Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
a sorry lot
French translation:
alors c\'est à désespérer de nous
Added to glossary by
DLyons
Dec 21, 2012 14:04
11 yrs ago
English term
a sorry lot
English to French
Other
Slang
Colloquial French
As in e.g.
"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed."
"They were such a sorry lot. The very bottom of the social ladder."
"They are a sorry lot. One will die soon, another is finally pregnant, a third may stop drinking and an elderly pair may marry, or not."
Would something like "Les gens sont bien désolés aujourd'hui" work?
Thanks in Advance.
"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed."
"They were such a sorry lot. The very bottom of the social ladder."
"They are a sorry lot. One will die soon, another is finally pregnant, a third may stop drinking and an elderly pair may marry, or not."
Would something like "Les gens sont bien désolés aujourd'hui" work?
Thanks in Advance.
Proposed translations
(French)
| 4 +5 | alors c'est à désespérer de nous |
jmleger
|
| 4 +2 | des gens pathétiques |
Tristan Jimenez
|
| 3 | nous sommes des gens bien tristes |
Marie LE MEN (X)
|
| 4 -1 | un ramassis de caractères attristants |
Daryo
|
Proposed translations
+5
2 mins
Selected
alors c'est à désespérer de nous
une nouvelle fois, je n'adhère pas à une traduction littérale.
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Note added at 3 mins (2012-12-21 14:08:28 GMT)
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pour la 1ere phrase!
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Note added at 7 mins (2012-12-21 14:12:30 GMT)
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pour le reste, on peut utiliser aussi "une bande de branquignoles" ou une "fine équipe" (ironique)
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Note added at 3 mins (2012-12-21 14:08:28 GMT)
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pour la 1ere phrase!
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Note added at 7 mins (2012-12-21 14:12:30 GMT)
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pour le reste, on peut utiliser aussi "une bande de branquignoles" ou une "fine équipe" (ironique)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Catherine De Crignis
: Oui, j'aime bien
42 mins
|
|
Merci, Catherine.
|
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| agree |
Yvonne Gallagher
: yep,like them all and agree that the different ones are required//You have good taste:-)
1 hr
|
|
Thx! (from a lover of Joyce and Flann O'Brien)
|
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| agree |
Anne R
3 hrs
|
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Thx, Anne.
|
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| agree |
B D Finch
4 hrs
|
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Thx!
|
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| agree |
Marion Feildel (X)
1 day 5 hrs
|
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Thx, Marion.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "The "fine équipe" fitted my context nicely also."
+2
48 mins
des gens pathétiques
pour les deux dernières phrases.
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Note added at 56 mins (2012-12-21 15:01:36 GMT)
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Correction : "des gens pitoyables/lamentables" (thanks to CatherineDC)
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Note added at 1 hr (2012-12-21 15:12:23 GMT)
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Au lieu de "Les gens sont bien désolés aujourd'hui" > "Les gens sont pitoyables/lamentables de nos jours"
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Note added at 56 mins (2012-12-21 15:01:36 GMT)
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Correction : "des gens pitoyables/lamentables" (thanks to CatherineDC)
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Note added at 1 hr (2012-12-21 15:12:23 GMT)
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Au lieu de "Les gens sont bien désolés aujourd'hui" > "Les gens sont pitoyables/lamentables de nos jours"
Note from asker:
| Thanks Tristan - also pefectly usable. |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Catherine De Crignis
: Voici un magnifique anglicisme, ce mot a un sens différent en français ( - ;
2 mins
|
|
Oops! I meant to say "pitoyables/lamentables"... ;)
|
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| agree |
kashew
4 hrs
|
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Thanks Kashew!
|
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| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
: pathétiques, pitoyables, lamentables ...
8 hrs
|
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Merci, 1045 !
|
3 hrs
nous sommes des gens bien tristes
autre proposition
Note from asker:
| Merci Marie. |
-1
12 hrs
un ramassis de caractères attristants
a sorry lot = a lot one should feel sorry about = attristants
aussi:
un tas de cas/caractères attristants
"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed."
".... alors nous sommes vraiment un ramassis de caractères attristants"
"They were such a sorry lot. The very bottom of the social ladder."
"Ils étaient un tel ramassis de caractères attristants. ..."
"They are a sorry lot. One will die soon, another is finally pregnant, a third may stop drinking and an elderly pair may marry, or not."
"Ils sont un ramassis de caractères attristants. ...".
aussi:
un tas de cas/caractères attristants
"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed."
".... alors nous sommes vraiment un ramassis de caractères attristants"
"They were such a sorry lot. The very bottom of the social ladder."
"Ils étaient un tel ramassis de caractères attristants. ..."
"They are a sorry lot. One will die soon, another is finally pregnant, a third may stop drinking and an elderly pair may marry, or not."
"Ils sont un ramassis de caractères attristants. ...".
Note from asker:
| Merci Daryo. |
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
GILLES MEUNIER
: character = personnage en français.....
1 day 5 hrs
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plus juste une trentaine d'autres acceptions ; j'ai bien vérifié que "caractère" peut être employé dans ce sens.
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Discussion