... I tried!
My understanding is that, as Conor mentioned, this is a pun on 'balls', i.e. if George has misread his friend's feelings towards him, it will be a great source of embarrassment to bare his soul & declare his love to her
My understanding is that, as Conor mentioned, this is a pun on 'balls', i.e. if George has misread his friend's feelings towards him, it will be a great source of embarrassment to bare his soul & declare his love to her
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "merci"
+2
13 mins
just means it's a lot of dough (money) at risk/you could be left holding the bag
a matzo ball is something like a dumpling made from matzo meal and is used for soups. is just a comical manner of speaking in a NY Jewish environment,which is what Seinfeld himself is all about. It's a very funny line in English, especially with Seinfeld's delivery.
in French, matzo balls are " boulettes de pain azyme".
this is just to help a native French speaker come up with something equivalent in French. :-)
in French, matzo balls are " boulettes de pain azyme".
this is just to help a native French speaker come up with something equivalent in French. :-)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Emilie Laferrière
: completely exact - thrre's a risk outstanding I think
1 hr
|
| agree |
Carolingua
: I think it also plays on the image of a ball game (i.e. throwing a ball back and forth). So if you are throwing a ball, and it's not thrown back to you, you feel pretty bad for having thrown it in the first place.
3 days 8 hrs
|
19 mins
Conor McAuley
France
France
Native in English
France
Excellence, Expertise & Experience
Native in: English (Variants: Irish, British, Wales / Welsh, UK, Scottish)
Works in: French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
des matzo balls
One example anyway:
KNEDLICH juif: Ajouter à une soupe au poulet, des matzo balls faites de 1 tasse
de matzo meal,
www.hcordeau.com/rec04.htm
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Note added at 24 mins (2005-08-04 13:55:57 GMT)
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Without going into any possible sexual/Freudian interpretation of the balls thing (with apologies in advance - slang for \"couilles\"), the basic meaning is perhaps, \"you\'re at risk of getting seriously hurt emotionally\".
I don\'t know if a (relatively?) mainstream French-speaking audience would get an in-depth Jeswish culture reference?
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Note added at 24 mins (2005-08-04 13:56:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Jewish, sorry.
KNEDLICH juif: Ajouter à une soupe au poulet, des matzo balls faites de 1 tasse
de matzo meal,
www.hcordeau.com/rec04.htm
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2005-08-04 13:55:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Without going into any possible sexual/Freudian interpretation of the balls thing (with apologies in advance - slang for \"couilles\"), the basic meaning is perhaps, \"you\'re at risk of getting seriously hurt emotionally\".
I don\'t know if a (relatively?) mainstream French-speaking audience would get an in-depth Jeswish culture reference?
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2005-08-04 13:56:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Jewish, sorry.
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