A Woman Admiring Her Charms

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on April 11, 2013 at 10:59pm

Hello

Is it exactly wroten like that ? it's weird

"Noir" wroten  N O I R  without E  

"la poitrine" would be feminine : with an E

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on April 11, 2013 at 11:14pm

un peu noir

it could be many things :

1) she is in a dark room, she doesn't see clearly, but nevertheless she is seeing she is still beautilful

2) she has negative thoughts, black thoughts and when she is seeing his picture in the mirror, she is thinking that ???

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Permalink Reply by michael sanders on April 11, 2013 at 11:56pm

Yes, "Un peu noir, mais toujours belle."

 

I like your suggestion of the dark, but feel it would be a stretch to translate this as, say, "A little dark, but she is still beautiful." particularly as you make the very good point, "noir" vs. belle.

 

I'm trying to remember if I've ever read anything where "noir" connotes things like age or maybe la pourriture?

 

The writer is not subtle enough for the second suggestion, as, shortly before, the woman "une coquette", is observed pinching lice from the folds of her nightshirt.

 

Good ideas! Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on April 12, 2013 at 12:20am

Is she a white woman ?

"noir" doesn't connote things like "age" or "pourriture"

but it could be "black" for black humour

because "une coquette" means a pretty woman who takes care of her, and "lice" (it's small bugs, am I right ?) so "coquette" is opposed to "lice".

and "noir" could mean "very dirty", "grime" = "noir de crasse". I think it would be feminine (with an E) but it depends on the words before. no it's possible for "teint".

"teint" un peu noir, mais toujours belle

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Permalink Reply by michael sanders on April 12, 2013 at 10:55pm

I looked at the passage again, and you are correct, it was "noire" so I believe she is referring to la poitrine. Littre has secondary meanings for noir of crasseux, sale, also morne,  triste, so I'm thinking "worn" or "tired." 

 

If you know of other good onlline 19th century translation sources, I 'd love to hear of them.

 

Et mille mercis pour l'effort.

 

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on April 13, 2013 at 5:33am

with the "E" "noire" could be many things too ;-) it depends on the context

- "la poitrine", yes it's good

- or herself, all her body if she is looking at herself and if she is naked.

and the most relevant meaning is about her skin  :

19th century + the lice  : I think it's more "noire"  for "crasseux" "sale",

but maybe because she also is too tanned (or damaged) by the sun or her difficult life and in the 19th century, women had to be pale to be pretty

"noir" used in the meaning of "morne" "triste" is used for ideas, mood

you have an other meaning for "noir", but here it's not relevant : it's "drunk"

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