Curious Phrase

Hello everyone, Here's a phrase which if not dubious is curious ' les brebis galeuses', I would like to know the meaning please.

I amworking on some homework which includes ' comme si de rien n'etait.' Would ' as if nothing else mattered ' come close to a translation?

I look forward to your replies. Sue Jones

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Frank on October 17, 2009 at 4:04pm

Hi Sue,

"Brebis galeuses" is an expression to designate people who are part of a group, but who are considered undesirable.

Looks like English has a similar (but maybe unusual?) expression: "black sheep".

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by adel on October 17, 2009 at 6:42pm

brebis galeuses is" scabbed ewe "not sure if plurial for ewe is ewes. it may mean, time waster, looser, idiot, imbecile, and so on. galeux is masculin for scrabies.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by adel on October 17, 2009 at 6:49pm

sorry scabies

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frank on October 17, 2009 at 7:38pm

It may mean time waster or idiot, but the main idea is that "brebies galleuses" are undesirable for a group, no matter what the exact reason is.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by adel on October 17, 2009 at 10:51pm

hi susan, sorry I did not answer your second question "comme si de rien n'etait" and so did Frank, he should be able to answer it, I may, but would need the complete phrase.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frank on October 17, 2009 at 11:15pm

I amworking on some homework which includes ' comme si de rien n'etait.' Would ' as if nothing else mattered ' come close to a translation?

Oops, didn't pay attention to that one.

"Comme si de rien n'était" means "as if nothing happened".