Several questions about word usage

I have several questions about word usage in an article I am reading:

1. What does 'trublion' mean in the following sentence: 'La sociéte Costco Wholesale est un trublion de la distribution américain.' When I looked up 'trublion', the definition was 'troublemaker', but I don't see how it could mean this in the preceding sentence.

2. What does 'chasse gardée' mean in the following sentence: 'Costco Wholesale avait dévoilé son intention de s'implanter en France, chasse gardée, notamment, de Leclerc, Carrefour, et Darty.' Chasse gardée normally seems to mean a 'preserve'.

Scott Landfear

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on February 25, 2013 at 3:40am

In the first part I don't see why a firm can't be a "troublemaker" in the market place ? (I don't know the context but some kind of agressive business behaviour might qualify).

Secondly "chasse gardée" would make sense as " a preserve" if Costco Wholesale is a company trying to set itself up in a country where the market was divided up between the local established businesses ( Supermarkets in this case, it seems -as it were they have metaphorical "keep off" signs on their metaphorical "territory" ).

You would normally see "chasse gardée" as a sign on lands where it was forbidden to shoot wildlife.

I tried to find that article in the Nouvel Observateur but the search facility on their website defeated me...

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on February 25, 2013 at 8:00am

Hello.

I found the article

http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/social/20121016.FAP0690/l-enseigne-a...

1. "trublion" is a troublemaker, but maybe the strength of the word isn't exactly translate. "trublion" is a very light troublemaker. (for example, in a classroom, a pupil who often laughs or speaks can be called "un trublion"). There are rules in a society and someone "le trublion" doesnt't follow exactly these rules (it can be everything, not only an agressive business behaviour, it can be the place, the staff, the money and even just someone who dare to try something that noone dared before). I don't know Costco, but in this article, "trublion" seems to mean that Costco has another way to sell than others.

2. "chasse gardée" I don't know what is exactly "preserve", but in the first meaning "chasse gardée" is a private hunter area. an area where hunters can't kill animals if they aren't the owner of the land.

So, more wide meaning, "Costco Wholesale avait dévoilé son intention de s'implanter en France, chasse gardée, notamment, de Leclerc, Carrefour, et Darty" means that France is an area where Leclerc, Carrefour and Darty considere themselves as owners and Costco wanted to open stores.