This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
trille
carton explicatif
Sep 8, 2010 06:04
13 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term

en bonne mine

French to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Comme vous voudrez, Maurice, la Quinzaine le
prendra, ce sera un succès et nous aurons bonne mine! »

This is someone's retort, to their boss at a festival, who does not want to show a certain film.

I believe he is being sarcastic and just wanted to check this means - won't we look good! If not, any suggestions!

Thanks

s
Proposed translations (English)
5 +6 we will look great
4 +2 and we'll be the ones with egg on our faces
4 we'll come out smelling like roses
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (1): SJLD

When entering new questions, KudoZ askers are given an opportunity* to classify the difficulty of their questions as 'easy' or 'pro'. If you feel a question marked 'easy' should actually be marked 'pro', and if you have earned more than 20 KudoZ points, you can click the "Vote PRO" button to recommend that change.

How to tell the difference between "easy" and "pro" questions:

An easy question is one that any bilingual person would be able to answer correctly. (Or in the case of monolingual questions, an easy question is one that any native speaker of the language would be able to answer correctly.)

A pro question is anything else... in other words, any question that requires knowledge or skills that are specialized (even slightly).

Another way to think of the difficulty levels is this: an easy question is one that deals with everyday conversation. A pro question is anything else.

When deciding between easy and pro, err on the side of pro. Most questions will be pro.

* Note: non-member askers are not given the option of entering 'pro' questions; the only way for their questions to be classified as 'pro' is for a ProZ.com member or members to re-classify it.

Discussion

polyglot45 Sep 8, 2010:
@Richard The problem here is that the expression "avoir bonne mine" is used in French in different ways. It can be taken on face value as - you're looking good. Or, as here, it can convey a completely different meaning. It is a bit like "avoir l'air fin", which actually means to look stupid. It is all about use of language in modern day parlance.
Ignore the bit about "sarcasm" since it seems to be muddying the waters. Just note that when someone French says "let them have it in your place and, you'll see, on aura bonne mine", he means "won't we just look good" ironically
Richard Hedger Sep 8, 2010:
@Marion and @polyglot I'm no expert, but isn't sarcasm used to say things ironically in an aggresive way? In which case you would go for the more literal translation.

@polyglot - I do take your point though.
Marion Feildel (X) Sep 8, 2010:
Ah! j'ai bonne mine maintenant! Richard, you are right of course but in that context it didn't even come to my (French) mind.
polyglot45 Sep 8, 2010:
@Richard you may be right about the basic meaning but you have to set it in context - if not, it won't be long before g***gletranslate and its like rule the world
Richard Hedger Sep 8, 2010:
Avoir bonne mine... @ Marion - it may be sarcastic in this context but it is definitely not always sarcastic. This expression is used a lot in conversation to tell people they are looking good, especially when you haven't seen them for a while.
Marion Feildel (X) Sep 8, 2010:
It is sarcastic! Asker is completely right and her translation is good. 'Avoir bonne mine' is always sarcastic. It means: NOT looking good at all or looking ridiculous. If the Quinzaine des Realisateurs a Cannes (par exemple) montre ce film et fait un succes, ceux qui auront refusé de montrer ce fılm auront vrament l'air d'imbéciles.

Proposed translations

+6
3 mins
French term (edited): nous aurons bonne mine
Selected

we will look great

"bonne mine" is definitely looking good and is commonly used here in Switzerland, from memory, the opposite is "petite mine" (i.e. not looking good)
Peer comment(s):
agree Richard Hedger : yes, also suggests that someone looks healthy too
5 mins
agree Bashiqa
30 mins
agree Assimina Vavoula
2 hrs
agree Jennifer Forbes : Or, to emphasise the sarcasm, why not "And won't we look great then?"
3 hrs
agree emiledgar
10 hrs
agree chaplin
2 days 16 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks"
30 mins

we'll come out smelling like roses

I think Alison's suggestion is fine, but this might be another way to express it.
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr
French term (edited): avoir bonne mine

and we'll be the ones with egg on our faces

it means - we will have to paste a sickly smile on our faces to try and make the best of a bad job

It is true that "on a bonne mine" means that someone is looking well but here it is pure sacrcasm.

OK Maurice, let it go, the other festivals will take it and see if you're still smiling then

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-09-08 07:41:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

laughing on the other side of one's face
Peer comment(s):
agree B D Finch : Yes, sarcasm in this context is the key.
2 hrs
agree kashew
3 hrs
neutral emiledgar : Agree about the sarcasm; but for that reason I don't think that "egg on face" works since I thinnk the speaker would continue the sarcasm ie won't we look great!
9 hrs
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search