Jul 13, 2004 14:53
20 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term
marcia creighton
noblesse oblige
Non-PRO
English
Marketing
Advertising / Public Relations
what does this expression mean?
Responses
+19
2 mins
Aisha Maniar
Native in English
&
English
French/Arabic-English legal translator
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK) 
Works in: Arabic to English, French to English, English
Selected
Lit: nobility obliges
Used in English now:
the idea that someone with power and influence should use their social position to help other people
from: http://www.freesearch.co.uk/dictionary/noblesse oblige
It's a French phrase. NOBLESSE OBLIGE -- From "Le Mot Juste: A Dictionary of Classical and Foreign Words and Phrases" (Vintage Books, 1991) edited by John Buchanan-Brown and others: "noblesse oblige - (no-BLESS oh-BLEEGE) literally: nobility obliges; those in high positions must be responsible." From the "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" (Second Edition, HarperCollins, 1977) by William and Mary Morris: ".(today) when there are not many persons with the noble ranks of old, it is used mainly in speaking of the generosity of the rich to charity. With their resources, they can afford to exercise noblesse oblige, particularly if it's tax deductible."
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/2/messages/174.html...
the idea that someone with power and influence should use their social position to help other people
from: http://www.freesearch.co.uk/dictionary/noblesse oblige
It's a French phrase. NOBLESSE OBLIGE -- From "Le Mot Juste: A Dictionary of Classical and Foreign Words and Phrases" (Vintage Books, 1991) edited by John Buchanan-Brown and others: "noblesse oblige - (no-BLESS oh-BLEEGE) literally: nobility obliges; those in high positions must be responsible." From the "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" (Second Edition, HarperCollins, 1977) by William and Mary Morris: ".(today) when there are not many persons with the noble ranks of old, it is used mainly in speaking of the generosity of the rich to charity. With their resources, they can afford to exercise noblesse oblige, particularly if it's tax deductible."
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/2/messages/174.html...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Graded automatically based on peer agreement."
+11
2 mins
Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Germany
Native in English
&
English
Germany
Quality Translations since 1986
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English, German, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Merriam-Webster says:
the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth
or in laymens terms:
if you come from high circles, you're expected to act accordingly
or in laymens terms:
if you come from high circles, you're expected to act accordingly
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Agnès Bourguet
6 mins
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| agree |
vixen
7 mins
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| agree |
pike
9 mins
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| agree |
Nanny Wintjens
10 mins
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| agree |
Marian Greenfield
12 mins
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| agree |
Elena Petelos
: Yes...but why translate??//Note above. :-)
17 mins
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what did I translate? Should I have explained in French? Then no-one would have understood it.
|
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| agree |
Jonathan MacKerron
: there is no translation as this term is perfectly valid in English
1 hr
|
| agree |
Madeleine MacRae Klintebo
1 hr
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| agree |
DGK T-I
3 hrs
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| agree |
Jörgen Slet
7 hrs
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| agree |
Eva Karpouzi
8 hrs
|
4 mins
Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Specializes in field
Bangladesh
NAATI Accredited 21 yrs in Medical Trans
Native in: Bengali
Works in: English to Bengali, Bengali to English, Bengali, and 1 more.
Benevolent, honorable behavior considered to be the responsibility of persons of high birth or rank.
Benevolent, honorable behavior considered to be the responsibility of persons of high birth or rank.
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