Need Native Speakers' Confirmation

Hi all,

I'm looking for native speakers to confirm my translations of the following, fairly complicated lines. Primarily, are the following lines idiomatically correct; that is, if you were speaking them, is this how you would say them:

This has little to do with Shakespearean ethics: we are talking here of my livelihood.

On ne parle pas de l'éthique de Shakespeare; on parle des moyens d'existence.

In a second you'll be retired. I'll call the doctor.

Mais vous n'existerez plus tout à l'heure. Je vais appeler le médecin.

(There is supposed to be a play on the word "exisrence.")

Please let me know if these lines require more context. The second line is supposed to be formal.

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Permalink Reply by lauris on July 4, 2011 at 9:33am

The first line is correct, you could say it naturally.

If I had to translate this, I would go for "Ca n'a que peu à voir avec l'éthique Shakespearienne; on parle ici de mes moyens d'existence/ma subsistance". It's more formal, but I think it fits with the theatrical context.

The second line is also correct, but I find the "retired" a bit odd. Retired in modern french at least, means "retraité", a people that is done working because of his age. I don't think there is a notion of end of existence or disappearance. Maybe I'm wrong.....

If you could add some more lines for the second phrase, it would help I think!

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Permalink Reply by mike belvidere on July 4, 2011 at 6:53pm

That's what I was afraid of. In the second line, the translation has a play on words. The existence is supposed to have the double meaning of literally existing/being alive as well as no longer working in light of the first line, which precedes it in context. Does the play on words not come out naturally?

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Permalink Reply by Erwan on July 4, 2011 at 7:55pm

You can may be say "Mais bientôt vous ne serez plus là"

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Permalink Reply by Ed la mouette on July 4, 2011 at 9:17pm

I'd say "vous ne serez plus parmi nous" or "vous nous aurez quitté", which have both meaning of dying and quitting a job.