https://www.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/bus-financial/598280-loi-de-louest.html

loi de l'Ouest

English translation: Quick Draw Law

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:loi de l'Ouest
English translation:Quick Draw Law
Entered by: Stephanie Mitchel

15:37 Dec 19, 2003
French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial / financial news
French term or phrase: loi de l'Ouest
This is a subheading in an article on the Executive Life case (yesterday's L'Express on line): "C'est la loi de l'Ouest." Basically it's referring to the fact that California authorities decided to pursue French financiers as far as possible for fraud. Is there a specific idea that this phrase connotes to a French reader? Is it 'vigilante justice'?
Stephanie Mitchel
United States
Local time: 06:34
Quick Draw Law
Explanation:
Connotation = law of the wild west - la loi du plus fort la loi de l'ouest sauvage - Western movies

but here also the idea of a quick decision - not a lengthy trial - and with the might/weight of the strongest ?
Selected response from:

Jean-Luc Dumont
France
Local time: 11:34
Grading comment
I agree with this in the context - my fault for not giving the proper sense of the term at the outset but thank you for reading the fine print! It *is* about the fastest trigger more than anything.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8Cowboy justice
William Stein
4 +2Law of the West
Danny041 (X)
5 +1Yes, like in Westerns (films, I mean)
nothing
4 +1Quick Draw Law
Jean-Luc Dumont
5California lawmen gunning for their guy OR No holds barred legal battle
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
4the Wild West
NancyLynn
4hang'em high!
sarahl (X)
4Far west law
Felipe Vallejo


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Law of the West


Explanation:
It's The Law of The West!

I believe it's just an expression that says that this is the way something is; plain and simple. (Taken form old cowboy movies)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-12-19 15:48:06 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The authorities in your example are following the old custom to chase the bad guys for possible fraud. That\'s the LAW. The law of the west...


OgreCave.com: I hated to do that... but it\'s the law of the West
The weblog for unplugged gaming news and views, with your host Sven the Ogre. ... to do that... but it\'s the law of the West. Word on the Cheapasses mailing list is that the preview version of One ...
www.ogrecave.com/archives/003489.shtml


Danny041 (X)
Native speaker of: Native in Haitian-CreoleHaitian-Creole
PRO pts in pair: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jean-Luc Dumont
2 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)

agree  margaret caulfield: Yes! I would respect the original style in tis case. After all, it is a title.
23 hrs
  -> Yes, thank you.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Yes, like in Westerns (films, I mean)


Explanation:
Lynching, gunmen and no law

nothing
Local time: 10:34
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 94

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Abdellatif Bouhid: 'justice (F/E) à la western' (often Western A novel, film, television program, or other dramatic work including themes, characters, or settings characteristic of the American West. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
14 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
Cowboy justice


Explanation:
Justice in the Wild West
or vigilante justice
The usual whining, quoi!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2003-12-19 15:44:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance:
Devenu un homme politique éminent, Stoddard vient assister à l\'enterrement de Tom Doniphon. Questionné par un journaliste, il raconte son arrivée dans l\'Ouest et comment il a combattu et tué Liberty Valance, pilleur de diligences, avec le soutien de Doniphon qui l\'avait pris en amitié et lui avait enseigné **la loi de l\'Ouest, celle du plus fort**... Un classique.
www.lamediatheque.be/DVD/JANVIER2002/WESTERN.htm


William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 04:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1737

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  RHELLER: wild - like "out of line"
2 mins
  -> Wild, like wild, maaaan!

agree  roneill: or wild like sauvage!
7 mins
  -> Yeeeeeeeeeeeeehaw!

agree  Iolanta Vlaykova Paneva
13 mins
  -> Thanks.

agree  CMJ_Trans (X): you can tell who comes from which side of the Great Atlantic Divide but the tenor of the answers!
33 mins
  -> I spent so many years abroad I'm kind of doing the splits!

agree  Thierry LOTTE: C'était mon steak Liberty !
48 mins

agree  Parrot: Not "Terminator justice" (in California)? ;-))
48 mins

agree  Jean-Claude Gouin
4 hrs

agree  Steven Capsuto: Yup -- that's the first phrase that came to mind when I saw the original French!
1 day 13 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the Wild West


Explanation:
this phrazse says it all : the time period when there was no formal justice - you had to take the law into your own hands.

NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 06:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 715
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
hang'em high!


Explanation:
you may want to keep this short and with a little visual effect! (i hope there's no copyright involved here!)

sarahl (X)
Local time: 03:34
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 1306

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jean-Luc Dumont: l'idée est intéressante et va bien avec le coucher de soleil - bien que cela serait bien aller aux bras de la photo precedente - cette réponse tient par un American spaghetti - mais pas par le registre et niveau
4 hrs
  -> macaroni and cheese, anyone?
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Quick Draw Law


Explanation:
Connotation = law of the wild west - la loi du plus fort la loi de l'ouest sauvage - Western movies

but here also the idea of a quick decision - not a lengthy trial - and with the might/weight of the strongest ?

Jean-Luc Dumont
France
Local time: 11:34
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in pair: 1108
Grading comment
I agree with this in the context - my fault for not giving the proper sense of the term at the outset but thank you for reading the fine print! It *is* about the fastest trigger more than anything.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  sarahl (X): tu dérives vers le darwinisme, là.
4 mins
  -> expression utilisée - aux USA - justice expéditive - du plus fort - rien de darwinien

agree  NancyLynn: oh ! much better, yes
2 days 4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Far west law


Explanation:
making refference to the way the law was applied (to its last consequences) during the western colonization in the US

Felipe Vallejo
Colombia
Local time: 05:34
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 16
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
California lawmen gunning for their guy OR No holds barred legal battle


Explanation:
If they are going as far as possible that is the idea to convey to the US audience as per your explanation of going as far as they can to get em...

The western stuff does not work to convey that idea in English...IMO



Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in pair: 8576
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also: