une espèce de

I know this as "a type of..."

The dictionary defines it as such, and uses the example:

"Elle portait une espèce de cape en velours. She was wearing a kind of velvet cloak."

but then there's mention that it's used pejoratively. I see that it's used as part of an insult:

espèce de maladroit! you clumsy oaf!

espèce de brute! you brute!

espèce d'idiot! you idiot!

but when it's used in the first sentence, does it have to have a sense of mockery? If so, how would you say it w/o?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on April 26, 2013 at 8:31am

Hello

it depends on context.

But a priori noit means that she was wearing a thing that seems to be a velvet cloak, that is like a velvet cloak but it's not exactly a velvet cloak.

But it could be a mockery, if the picture written about this person is a mockery. To say she isn't well dressed, for example : She hasn't a real velvet cloak but only "une espèce".