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bois de vache
Sep 2, 2020 08:38
3 yrs ago
49 viewers *
French term

du meilleur effet

French to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Please read the below context first:

"Nous étions assis depuis bientôt une heure, sirotant un café poudreux, lui assis sur un divan mourant, moi massant mes courbatures sur un fauteuil du meilleur effet."

A young man is welcomed in a wooden hut by a very destitute Georgian family. The furniture in the hut is poor and very damaged, but the family behaves in a very noble and dignified manner. The contrast is stunning. The author is sitting in an armchair that is totally collapsed and threadbare, but he uses the term "du meilleur effet" here, which of course expresses a friendly and amusing irony.
I thought about using two terms like "fancy" and "threadbare" side by side, but I'm sure there is a natural and pleasant way to convey the idea.

Thanks to the native English speakers for your tips!

PS: And once again, for those who may be wondering: my translation is a preliminary work, which will be PROOFREAD and corrected by a NATIVE English speaker :)
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 that had seen better days
3 +3 once-comfortable
2 still intended to impress

Discussion

Carol Gullidge Sep 2, 2020:
@Yvonne and SafeTex Thanks for your comments!
I have duly submitted a suggestion, although not entirely what you might be expecting!
SafeTex Sep 2, 2020:
That had seen better days This was my idea too after reading the question but before looking at the discussion. i'd back it too
Yvonne Gallagher Sep 2, 2020:
@Carol I like your idea "that had seen better days". You have my agree if you post it
Hugues Roumier (asker) Sep 2, 2020:
@Tony M "massant mes courbatures" describes what the author is doing, while sitting on this armchair. "Du meilleur effet" is really an ironic but friendly way to notice that the chair was in really bad shape, that's all. Actually, "that had seen better days" is really interesting.
Tony M Sep 2, 2020:
@ Asker In fact, I'm wondering if this is ironic: the uncomfortable old chair was anything but likely to help ease their aches and pains!?
Emmanuella Sep 2, 2020:
Du meilleur effet...pour soulager les courbatures ?
Carol Gullidge Sep 2, 2020:
Actually, I’m sorry but ... clearly I have no idea what was going through the author’s mind, but merely suggested an idea that COULD be just feasible.
A perhaps better possibility might be that the cushions- if there were any - had been plumped to make it more inviting to their guest.
Carol Gullidge Sep 2, 2020:
It is usually applied to Something that was once fine but has since become shabby and/or decrepit
Carol Gullidge Sep 2, 2020:
Don’t know if this is relevant but I’m thinking of “that had seen better days”. This implies past grandeur or splendour, or at least far better circumstances (and condition) than the present ones.
Hugues Roumier (asker) Sep 2, 2020:
@José Hi José, please read the context :)
José Patrício Sep 2, 2020:
comfortable

Proposed translations

+6
4 hrs
Selected

that had seen better days

This seems to fit nicely in the context, but alas, I have nothing more concrete on which to base this idea, hence the lowish CR.


In fact, I'm now seriously thinking along the lines of something akin to "... that was proving more beneficial".
BUT, I would also have preferred to be able to highlight the possibly ironic contrast between "divan mourant" and "du meilleur effet" -

perhaps something along the lines of

"less incommodious/excruciating"
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher : the first thing that sprang to mind on reading the context. I think it fits well. "concrete" not always required for native immediate response
14 mins
many thanks, Yvonne!
agree Sarah Bessioud
21 mins
Thanks, Sarah!
agree Tony M
48 mins
Thanks, Tony
agree Timothy Rake
56 mins
Thanks, Timothy!
agree SafeTex : This English expression fits perfectly here
2 hrs
many thanks SafeTex :)
neutral David Hayes : I had thought of this but was not convinced that it captures the irony of the French. To me, it seems a simple statement that something is now a poor shadow of its former glory.
3 hrs
I get your point, but still haven't found a solution that satisfies me! Perhaps something along the lines of simply: the "posh" armchair or "that looked past its prime"(to capture the irony, alongside the dying or moribund divan).
agree AllegroTrans
10 hrs
Thanks, Allegro!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks a lot, Carol"
+3
47 mins

once-comfortable

I think you could use this structure with 'once-...' with a variety of adjectives, to convey the notion that although it used to be ..., it no longer is.
'Once-luxurious' might be a little OTT, but I'm sure you get the idea.
Peer comment(s):
agree philgoddard : Good idea.
2 hrs
Thanks, Phil!
agree Cyril Tollari
4 hrs
Merci, Cyril !
agree rokotas : this choice sounds better in that case
23 hrs
Thanks, rokotas!
Something went wrong...
8 hrs

still intended to impress

Based on the asker's desire to retain the ironic aspect, I thought adding 'still intended' to the usual translation of this expression might work.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2020-09-02 16:49:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

i.e. "an armchair still intended to impress"
Peer comment(s):
neutral Carol Gullidge : These people don't sound in the least as though they are trying or ever have tried to impress, but are showing courtesy and hospitality in a totally unaffected way.//Noble and dignified, yes, pretentious, no!
15 hrs
"The furniture in the hut is poor and very damaged, but the family behaves in a very noble and dignified manner." What exactly is meant by the second aspect perhaps needs to be clarified by the asker. I do not think 'impressive' means 'pretentious'.
Something went wrong...
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