Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
cow-boy de comptoir
English translation:
barroom brawler/hellraiser
Added to glossary by
Carol Gullidge
Apr 9, 2008 13:57
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
cow-boy de comptoir
French to English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
metaphor used in interview
Si je veux faire le bilan de ma vie, je dois tenir compte des sept dernières années, je n'en suis pas très fier..." Silence. Silence encore. Il a des choses sur le cœur, ____** le cow-boy de comptoir**_____ Brusquement, changement de ton: il raconte une histoire sur XXX...
________
a film actor reminiscing over his rather wild past. It would help if I only knew what "comptoir" refers to - bar brawls, possibly? He was well known for drinking, brawling, womanising...
Once again, no g-hits, so assume that this is another creative invention of the author. Any help would be much appreciated - many thanks!
________
a film actor reminiscing over his rather wild past. It would help if I only knew what "comptoir" refers to - bar brawls, possibly? He was well known for drinking, brawling, womanising...
Once again, no g-hits, so assume that this is another creative invention of the author. Any help would be much appreciated - many thanks!
Proposed translations
(English)
4 | barroom brawler | Sheila Wilson |
4 +2 | drugstore cowboy | emiledgar |
3 +1 | Pretend cow-boy | Drmanu49 |
4 | two-bit cowboy | Sandra Petch |
3 | bar-stool baddy | Emma Paulay |
3 | pillar of the bar | CMJ_Trans (X) |
3 | Lager Lout | JoanneKinnear |
3 | bar jockey | celandine |
2 | Tresen Cowboy | Ingeborg Gowans (X) |
Proposed translations
5 hrs
Selected
barroom brawler
Retains the spirit of the original French expression, and the alliteration. A well-known term that makes you think of Westerns, cowboys and shoot-outs, but also the modern-day equivalents.
barroom - Encyclopedia.com
- [ Traduire cette page ]
U.S. News & World Report; 1/28/1991; Duffy, Brian Lief, Louise; 796 words; A barroom brawler, he may turn to terror next Even if the United States and its ...
www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-barroom.html
Barroom Brawler's Baby Born Drunk
- [ Traduire cette page ]
Barroom Brawler's Baby Born Drunk. ... Barroom Brawler's Baby Born Drunk. Sunday October 5, 2003. A New York woman who went into labor during a barroom ...
alcoholism.about.com/b/2003/10/05/barroom-brawlers-baby-born-drunk.htm
barroom - Encyclopedia.com
- [ Traduire cette page ]
U.S. News & World Report; 1/28/1991; Duffy, Brian Lief, Louise; 796 words; A barroom brawler, he may turn to terror next Even if the United States and its ...
www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-barroom.html
Barroom Brawler's Baby Born Drunk
- [ Traduire cette page ]
Barroom Brawler's Baby Born Drunk. ... Barroom Brawler's Baby Born Drunk. Sunday October 5, 2003. A New York woman who went into labor during a barroom ...
alcoholism.about.com/b/2003/10/05/barroom-brawlers-baby-born-drunk.htm
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks, Sheila! This is the closest to what was eventually accepted - perhaps because it best fits the personality concerned"
+1
3 mins
Pretend cow-boy
just for show at the bar but not the real guy.
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Note added at 4 mins (2008-04-09 14:02:50 GMT)
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or bar-room ball-room cowboy if he dresses up just for the occasion.
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Note added at 4 mins (2008-04-09 14:02:50 GMT)
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or bar-room ball-room cowboy if he dresses up just for the occasion.
Note from asker:
thanks for the convincing suggestion! |
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
Julie Barber
: I don't think it's pretend, but bad behavoir at the bar counter and the surrounds!
1 hr
|
not necessarily bad behavior.
|
|
agree |
Claire Chapman
: This is what it is, someone who sits at the bar as if he were a cowboy but who never actually does the work of a cowboy; but, it's not what we say :-)
5 hrs
|
Thank you Claire.
|
|
neutral |
writeaway
: pretend isn't a word I'd use in the context. sounds childlike and not terrible masculine.
9 hrs
|
6 mins
Tresen Cowboy
don't know much about the person you are writing about, but if his past includes heavy drinking etc. this might fit, low confidence level, as I don't know anything about the context hope it gets the ball rolling; the expression seems to be "home-made"
Note from asker:
thanks Ingeborg! I couldn't have used Tresen, but your answer was helpful nevertheless! |
20 mins
bar-stool baddy
I think it's just a vague reference to the time spent being a bad boy in bars. Cow-boy is just for alliteration with comptoir IMO.
Bad boy of the bars...
Bad boy of the bars...
Note from asker:
thanks Emma! I love the alliteration, and, not for the first time, really wish one could dish out double the points, and split them! This was pretty close... |
53 mins
pillar of the bar
is probably all they mean
Note from asker:
thanks CMJ! I think the irony of the unexpected juxtaposition (pillar of society/wisdom) could have gone down well. I like it! |
1 hr
Lager Lout
Maybe this would be another way of putting it - keeping the alliteration
Note from asker:
thanks Joanne! A nice idea, although I think this bloke is probably more the bourbon type. I should have mentioned that before! |
+2
1 hr
drugstore cowboy
Is not this just a French translation of the American expression "drugstore cowboy" which means a make-believe cowboy?
Note from asker:
thanks emil! I agree with the idea, although celandine has a point about connotations - possibly due to a film with that theme? |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Claire Chapman
: or urban cowboy http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bar cowboy
4 hrs
|
Oui, merci.
|
|
agree |
Ladda McLaren
4 hrs
|
Thank you.
|
|
neutral |
celandine
: this has drug/medication connotations
1 day 5 hrs
|
Not to my knowledge; drugstore being the social gathering place of a small town (at the counter). the drugstore is a pharmacy and general store all in one.
|
16 hrs
two-bit cowboy
The expression immediately made me thing of that other popular French expression "philosopheur de comptoir" - the person leaning against the bar, after one drink too many, who will insist on putting the world and everyone else to rights but it's really just that much hot air.
Here, I think this man is saying he thought he was rough and tough like a cowboy but it was all just for show, all bravado.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2008-04-10 06:45:35 GMT)
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Sorry, "think of" with a K!
Here, I think this man is saying he thought he was rough and tough like a cowboy but it was all just for show, all bravado.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2008-04-10 06:45:35 GMT)
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Sorry, "think of" with a K!
Note from asker:
thanks Sandra! I like this too - if the client hadn't opted to go down the other route! |
1 day 6 hrs
bar jockey
someone who spends a lot of time at the bar - like a bar fly - seems a bit tame compared to the French and lacks the imagery - however drugstore cowboy is sth different and would imply some kind of addiction to medication/drugs... so perhaps not appropriate
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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2008-04-10 21:18:03 GMT)
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bar stool cowboy - American bf's suggestion : )
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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2008-04-10 21:18:03 GMT)
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bar stool cowboy - American bf's suggestion : )
Note from asker:
thanks celandine - another great idea! |
Discussion
This was really hard to grade, as there are so many great suggestions. The fact that you're pretty much split down the middle regarding the actual meaning hasn't made it any easier! In fact, I was veering towards the wannabe cowboy side, but the client eventually went for "barroom hellraiser", which suits the character down to a Tl. Sheila, Emma, celandine, Joanne, and CMJ all came close to this, in various ways.
Not sure what a "bar-room cowboy" is, but wonder if it might fit the bill...