Sep 23, 2007 05:54
17 yrs ago
French term
Australia
A translator you can count on
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English
donner dans le veuvage
French to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
From a fiction novel:
"Vous avez donné dans le veuvage, vous aussi!"
is this a phrase meaning "to be a widow/be widowed" ?
Just wanted some clarification, as the "donner" part was throwing me a bit.
Many thanks in advance..
"Vous avez donné dans le veuvage, vous aussi!"
is this a phrase meaning "to be a widow/be widowed" ?
Just wanted some clarification, as the "donner" part was throwing me a bit.
Many thanks in advance..
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+1
3 hrs
Selected
you know what it's like to be widowed
"donner dans" does usually have the sense of suffering - mock or not. It's usually said with a bit of a groan.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-09-23 10:05:45 GMT)
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You've been through widowhood...
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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-09-23 10:05:45 GMT)
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You've been through widowhood...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: been through-and left it? remarried?/was being a bit tongue-in-cheek. we need more context so we can see the style/register of the text/hopefully Asker will provide more details (neutrals can be changed to agrees ....).
1 hr
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I knew someone would say that! It obviously depends on the context - but the FR is also past tense. I think the meaning is "been through the initial difficulties of widowhood". "Donner dans" means the experience wasn't pleasant, I'm certain of that.//:)
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| agree |
Sandra Petch
21 hrs
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Thank you, Sandra.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to everyone for your help! Because of the nature of the conversation in the novel, there wasn't much more context I could have given, as it appeared to be a passing comment. I think this one probably best fits the tone, but I do appreciate all of your insight!"
+4
26 mins
David Hollywood
Native in English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
you're a widow now/ you've gone into widowhood
veuvage Bachelorhood; Celibato; Veuvage; Widowhood; ...
cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=15200899 - Similar pages
cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=15200899 - Similar pages
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Rowan Morrell
: I prefer "you're a widow now".
43 mins
|
| agree |
Gacela20
2 hrs
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| neutral |
writeaway
: but would one actually say 'you've gone into widowhood' in English?
2 hrs
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| agree |
Carol Gullidge
: but not with option 2!
3 hrs
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| agree |
Mohamed Mehenoun
: option 1...
3 hrs
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| neutral |
Emma Paulay
: That would be "vous êtes veuve.."
3 hrs
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33 mins
You have gone into windowhood
Your second proposal is the best, as "donner" here means "entrer dans"
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
siragui
: If you think so, you should enter "agree" above, rather than posting it as your own answer!
2 hrs
|
+5
2 hrs
join the widows' club
something like this?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
writeaway
: yes, this sounds like something we would say in English-(just saw this recently trying to remember where)
23 mins
|
| agree |
Anna Quail
: Or: You're a widow too? Join the club!
1 hr
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| agree |
Carol Gullidge
: nice one!
1 hr
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| neutral |
Mohamed Mehenoun
: if it's sarcastic ....
2 hrs
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why only sarcastic - all is in the tone
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| neutral |
Emma Paulay
: I'm with Mohamed. Only if it's sarcastic
2 hrs
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| agree |
svetlana cosquéric
4 hrs
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| agree |
Jac Leventre (X)
: agree with french2english's suggestion-bullseye !!
4 hrs
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| neutral |
jean-jacques alexandre
: You have joinED the.....
22 hrs
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6 hrs
to be a victim of / fall foul of widowhood
depending on when the novel is set, pehaps before a woman was 'free' to make her own way and was expected to have some male or other to fall back on for income, food, clothing etc.
in that case, quite a catastrophe.
in that case, quite a catastrophe.
9 hrs
play at widowhood, enjoy widowhood
There could well be an ironic connotation to this. It's difficult to tell without more context, but "donner dans" is often used in an ironic way, as in "donner dans la dentelle" (to be overly fond of lace and frills).
It almost sounds here as if widowhood was embraced as a full-time occupation or treated as a convenient social identity.
It almost sounds here as if widowhood was embraced as a full-time occupation or treated as a convenient social identity.
Discussion