Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Mar 19, 2008 11:36
16 yrs ago
French term
gast
French to English
Other
Slang
hello again, sorry this is the last one! A scientist ("Christophe") studying killer whales is talking to the captain of a scientific ship about the fate of killer whales in the Crozet Islands in the Indian Ocean. Several whales that he was studying have just been caught in poachers' nets. The captain is Breton - here is the conversattion:
CHRISTOPHE
Oui. Et non. Leur famille a été décimée. Mais on dirait qu’elle a adopté des orphelins de ces massacres. Ca suffira pas : à ce rythme, elle vont toutes disparaître.
CAPITAINE
« Gast », Christophe. Paraît que la Marine va renforcer ses contrôles sur zone. Mais en pleine mer, les prises en flagrant délit sont rares, et les pirates font tout pour effacer les preuves. Alors quand on en tient un comme celui-là… plus malin que ceux-ci il faut être, bonhomme !… venez donc avant que tout disparaisse.
I thought of "gastropod" but don't see how it would fit it here???
CHRISTOPHE
Oui. Et non. Leur famille a été décimée. Mais on dirait qu’elle a adopté des orphelins de ces massacres. Ca suffira pas : à ce rythme, elle vont toutes disparaître.
CAPITAINE
« Gast », Christophe. Paraît que la Marine va renforcer ses contrôles sur zone. Mais en pleine mer, les prises en flagrant délit sont rares, et les pirates font tout pour effacer les preuves. Alors quand on en tient un comme celui-là… plus malin que ceux-ci il faut être, bonhomme !… venez donc avant que tout disparaisse.
I thought of "gastropod" but don't see how it would fit it here???
Proposed translations
(English)
| 2 | blimey |
David Goward
|
| 4 | fuck! / fucking hell! |
sophieb
|
| 4 | Damn it! |
Euqinimod (X)
|
Proposed translations
2 hrs
Selected
blimey
Although "gast" is equivalent to "putain!", I don't think the Cap'n is in anyway cross with Christophe.
I think "Blimey" or "Crikey" might be used in an equivalent English-language situation.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:13:46 GMT)
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Oops! Just spotted your note to Sophie's answer.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:17:33 GMT)
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"(Expletive) Christophe! They reckon that the Navy's going to be stepping up their checks..." sounds like the skipper doesn't approve of the Navy's actions whereas ""Gast!" is obviously in response to (agreement with) Christophe's comment about the massacre of the whales.
I think "Blimey" or "Crikey" might be used in an equivalent English-language situation.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:13:46 GMT)
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Oops! Just spotted your note to Sophie's answer.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:17:33 GMT)
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"(Expletive) Christophe! They reckon that the Navy's going to be stepping up their checks..." sounds like the skipper doesn't approve of the Navy's actions whereas ""Gast!" is obviously in response to (agreement with) Christophe's comment about the massacre of the whales.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks David this was the most appropriate in the circumstances I actually chose "heck" but you had a good point there, in this case, it was all about context. "
12 mins
fuck! / fucking hell!
putain !
http://www.kervarker.org/fr/useful_phrases_10_Kunujennou.htm...
http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/gast
http://www.bretons-de-lyon.org/a25_petit-lexique-breton-fran...
http://www.kervarker.org/fr/useful_phrases_10_Kunujennou.htm...
http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/gast
http://www.bretons-de-lyon.org/a25_petit-lexique-breton-fran...
Note from asker:
| I agree with David because the captain isn't angry in this context, he just wants to put across his point - I prefer "Damn it" as below! |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
David Goward
: Agree that it's a Breton exclamation, but not sure that "fuck(ing hell)" is the best English equivalent in the context.
5 mins
|
|
je voulais donner une piste. aux anglophones de trouver la meilleure nuance !
|
2 hrs
Damn it!
Suggestion.
Discussion
"Breton gast is cognate with Welsh gast "bitch," of uncertain origin."
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gast