Glossary entry (derived from question below)
français term or phrase:
Malheureux!
anglais translation:
You fool! / You idiot! / You twit! / You cretin!
Added to glossary by
kironne
Mar 29, 2007 21:12
17 yrs ago
1 viewer *
français term
États-Unis
Literature & Scholarship
Native in: anglais (Variant: US) 
Works in: français vers anglais, anglais, allemand vers anglais
Malheureux!
français vers anglais
Art / Littérature
Poésie et littérature
Dans son bureau, un technicien est en train de triturer son ordinateur.
-Malheureux! Qu'est-ce que vous faites?
-J'essaie de sauver votre disque dur.
"Poor guy" doesn't seem to work here. Any other suggestions?
The speaker is kind of a condescending guy and is having a run of bad luck.
-Malheureux! Qu'est-ce que vous faites?
-J'essaie de sauver votre disque dur.
"Poor guy" doesn't seem to work here. Any other suggestions?
The speaker is kind of a condescending guy and is having a run of bad luck.
Proposed translations
(anglais)
| 3 +13 | (You) fool! |
kironne
|
| 3 +5 | What the hell are you doing ? |
Jerome Elhaik
|
| 5 +3 | For goodness sake/ my goodness... |
Nathalie Scharf
|
| 4 +4 | You idiot! |
Katarina Peters
|
| 3 +4 | Cretin! |
Tony M
|
| 5 +2 | You wretch! What do you think you're doing? |
Anna Maria Augustine (X)
|
| 4 +3 | Imbecile/moron/dummy |
Raymonde Gagnier
|
| 3 +3 | oh no!! |
Jenny Duthie
|
| 3 +3 | Oh God !What do you think you are doing ! |
iol
|
| 2 +4 | You fool ! |
Céline Débiton
|
| 4 | Too bad! (in the US) |
David Hollywood
|
| 3 | What on earth are you doing? |
Mercuri@
|
| 3 | What DO you think you're doing? |
Melzie
|
| 2 | Hard luck! |
Swatchka
|
Proposed translations
+13
25 minutes
Selected
(You) fool!
IMHO, I think he's directly addressing the man himself, not just commenting on the unfortunate situation.
In Spanish, he would have probably said
"¡Infeliz! ¿Qué estás haciendo??"
and I think it applies here as well.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Nathalie Scharf
: I hadn't thought of that but I like it!
1 minute
|
|
Thanks, Nat!
|
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| agree |
Jacqui Audouy
: Yep, or 'idiot' - I've always understoodw it this way when the comment was directed at me!
12 minutes
|
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Thanks, Jacqui :)
|
|
| agree |
Swatchka
: I had thought of it (also of "desgraciado").Saludos :))
22 minutes
|
|
Exactly. Thanks, Swatchka :)
|
|
| agree |
Gacela20
1 heure
|
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Thanks, Gacela
|
|
| agree |
writeaway
1 heure
|
|
Thanks, writeaway
|
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
|
Thanks, 1045
|
|
| agree |
Assimina Vavoula
7 heures
|
|
Thanks, Assimina
|
|
| agree |
Marc Glinert
: If we accept that this is an insult and not a reflection on the situation, then yes this is probably the safest option
10 heures
|
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Thanks, Marc
|
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| agree |
nnaemeka Odimegwu
14 heures
|
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Thanks, emeka
|
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| agree |
Ben Gaia
: I agree he is adressing the person. In NZ it would read "You f***wit! What the f*** are you tryna do?"
21 heures
|
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Thanks, Ben
|
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| agree |
Jock
1 jour 2 minutes
|
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Thanks, Jock
|
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| agree |
jean-jacques alexandre
3 jours 9 heures
|
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Thanks, jean-jacques
|
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| agree |
greekgawddess
4 jours
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Thanks, greekgawddess
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks! i went with the more colloquial "twit", but your answer was very informative"
2 minutes
Hard luck!
