Help, please - French Language2024-03-28T14:42:22Zhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/forum/topics/help-please-2?feed=yes&xn_auth=noSuch great replies! Where do…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-01-02:3179028:Comment:675282012-01-02T23:26:00.433ZCyndi Kirschlinghttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/CyndiKirschling
<p>Such great replies! Where do I find people like all of you in real life to talk to? LOL</p>
<p>Thanks again, everyone,</p>
<p>Cyndi</p>
<p>Such great replies! Where do I find people like all of you in real life to talk to? LOL</p>
<p>Thanks again, everyone,</p>
<p>Cyndi</p> I think this loses something…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-01-02:3179028:Comment:676272012-01-02T03:15:16.539ZNeil Coffeyhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/NeilCoffey
<p>I think this loses something of the French original, though. The French expressions "n'importe quoi" and "n'importe qui" have the meanings of "whatever, whoever" in either a positive sense of "anything/anybody you wish", or with the negative sense of "any old thing/person".</p>
<p></p>
<p>So I think the idea is double-edged: it can be interpreted as:</p>
<p></p>
<p> "By doing what you choose to do, you become who you choose to be"</p>
<p></p>
<p>or it can be more negative:</p>
<p></p>
<p> …</p>
<p>I think this loses something of the French original, though. The French expressions "n'importe quoi" and "n'importe qui" have the meanings of "whatever, whoever" in either a positive sense of "anything/anybody you wish", or with the negative sense of "any old thing/person".</p>
<p></p>
<p>So I think the idea is double-edged: it can be interpreted as:</p>
<p></p>
<p> "By doing what you choose to do, you become who you choose to be"</p>
<p></p>
<p>or it can be more negative:</p>
<p></p>
<p> "If you just do any old thing, you'll just be any old person"</p>
<p></p>
<p>I can't really think of a terribly good translation that captures both extremes, though the saying "A man is the sum of his actions" maybe comes close.</p> I think to make it sound more…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-01-02:3179028:Comment:677082012-01-02T00:53:53.091ZCharles Dhttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/CharlesD
<p>I think to make it sound more idiomatic inEnglish, one could say "It is by doing nothing that one becomes nobody".</p>
<p>I think to make it sound more idiomatic inEnglish, one could say "It is by doing nothing that one becomes nobody".</p> Hi Cyndi,
I can't work out h…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-01-01:3179028:Comment:674572012-01-01T18:30:55.901ZStephen Bishophttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/StephenBishop
<p>Hi Cyndi,</p>
<p></p>
<p>I can't work out how that French sentence can be parsed into the Englkish one. It must be magic.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Have a great New Year and let's hope the world sorts itself out.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Steve :-)</p>
<p>Hi Cyndi,</p>
<p></p>
<p>I can't work out how that French sentence can be parsed into the Englkish one. It must be magic.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Have a great New Year and let's hope the world sorts itself out.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Steve :-)</p> Thank you. This helps and I r…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-01-01:3179028:Comment:674542012-01-01T18:03:28.451ZCyndi Kirschlinghttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/CyndiKirschling
<p>Thank you. This helps and I realize Remi spells the first letter with a "C" not an "L" like I thought it looked like!</p>
<p>So nice of you</p>
<p>and Stephen to reply so quickly. My daughter introduced me to Remi's videos and I still cannot stop smiling. Happy New Year to you both.</p>
<p>Cyndi :)</p>
<p>Thank you. This helps and I realize Remi spells the first letter with a "C" not an "L" like I thought it looked like!</p>
<p>So nice of you</p>
<p>and Stephen to reply so quickly. My daughter introduced me to Remi's videos and I still cannot stop smiling. Happy New Year to you both.</p>
<p>Cyndi :)</p> From here
http://en.wikipedi…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-01-01:3179028:Comment:675232012-01-01T17:52:09.122ZStephen Bishophttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/StephenBishop
<p>From here</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9mi_Gaillard">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9mi_Gaillard</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>we get</p>
<p></p>
<p>Remi's message is:"C'est en faisant n'importe quoi qu'on devient n'importe qui" which means: "It's by doing whatever, that one becomes whoever.".</p>
<p>From here</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9mi_Gaillard">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9mi_Gaillard</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>we get</p>
<p></p>
<p>Remi's message is:"C'est en faisant n'importe quoi qu'on devient n'importe qui" which means: "It's by doing whatever, that one becomes whoever.".</p> Bonjour,
I would translate by…tag:www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk,2012-01-01:3179028:Comment:677052012-01-01T17:21:29.226ZMushangahttp://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/profile/Mushanga
<p>Bonjour,</p>
<p>I would translate by "It is by doing whatever( or garbage ) that you become whoever"</p>
<p>But I'm not sure, my Enslish isn't very good, sorry ....</p>
<p>It's the catchphrase of remi gaillard, isn't it ? Maybe you could find the translation on his site ....</p>
<p>Hope it helps !</p>
<p>Bonjour,</p>
<p>I would translate by "It is by doing whatever( or garbage ) that you become whoever"</p>
<p>But I'm not sure, my Enslish isn't very good, sorry ....</p>
<p>It's the catchphrase of remi gaillard, isn't it ? Maybe you could find the translation on his site ....</p>
<p>Hope it helps !</p>