cellule grizz [grise]

English translation: holding cell

23:30 Nov 3, 2019
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Scifi
French term or phrase: cellule grizz [grise]
A criminal has been caught and sent to jail. There's a new crime, and when an investigator asks after the bad guy, he's told, "Il est enfermé dans la cellule grizz." And later on, "Vous savez: il est dans la cellule griz...troisième travée, derrière le couloir d'enceinte." When the investigator races to the prison cell to see if the criminal is actually still there, the cell is locked and empty, as the criminal has escaped. No more mention of the term.
Is this simply a "gray cell" and is that something specific or a special kind of prison cell (as opposed to brain cells as we see in Hercule Poirot?) Any suggestions?

NB: This is YA (older children's) book from France; it has a lot of word play and humor, but there's no more context for this term...

Thanks in advance!
athena22
United States
Local time: 19:38
English translation:holding cell
Explanation:
A less specific term, more applicable to intergalactic penitentiaries perhaps.
Selected response from:

Ben Gaia
New Zealand
Local time: 15:38
Grading comment
The gaming reference is spot on, thank you, and I'm giving you the points here for that without adding "holding cell" to the glossary. Thanks again!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1sobering-up cell
Tony M
3 +1holding cell
Ben Gaia
3cooling-off cell
Sheila Wilson


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
sobering-up cell


Explanation:
The 'cellule de dégrisement' is the name give to the special holding cell where they put drunks to sober up before they can be interrogated etc.

Of course, 'cellules grises' is also used for your 'little grey cells' — so there might be an intentional play on words soemwhere along the line there.

I'm not personally aware of this shortening of 'cellule de dégrisement' in this way, but it's not uncommon for words to be telescoped almost beyond recogntiion.

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Note added at 32 mins (2019-11-04 00:03:15 GMT)
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I suppose even for a long-term inmate, they might simply put them into the 'drunk tank' as you call it for some other reason like isolation or temporary holding... Although if this is actually a prison, rather than a police station, I wonder if they'd have one of those anyway...?


Tony M
France
Local time: 03:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 128
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks! Although one would think it might refer to the drunk tank, it can't given this criminal's sentence of decades. I'm leaning more towards the Poirot-like pun at the moment... ;).

Asker: Interesting thoughts... (That's the U.S. term for an overnight holding cell for sleeping off being drunk in jail.) It's a high security interstellar prison, from what I can tell, so I think you're right about that last comment. They do have solitary (referred to elsewhere), so it's not that... Thanks for cogitating!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Timothy Rake
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Timothy!

neutral  Elisabeth Richard: I would agree with "drunk tank" except it doesn't seem to make sense with the context. If there is no other information on this cell, or why the inmate is there, then I would indeed go with Tony's proposition.
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, Elisabeth! It seems, as ever, that lack of context os the biggest problem here.

neutral  B D Finch: This seems likely, but (especially as this is a children's book) inadequate information to know whether you're right. On the other hand, he might have been so drunk that he got out by evaporating with the alcohol.
17 hrs
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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
cooling-off cell


Explanation:
This might be a good one in the science-fiction context, where "drunk" may be a bit specific. Goodness knows what those aliens may be getting up to!

It's actually in KudoZ, in its body cells usage but with reference to prison cells: https://fra.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/cosmetics-beaut...

Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 02:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
holding cell


Explanation:
A less specific term, more applicable to intergalactic penitentiaries perhaps.

Ben Gaia
New Zealand
Local time: 15:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
The gaming reference is spot on, thank you, and I'm giving you the points here for that without adding "holding cell" to the glossary. Thanks again!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  GILOU
9 days
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