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French to English translations [Non-PRO] General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase:histoire vache
"Une histoire vache" is the subtitle of a short piece in a cookery book about a couple who raise cows. I gather there's a pun going on here - that "histoire vache" is a bit of idiom, but I haven't been able to work out just what this phrase means.
The pun may not be able to be saved, but knowing the meaning will be a start.
Explanation: Highest yes, because that is a meaning, but I feel like there is a word game here between the cow story and the nasty story. If you do have the text of the story, you will probably confirm my feeling. In any case I hope it has been somewhat helpful.
There's no real deciding between all the pun suggestions - I still haven't settled on my own. For giving me the meaning first, which was the core of the question, thanks to etienne, but many thanks to all who joined in the fun... 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
The glossary entry is definitely misleading. To have made an entry at all for this is a mistake IMO. It's completely context based. Even without the cow pun, "nasty" is too strong. You can't delete the entry but you can comment on it, which I've done.
CMJ: I understand the concern, but isn't the most neutral answer the least misleading entry to have in the glossary? Thanks Sandra - yes, and I appreciated the creative efforts too.
Point taken Melissa. I guess we were all so happy to have something creative to chew on :-) we focused more on the translation than explaining the meaning, which is what you asked for. Best of luck!
CMJ_Trans (X)
10:10 Feb 26, 2008
What you choose is your affair but I am concerned about the glossary entry and that will be misleading in future. You spoke of cookery whereas this was really more about farming and it's hardships ......
Firstly, Sandra, no, I won't be using those words - as I mentioned in my decision I haven't decided on a suitable pun yet... there are great ideas here but none of them have struck me as "the one". Carol, I did in fact point out the hard work aspect. See above: "the emphasis of the piece is about how much relentless work is involved". If I didn't give more context in the question it's again because the core of my question was about meaning. I didn't object to the pun suggestions, but as I said in the question, the starting point has to be to get the meaning clear. CMJ: I'm familiar with the use of "vache" generally as a colloquialism, I just wasn't sure if it kept that sense when paired with 'histoire'. I'm afraid I'm not seeing a large difference in register between 'nasty' and 'mean' - a 'mean and nasty story'?
I can see I should have done more to focus the response on the meaning, but there were so many responses so quickly & I was happy to get ideas on that front too (and didn't see the potential for harm). But "which response was the most helpful"? Etienne's. Because I asked what the expression meant and he was quickest to tell me. I'm sorry that some of you feel misled.
pity we didn't know about the "demanding work" aspect before, as perhaps I wouldn't have hidden my answer! (A load of bull!). I had the impression that this was meant to be some pastoral idyll, but that now seems not to be the case...
CMJ_Trans (X)
08:31 Feb 26, 2008
nasty story would be more like "une sale histoire". "Vache" is more "mean" - ça c'est vache - that's mean (of you) (usually said humorously). Difficult to explain in a little box. But nasty is not the right register
Hi Melissa - as CMJ explained in her note, "vache" means unkind or mean. "L'amour vache" is a "love-hate relationship". My guess is that this "nasty" aspect is secondary to finding a play on words...
Well, I didn't myself enter the answer in the glossary, but I'm myself a bit confused as to why you think "nasty story" is a bad answer to the question: "what does 'histoire vache' mean? I do understand nasty as synonymous with horrible/awful, and in the story it refers to the demanding work of the dairy farmers. Are you saying "nasty story" is incorrect? Or just that it's not a pun and therefore not a full translation in context? Because I tried to be clear to separate the two issues in my question.
CMJ_Trans (X)
07:54 Feb 26, 2008
I share Sandra's confusion - that the answer selected may have put you on a track is one thing but to enter the term thus in the glossaries is both WRONG (over-simplification) and CONFUSING - please delete from glossary
Hi! I must be missing something here. Does "nasty" mean something other than horrible or awful? Do the couple not treat their cows well? I'm totally confused!
They're dairy cows, so no carving up here (cf. Bourth - some great other ideas though): the emphasis of the piece is about how much relentless work is involved, plus how they're like members of the family etc. Some excellent suggestions here for ruminations...
CMJ_Trans (X)
10:33 Feb 19, 2008
something with "k/cow-towing" ?
CMJ_Trans (X)
10:16 Feb 19, 2008
or just "Cows' tales"
CMJ_Trans (X)
10:14 Feb 19, 2008
they don't raise pigs too, do they ? - a pig of a tale !
CMJ_Trans (X)
09:57 Feb 19, 2008
"vache" in slang means "mean" "rotten" "dirty" - une histoire vache = a mean old tale - perhaps you could do something with " and thereby hangs a tale/tail" ? (quelle vache = what a cow )
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
4 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
a nasty story
Explanation: Highest yes, because that is a meaning, but I feel like there is a word game here between the cow story and the nasty story. If you do have the text of the story, you will probably confirm my feeling. In any case I hope it has been somewhat helpful.
Etienne Muylle Wallace Spain Local time: 08:24 Native speaker of: Dutch, French PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
There's no real deciding between all the pun suggestions - I still haven't settled on my own. For giving me the meaning first, which was the core of the question, thanks to etienne, but many thanks to all who joined in the fun...
Explanation: Given where it is being used, I think it would probably be best to steer clear of the negative meanings.
'Oh, la vache !' can also be used in an astonished but possibly admiring way, as in when you tell someone just how much you paid for your new car.
I think it might be more appropriate to view the expression in this sort of light — though I suspect it might be better to avoid the pun altogether, concentrate on the cows, and simply convey the feeling of the pun by way of the tone you use.
Tony M France Local time: 08:24 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 348