un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit

English translation: short of wit

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit
English translation:short of wit
Entered by: zkt

18:01 Sep 19, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
French term or phrase: un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit
Hello, I am wondering how to say this in English, this is the whole sentence:
"Et, se sentant peut-être un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit, Eléonore se calfeutrait dans un silence qui se transformait peu à peu en maussaderie"

Thank you
zkt
Lebanon
Local time: 09:19
another take?
Explanation:
feeling a bit short of wit and repartee

or even

not feeling intellectually quite up to the mark

the French is odd but I maintain this interpretation is also possible

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:51:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course it is old French - I was a bit thrown by the other answers. On doute de soi....

Feeling somewhat less witty than her companions/Feeling her wit to be somewhat inferior

Is it modern or old English you want?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:52:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Knowing she was with sharper wits than hers
Selected response from:

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 08:19
Grading comment
Thank you very much I will go for short of wit
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +9another take?
CMJ_Trans (X)
5 +2a little down in the dumps
Taylor Kirk
4a little dispirited
Christopher Crockett
4She felt intellectually inferior...
MatthewLaSon
2feeling a little bit moody...
Mohamed Mehenoun


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
a little down in the dumps


Explanation:
...

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Note added at 5 mins (2007-09-19 18:07:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

a bit morose

Taylor Kirk
United States
Local time: 02:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  emiledgar
54 mins
  -> Thanks Emil!

agree  Katarina Peters
54 mins
  -> Thanks Katarina!
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a little dispirited


Explanation:
Or, "a little bit low in spirit."

More formal than "down in the dumps," which is close to being slang.

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 03:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 46
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43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
feeling a little bit moody...


Explanation:
given the context that's what I understood...

Mohamed Mehenoun
Canada
Local time: 08:19
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 4
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +9
another take?


Explanation:
feeling a bit short of wit and repartee

or even

not feeling intellectually quite up to the mark

the French is odd but I maintain this interpretation is also possible

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:51:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course it is old French - I was a bit thrown by the other answers. On doute de soi....

Feeling somewhat less witty than her companions/Feeling her wit to be somewhat inferior

Is it modern or old English you want?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:52:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Knowing she was with sharper wits than hers

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 08:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 58
Grading comment
Thank you very much I will go for short of wit
Notes to answerer
Asker: This is the correct interpretation, It is an old French text. I am looking for an elegant way of saying this

Asker: I have thought of "inferior in mind", I don't know if it is too strong, but the lady in question has an illness that gets her mind confused.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Emma Paulay: That's how I read it too. If she's at a dinner party for example, this could well be the correct interpretation.
23 mins

agree  Anca Nitu: short of wit
32 mins

agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): yes, this would fit here
1 hr

agree  Denise DeVries: out of her depth in the conversation
1 hr

agree  Brigitte Albert (X): CMJ, I agree with you. This is how I saw it too, and I like the way Denise put it...
2 hrs

agree  Valosh: I also like Denise's suggestion
5 hrs

agree  Melissa McMahon: perhaps more 'older style': "feeling somewhat lacking in wit"
9 hrs

agree  Nina Iordache: I agree with Anca, the best translation in my opinion: short of wit!
12 hrs

agree  jean-jacques alexandre: yes w/ short of wit
14 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
She felt intellectually inferior...


Explanation:
Hello,

She felt like she wasn't as smart/intelligent/bright as the others.

esprit = intelligence

I hope this helps.

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 03:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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