As in "quel malheur"
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Marc Glinert
: I wwouldn't have thought so
11 heures
|
|
Yep, there are better options. I just couldn't think of something that wasn't offensive....:))
|
+5
5 minutes
Jerome Elhaik
Native in français
Scientific English/French translator
Native in: français
Works in: anglais vers français
What the hell are you doing ?
I don't think it is necessary to translate malheureux here, but rather use expressions such as:
What the hell are you doing ?
It think it renders the meaning fairly well.
What the hell are you doing ?
It think it renders the meaning fairly well.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tony M
15 minutes
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
| agree |
Paul Cohen
: Or: What the hell do you think you're doing?
5 heures
|
| agree |
Istvan Nagy
11 heures
|
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
14 heures
|
+3
10 minutes
Nathalie Scharf
États-Unis
États-Unis
Native in français
&
anglais
États-Unis
Lawyer with over 20 years experience
Native in: anglais 
, français
Works in: français vers anglais, anglais vers français
For goodness sake/ my goodness...
If one wants to avoid cursing words...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Bourth (X)
: Yes, the M of "malheureux" may not be by chance. Shoot! (to be American about it), For Chrissake, strewth, yegods, etc., or Zounds, to be Shakespearean about it!
6 minutes
|
| neutral |
Tony M
: Oh, but for heaven's sake, this sounds so stilted and archaic, like something by Jessica Fletcher! // ?? Can't quite see Angela Lansbury calling anyone a 'cretin', somehow!
14 minutes
|
|
interesting comment from one who suggested "cretin"!
|
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
| neutral |
Marc Glinert
: hmmm well, NatUS, my goodness belongs to a bygone era and surely it has to be "For goodness' sake". In any case, "For heaven's sake" is better.
11 heures
|
| agree |
Istvan Nagy
: But Malhereux! does not sound colloquial French either, does it? Ca se dit souvet aujourd'hui?
1 jour 1 heure
|
+3
11 minutes
oh no!!
"oh no!! what are you doing?"
as I think what he means by the "malheureux" is "I don't believe it, not again" type of expression which I think can be easily transmitted by "oh no!"
as I think what he means by the "malheureux" is "I don't believe it, not again" type of expression which I think can be easily transmitted by "oh no!"
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Bourth (X)
: I like it.
6 minutes
|
| neutral |
Tony M
: I suppose that's what the captain of the Titanic said too..?
14 minutes
|
| neutral |
Katarina Peters
: too mild , for having your computer smashed by a technician...
34 minutes
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
| agree |
Istvan Nagy
11 heures
|
+3
17 minutes
Oh God !What do you think you are doing !
=
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tony M
: Though it has to be said, Marc does have a point: adding blasphemy might not be appropriate...
4 minutes
|
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Thanks Tony
|
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
|
thanks
|
|
| neutral |
Marc Glinert
: not sure that as translators we should be introducing blasphemy when the source text has none. But if we are, I would go for "Jesus!!!!"
11 heures
|
|
all right ; you have a point;
|
|
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
14 heures
|
|
thanks Vicky
|
18 minutes
David Hollywood
Native in anglais
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: anglais
Works in: espagnol vers anglais, allemand vers anglais
Too bad! (in the US)
yet another option
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: for Malheureux? I don't think so
1 heure
|
| neutral |
Katarina Peters
: I concur with writeaway
4 heures
|
| neutral |
Jean-Claude Gouin
: I don't think so, either. Sorry, David.
4 heures
|
| neutral |
Marc Glinert
: I'm with 1045
11 heures
|
+4
24 minutes
Cretin!
I agree with Jerome who said that it probably shouldn't be rendered directly. But just in case you really do want to, surely the term is meant to be referring to the person himself?
In another era and another register, I'd have loved to have used the word "miscreant" or "miserable wretch!", but sadly neither of those seem to sit very well with a hard-disk scenario. So perhaps this would be a more 21st century alternative?
