Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose
English translation:
The more things change, the more they stay the same
Added to glossary by
nuvo
May 2, 2003 23:59
21 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
plus ca change, plus c\'est la meme chose
Non-PRO
French to English
Art/Literary
from Theatre of Absurd by Martin Esslin
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 +2 | The more things change, the more they stay the same |
Rowan Morrell
|
| 5 +3 | The more THINGS change, the more THEY are the same |
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
|
| 3 +1 | some things never change |
Peter McCavana
|
Proposed translations
+2
7 mins
Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
New Zealand
Native in English
New Zealand
Committed to the Customer
Native in: English (Variant: New Zealand) 
Works in: French to English, German to English, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
202
Selected
The more things change, the more they stay the same
This is the standard translation, as far as I'm aware. We don't say "The more IT changes etc." in English, at least I've never heard that. The standard English idiom and equivalent of this French phrase is: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Mind you, "Some things never change" isn't too bad either.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Merci, Monsieur"
+1
4 mins
Peter McCavana
France
France
Native in English
France
Qualified technician & translator-interp
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
100
some things never change
This is a related expression, but maybe there's a closer equivalent to "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose".
Another related expression (but not at all a translation) is "it's the same difference".
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Note added at 2003-05-03 00:15:12 (GMT)
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But maybe this requires the specific quote from Martin Esslin, in any case.
Another related expression (but not at all a translation) is "it's the same difference".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-05-03 00:15:12 (GMT)
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But maybe this requires the specific quote from Martin Esslin, in any case.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
ntouzet (X)
6 hrs
|
+3
7 mins
The more THINGS change, the more THEY are the same
yes, this expression is a colloquial French expression and I have provided a colloquially correct translation....
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Note added at 2003-05-03 00:07:53 (GMT)
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ça here is a French spoken register/discourse indefinite pronoun but can also be a deictic for the matter at hand...
It\'s used in conversation...
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Note added at 2003-05-03 00:07:53 (GMT)
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ça here is a French spoken register/discourse indefinite pronoun but can also be a deictic for the matter at hand...
It\'s used in conversation...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Rowan Morrell
: Although the expression I've heard is "The more things change, the more they STAY the same.
2 mins
|
|
yes, could be argued but quite frankly it's not muchj used in English anyway
|
|
| agree |
Peter McCavana
: A good translation. But maybe this requires the specific quote from Martin Esslin?
9 mins
|
| agree |
Andre de Vries
: it is acceptable in some contexts to leave it in French...
14 hrs
|
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