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une première main

English translation: in pristine condition

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:une première main
English translation:in pristine condition
Entered by: ormiston

11:14 Apr 4, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
French term or phrase: une première main
I'm currently translating a film script. Any idea what exactly is meant by the expression "une première main" in the following extract? Mamadou and Mme Pichon make these comments while watching Mme Pichon's son dance with the Chief of Police.

MAMADOU
Quelle chance il a mon frère ! C’est un canon cette femme commissaire, je suis sûr que c’est une première main.

MADAME PICHON (toute fière)
J’espère bien ! (Un instant puis): en tout cas c’est tout comme.

Mme Pichon et Mamadou se regardent et éclatent de rire

Thanks for your help!
Mari O'Keefe
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:11
in pristine condition
Explanation:
too prudish ?! you could imagine a bit of nudge nudge wink wink !
Selected response from:

ormiston
Local time: 10:11
Grading comment
Thanks for this suggestion. It tied in best with the context.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3first hand
Jerome Elhaik
4 +1in pristine condition
ormiston
4has not been broken in
jean-jacques alexandre
4untouched goods
Tony M
3see explanation
Luisa Moura Almeida
3not someone else's cast off
CMJ_Trans (X)


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
first hand


Explanation:
This is one of these situations when we men compare women to cars ...
I am not 100% sure this translates literaly, but I believe I've heard it before.

Jerome Elhaik
Local time: 10:11
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Swatchka
1 hr
agree  Lidija Lazic
1 hr
agree  Evi Prokopi (X)
2 hrs
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
has not been broken in


Explanation:
As mentioned by Jerome, we're in the automotive register. The "sexual" play on words is unavoidable anyway.

jean-jacques alexandre
France
Local time: 10:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
see explanation


Explanation:
I agree with Jerome, they mean she's not "second-hand" material and hasn't been "used" a lot.
You could say "she's the real thing" (Mamadou) and "...as good as new" (Mme Pinchon)

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Note added at 34 mins (2007-04-04 11:49:00 GMT)
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or even "she's a real bargain"

Luisa Moura Almeida
Local time: 10:11
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in DutchDutch
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
in pristine condition


Explanation:
too prudish ?! you could imagine a bit of nudge nudge wink wink !

ormiston
Local time: 10:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
Thanks for this suggestion. It tied in best with the context.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lidija Lazic
53 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
not someone else's cast off


Explanation:
maybe this is going too far but it has the flavour

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 10:11
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 23
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
untouched goods


Explanation:
While totally deploring this sort of language myself, I would think this is another common way of putting it — not 'shopsoiled', in other words!

Mme Pichon's reply seems to suggest: "...or at least, only 'slightly soiled'" (though I'm not seriously proposing that as the translation!)

Tony M
France
Local time: 10:11
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 402
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