Nov 3, 2009 15:20
14 yrs ago
5 viewers *
French term

truc de ouf

French to English Other Slang motocross
Cette photo c'était après la 2ème manche à Ernée, on peut voir une partie de mon team vraiment content, et mon mécano avait le pit board, "truc de ouf" c'est une expression qu'il a entendu en venant avec moi au championnat de France, j'ai donc essayé de lui traduire en anglais, et il l'a utilisée à l'arrivée de cette manche.
Does this tranlate as 'way to go'?

Discussion

janisct (asker) Nov 3, 2009:
To David Goward: no photo, just text, and yes, obviously that's what he has done!!
janisct (asker) Nov 3, 2009:
Polyglot is right - I need a 'cool' version of 'crazy, man', which to an English ear now sounds like something a flower child of the 60s would say!
polyglot45 Nov 3, 2009:
@hjs exactly - crazy something but not "stunt" I imagine, nor "stuff"
jmleger Nov 3, 2009:
Verlan Sorry about the earlier misinformation. In fact, Verlan dates back to 16th century France and even originates in the Middle Ages. It was propagated by the rise of an industrial-based working class. Rural populations used mostly patois, which varied greatly from region to region and were not a great vehicle for syllable transposition schemes I would guess. It probably started as a trade sland, just as louchébem, which was used among butchers to communicate information they did not wish to share with civilians.
HugoSteckel Nov 3, 2009:
Polyglot, I'm 22, and we regularly say "crazy 'ish" or "crazy shizzle", along with a number of other similar expressions, depending on the context. First thought was "off the hook", but that's just too specific.
polyglot45 Nov 3, 2009:
so you need an "in" younger generation slang term here. The answers so far are explanations and don't get the flavour. Something like "Crazy, man" but even that is dated. "Jeez..."
jmleger Nov 3, 2009:
used to be "truc (de) dingue) but "ouf" works better for verlan (the slang popularized by young people and which consists in reversing syllables of words). It's "street", just like it was when it was first used... in the 1800's. Nothing new under the sun.
David Goward Nov 3, 2009:
Need to see the photo It sounds like the "mécano" has put "truc de ouf" (or the translation given to him by the speaker) on the pit board.
janisct (asker) Nov 3, 2009:
I don't think in this case I actually need to translate it, if you look at the rest of the sentence, but it is good to know what it actually means for my own satisfaction. Thanks to everyone for their translations.
kashew Nov 3, 2009:
Wow!? Could be a really crazy stunt - but I don't know the jargon in EN.

Proposed translations

+2
6 mins
Selected

crazy stunt

that's some crazy sh**t, man.

Can mean several things. People who use the expression don't always mean the same thing methinks.
Note from asker:
You may well say that in the US but we wouldn't in England, sorry!
On second thoughts, maybe we would say that over here! We do now, anyway...
Peer comment(s):

agree HugoSteckel : crazy sh*t, crazy 'ish, mad sh*t, these are the types of things I'd say.
3 mins
agree David Goward
9 mins
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
8 mins

Crazy stuff

'Ouf' is normally verlan for 'fou', i.e. crazy, mad, as you know. So you're actually looking at 'truc de fou'. 'Crazy stuff' is just a simple suggestion - I'm sure others can build on it.

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Note added at 9 mins (2009-11-03 15:29:48 GMT)
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Sorry, posted at same time as jmleger
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+2
1 hr

off the wall

Perhaps that would do - it's one of my favourites

off-the-wall (ôf-wôl, f-)
adj. Informal
1. Very unconventional or unusual: manic, off-the-wall creativity; off-the-wall humor.
2. Exhibiting bizarre behavior; crazy: their off-the-wall friends.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/off-the-wall

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Note added at 16 hrs (2009-11-04 07:50:32 GMT)
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Couple of links from motocross sites:

Freestyle Motocross Stunt Shows and Demos FMX by the Boogeyman Brigade
- [ Traduire cette page ]
Unlike other riders so far, Paris is pushing the boundries of freestyle motocross by attemting this off the wall stunt with a regulation freestyle bike. ...
www.brigadefmx.com/ -

flipping out show, is jeff lewis dead? - Non-Moto - Motocross ...
- [ Traduire cette page ]
21 messages - 11 auteurs - Dernier message : 12 oct
Vital MX - Your Online Motocross Community .... The shit he does is off the wall for sure. Quote Last Post Only ...
www.vitalmx.com/.../flipping-out-show-is-jeff-lewis-dead,67... -
Peer comment(s):

agree sueaberwoman : A good one, since it's in a similar spirit. Or even "awesomely off the wall" to underline the positive aspect ... truc de ouf being a compliment, after all.
4 hrs
Thanks - I must admit to being a bit anti awesome but that's probably just because it's so overused at the moment
agree Franck Le Gac (X) : I love the way "off" echoes "ouf" in French, and the meaning is definitely there.
4 hrs
Thanks
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21 hrs

Extreme!

Google "Extreme stunt" for video examples.
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