une belle mort

English translation: an honourable death

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:une belle mort
English translation:an honourable death
Entered by: Denise Levin

06:11 Oct 27, 2005
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Human Resources / the vanquished nazis
French term or phrase: une belle mort
Hi all!

Would you translate 'une belle mort' as 'a hero's death'? I don't think it's that, at least not in my context. Could it mean 'a dignified death'? Here's the context:

X avait depuis longtemps décidé que, qelles que fussent les pressions exercées pour que les vaincus se suicident or cherchent 'une belle mort', lui allait survivre!

Thank you very much:-)

Denise
Denise Levin
Israel
Local time: 16:55
an honourable death
Explanation:
another option to hero's death
Selected response from:

suezen
Local time: 15:55
Grading comment
Thanks very much:-)
Ian, I classified my question as 'human resources' as I could not find a 'military / war' classification:-(
Thank you very much, everyone, for your replies:-)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2an honourable death
suezen
4 +1an honourable death
IanW (X)
4a noble death
Chris Pott
4a dignified death
Sue Pasco (X)
4painless death
Joanne Nebbia


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
an honourable death


Explanation:
another option to hero's death

suezen
Local time: 15:55
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 56
Grading comment
Thanks very much:-)
Ian, I classified my question as 'human resources' as I could not find a 'military / war' classification:-(
Thank you very much, everyone, for your replies:-)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michele Fauble
8 mins

agree  ejike
1 hr
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
an honourable death


Explanation:
How about "an honourable death"? (Why "Human resources", incidentally?)

IanW (X)
Local time: 15:55
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michele Fauble
8 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a noble death


Explanation:
Sounds OK

Chris Pott
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:55
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a dignified death


Explanation:
I think your own suggestion is the best one ...

Sue Pasco (X)
Local time: 15:55
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
painless death


Explanation:
I have also heard the expression applied to someone who died in their sleep and this would fit if "belle mort" was intended to be a secondary reference to suicide.

Joanne Nebbia
Local time: 15:55
Native speaker of: English
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