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on Lit en marge
le maison aux quat' saisons
Jun 14, 2010 13:00
14 yrs ago
5 viewers *
French term

Hou-là-là

Non-PRO French to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature expression of suprise, indignation
Does anybody know the correct spelling of this expression? I have come across hou-là-là, ouh-là-là, ohlala, and many other variations.
I know it's not translatable into English; it will stay in French in my text.
Thanks very much!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 Oh là là
Change log

Jun 14, 2010 13:05: Valérie Madesclair changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (3): Jim Tucker (X), Rob Grayson, Valérie Madesclair

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Discussion

Andreas THEODOROU Jun 14, 2010:
Good point by Gilla, demonstrates why context is particualrly important here
Travelin Ann Jun 14, 2010:
Agree with you Gilla - when I have heard it used in France, it has been very much in the context of "oh no" or worse. A French client once used it when we arrived at his car and found a flat tire.
In English, "oh la la" is sometimes used by a man who sees a pretty girl - a very different context and meaning!
Liza Perrat (asker) Jun 14, 2010:
Thanks for your comment, BD. I think the number of là's might depend on the area in France. I have definitely heard numerous là's, as you describe, in your neck of the woods. Here, around Lyon, they tend to say 'Oh la'ie only one 'la'...used for a term of dismay, sorrow, surprise, indignation, excitement... you're right, a subject that needs more study. Thanks
B D Finch Jun 14, 2010:
Variations Here in the deep SW, I have never heard anyone restrict themselves to repeating là twice, it is at the least "oh là là là là là là". However, something that sounds like "Hou-là-là" is used as an expression of much more serious dismay and sympathy. In both cases the last "là" is emphasised and lengthened. There may be other variations and this is clearly a subject that would repay serious study.
Liza Perrat (asker) Jun 14, 2010:
Thanks, Desertfox, I did find this TV show... it could be the usual spelling (I don't think there's an absolute correct one), or it could just be the name of a television show.
Evans (X) Jun 14, 2010:
be careful! I recently heard Agnès Poirier, a French journalist living in England, give an interesting discourse on the use of this expression in English, where it is used to mean surprise in a frivolous but generally positive way, whereas in France it has a downward inflection and tends to mean "uh oh" or "oh no" and is used when something bad has happened. It may be best, depending on your context, to translate the expression accordingly.
Liza Perrat (asker) Jun 14, 2010:
Yes, it's close to "oh my", "wow"... all those things we say when surprise, or feel indignation. But I don't need an English translation, just the usual way it's spelled in French.
Sébastien GUITTENY Jun 14, 2010:
I wonder if it isn't close to the following phrase : "oh my"
Gad Kohenov Jun 14, 2010:
Try this Hou la la
Hou la la était une émission de télévision musicale luxembourgeoise créée par Georges Lang, présentée par Georges Lang et Oscar Guzman et diffusée le mercredi en fin d'après-midi sur RTL Télévision de 1985 à 1988.

Proposed translations

+6
2 mins
Selected

Oh là là

I suspect there are lots of acceptable variations. The Collins-Robert (updated 2008) has "Oh là là".
Peer comment(s):
agree Philippa Smith
6 mins
agree writeaway : oh la la , no context, not even a sentence
18 mins
agree Verginia Ophof
3 hrs
agree Andreas THEODOROU : I think this is the classic way of writing it
6 hrs
agree imatahan
22 hrs
agree SMcG (X) : Oh dear !
1 day 14 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks very much Rob, I'll go with this one."
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