Quote:
Originally Posted by aFrenchie
Literally, Délit is offence indeed, but in the criminal sense, like "misdemeanor" or even "crime". ... My dictionary says "docile", "tame", "submissive" in English. I think they're all better than flexible.
Actually, both terms are absolute opposites. That's what Farmer wanted of course. You should just try to do the same opposite in English.
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Thus, mild offense or mildly offensive. Which one of those or how it is taken would really depend on the context. In this case she's either saying that these are the things that she finds mildly offensive or admitting that complaining in this way is a bit childish. Since Délit is apparently being used as a noun, I'd say the docile offense would be the best literal translation (keeping in mind that I don't know French and am basically interpreting the English translation here
). That would make the best interpretive translation mild offense or something that doesn't sound kind of strange like docile offense. So, she's admitting to the childish frivolity of making a list of annoyances. You see, getting this kind of nuance can affect your assessment of the personality being portrayed and change your whole attitude toward the persona.
I think unless you really think it is clear that it means something else, it is best to stick as close as possible to a literal translation and then just explain idiomatic phrases.
Then, of course, it is a song and so putting words together often is not meant to do more than give you an idea, a feeling for what the lyrist is trying to say. In this song understanding the words is just a bonus. The way she sings and moves tells us all she really wants us men to know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aFrenchie
"Des extrémistes à deux balles": in this sentence "2 balles" is for "2 Euros" (well, in fact for "Francs" before the Euro but it's still used!) like when you say "buck" for Dollar, so litterally: "Extremist not worth 2 bucks", I'd say something like "laughable extremists" or simply "stupid extremists"
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Again, I don't think you can say literally unless à means not worth. I don't want to argue your point. It is perfectly good if the idiom is correct, but if it
more literally translates to 'extremists with 2 bucks', I prefer that with the explanation of 'extremists that no one can really take seriously' (2 bucks because they aren't worth much) (written this way in order to rhyme) - then we can guess based on any number of things who she's really referring to.
Well, that's my two cents. [idiomatic expression meaning 'that's my opinion' with an offhanded acknowledgment that I'm just one of many with no authority in this situation and thus my opinion may not be worth much.]
(and no I'm not going to explain offhanded)
Quote:
Originally Posted by aFrenchie
Mylène probably spent only 2 seconds: "I want an opposite with Délit... well well... Docile! not bad! |
Really! Hmm...what might sound clever and at the same time rhym? Aha!
Though the original posters will probably never see this: Thanks again aFrenchie for the invaluable cultural and lingual perspective.