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Translation Help
- Thread starter thehangingtree
- Start date
There is no equivalent in English, and we Brits struggle to know when to say 'vous' and when to say 'tu'
windar
Teller of Tales
There is no equivalent in English, and we Brits struggle to know when to say 'vous' and when to say 'tu'
You can always ask if you can "tutoyer" the person. I love the way that words sounds.
Ah, but where is the line between the near friends, and the polite acquaintances? Who has the right to turn vous into tu? Am I being presumptuous if I just start using tu?What have I just said ????
What about you? I have never met you, I only know you on the internet, and yet I dare to use tu.
windar
Teller of Tales
It's a question of feelings, dear Wragg ...
But, here, as we are sharing around a same passion and that it implies to put myself nude , I and "tu" can consider that we're near friends ...
I only refer to you as Madame Lacroix of course...
Repertor
Artifex Imaginum
The safest way is to leave the initiative to the French.
Repertor
Artifex Imaginum
Google is good for translating single words, although for slang and acronyms more research is often needed. To translate complete sentences at least some basic knowledge of the language is recommended.
French and German are among the better translations. If you try to translate Russian many words remain untranslated and for Japanese it produces complete nonsense, unrelated to the subject.
French and German are among the better translations. If you try to translate Russian many words remain untranslated and for Japanese it produces complete nonsense, unrelated to the subject.
Frank Petrexa
Tribune
There could be an additional problem. If you "tutoyer" (tutear in espan~ol) someone, they could ask to borrow money. It's probably safest to use vous.
And if you don't drink enough or drink too much the same thing happens English-to-English...
Trust me on this...
Tree
Repertor
Artifex Imaginum
D
Deleted member jedakk
Guest
One of my favorite examples of the distinction between "tu" and "vous" is the scene in the original French-language book of "Les Miserables" where, shortly after Jean Valjean was released from prison, an innkeeper was addressing him respectfully using "vous." Then he found out that Valjean was a convict, and immediately switched to "tu," indicating contempt.
I wondered how you could hope to capture that in an English translation.
I wondered how you could hope to capture that in an English translation.
mp5stab
Hair and Nails
Well, English used to have the same spilt. Just in Thou/You instead of Tou/Vous. Which is incidentally, why Wragg's little trick works, because "you" in English used to be only plural, and "thou" only singular, but now, of course, "you" fills both roles in English, making it ambiguous as to whether it is the singular or plural, whether it is formal or not, and this is a problem when translating; the translation usually safely defaults to being conservative and formal, unless given specific context not to me, like the use of an archaic and specifically singular word.
Of course, if we implemented our change to Les Miserables, Modern English readers of Les Mis would either not notice the switch between "You" and "Thou" , or notice it, and interpret it the opposite way, because of "Thou" now being seen as old-fashioned, and ironically, more formal.
Of course, if we implemented our change to Les Miserables, Modern English readers of Les Mis would either not notice the switch between "You" and "Thou" , or notice it, and interpret it the opposite way, because of "Thou" now being seen as old-fashioned, and ironically, more formal.
mp5stab
Hair and Nails
But the Christian God is three persons in one? So You would be so much more appropriate?
Maybe it is only used when addressing individual members of the Godhead, Our Father... Thy will be done.
Better steer clear of Trinitarian Theology on Cruxforums...
I hope Old Slave or Dorothy might come on and point out that "thou" was still in use quite recently in Yorkshire...
"Tha', son, has been on Ilkley Moor...."
Darkprincess69
High Priestess of Slaanesh
A similar (well, more or less identical) problem occurs in Welsh too - the word for "you" can be either "ti" when adressing a friend, loved one, or a child, or "chi" which is used in more formal circumstances or with strangers.There is no equivalent in English, and we Brits struggle to know when to say 'vous' and when to say 'tu'
old slave
FELIS RESPICIENS
Suppin' ale last neet, just caught up.
The Yorkshire Dictionary has the definitions tha = you thi = your (familiar)
My Little Book of Yorkshire has the following:
SOUND ADVICE ON WHEN TO USE THE FAMILIAR THEE:
Tha thi's them as thi's thee
if you're any the wiser after that, drink more ale