In another era and another register, I'd have loved to have used the word "miscreant" or "miserable wretch!", but sadly neither of those seem to sit very well with a hard-disk scenario. So perhaps this would be a more 21st century alternative?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Swatchka
22 minutes
|
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Thanks, Swatchka!
|
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
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Thanks, 1045!
|
|
| agree |
Istvan Nagy
: if you want an insult I would opt for this
11 heures
|
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Thanks, Istvan! Yes, I suppose there might be an affectionate undertone, but basically an insult, indeed!
|
|
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
14 heures
|
|
Efharisto, Vicky!
|
+4
26 minutes
Céline Débiton
Native in français
Works in field
Traduire sans trahir...
Native in: français
Works in: anglais vers français, espagnol vers français
You fool !
Je ne suis pas sûre, c'est peut-être un peu trop... mais sait-on jamais...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
writeaway
1 heure
|
|
merci :)
|
|
| agree |
Katarina Peters
: ...more polite than my version...
4 heures
|
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merci :)
|
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
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merci :)
|
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| agree |
Assimina Vavoula
7 heures
|
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merci :)
|
+4
44 minutes
Katarina Peters
Canada
Canada
Native in anglais
Specializes in field
Canada
Accuracy and A1 presentation
Native in: hongrois , anglais (Variant: US)
Works in: anglais vers portugais, portugais vers anglais, hongrois vers anglais, and 13 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
14
You idiot!
as in ...what the hell are you doing, you idiot?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Judy Gregg
1 heure
|
|
Thanks, Judy
|
|
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
4 heures
|
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Thanks, 1045!
|
|
| agree |
suezen
: the most natural for me anyway
11 heures
|
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Thanks, suezen, I felt the same way
|
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| agree |
Alison Jenner
12 heures
|
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Thanks, Alison.
|
+2
2 heures
You wretch! What do you think you're doing?
This is precisely what is in the Harrap's double bilingual.
The person is not being called "idiot/crétin/enfoiré/salop but wretch is slightly more polite.
The person is not being called "idiot/crétin/enfoiré/salop but wretch is slightly more polite.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
: ... but it's "salaud" ...
2 heures
|
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Ooops!
|
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| neutral |
Emma Paulay
: It's politer, but it also belongs in another century IMO
8 heures
|
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OK
|
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| neutral |
Marc Glinert
: thanks as usual for brightening up our morning Anna Maria
8 heures
|
|
Doing my best and prefer "zounds"!
|
|
| agree |
Istvan Nagy
: Is Malhereux! this century, Emma?
22 heures
|
|
Did they mean Malreux? Sorry, can't spell it.
|
+3
2 heures
Raymonde Gagnier
Canada
Canada
Native in français
&
anglais
Works in field
Canada
Also a narrator/je suis aussi narratrice
Native in: français (Variant: Canadian) , anglais
Works in: anglais vers français
Imbecile/moron/dummy
A few more suggestions.
"malheureux!" also means imbecile.
"• Malheureux! : interpellation par laquelle le locuteur dit à son interlocuteur qu’il le méprise ou le considère fou."
Antidote
"malheureux!" also means imbecile.
"• Malheureux! : interpellation par laquelle le locuteur dit à son interlocuteur qu’il le méprise ou le considère fou."
Antidote
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jean-Claude Gouin
1 heure
|
|
Thank you!
|
|
| agree |
Tony M
7 heures
|
|
Thank you Tony!
|
|
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
11 heures
|
|
Thank you Vicky!
|
9 heures
What DO you think you're doing?
said with capitals for the do and depending what the person saying it is like.
just to add to the pool
just to add to the pool
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: and Malheureux?
30 minutes
|
|
All the distain exasperation etc. in the full sentence
|
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| neutral |
Marc Glinert
: Agree, but with writeaway
2 heures
|
|
All the distain exasperation etc. in the full sentence
|
Discussion
I agree, "Malheureux!" is just a way to express disbelief, displeasure
at someone doing something one disapproves of. "What the hell are you
doing?" would be perfect. Arthur
This is all incredibly funny. I've had a giggle reading the comments but something tells me no one was really being insulted as such. It's like saying, mince alors/zut. But not adressed at a person in particular..