Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
être le clown de service
English translation:
the token funnyman/joker
Jan 31, 2009 18:46
15 yrs ago
French term
être le clown de service
French to English
Other
Other
comment traduire cette expression en Anglais?
Merci d'avance
Merci d'avance
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Jan 31, 2009 19:02: Elisabeth Toda-v.Galen changed "Language pair" from "English to French" to "French to English"
Proposed translations
+1
1 hr
Selected
the token funnyman/joker
in other words, the funnyman/joker in the group
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Merci beaucoup à tous. Vos propositions sont excellentes et fidèles au contexte. Toutefois, je reprendrai celle-ci mot pour mot."
10 mins
Juan Jacob
Mexico
Mexico
Native in French
Mexico
Literatura, historia, subtitulaje
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Mexican, Latin American) 
, French (Variants: Belgian, Standard-France)
Works in: French to Spanish, Spanish to French, French, and 5 more.
To be everybody's fool/clown.
Waiting for better suggestions...
24 mins
play the fool
From the Free Online Dictionary:
play/act the fool
1. To act in an irresponsible or foolish manner.
2. To behave in a playful or comical manner
play/act the fool
1. To act in an irresponsible or foolish manner.
2. To behave in a playful or comical manner
1 hr
Isabelle Berquin
Native in French
Works in field
PhD with a solid scientific background
Native in: French (Variants: Belgian, Standard-France) 
Works in: English to French, French to English
to be the class clown/a perpetual clown, to clown around
Depending on context. Is this said in a positive or negative way?
A "class clown" is typically a kid who tries to make everyone else laugh in class, and by extension it can refer to someone in a group who seeks attention by making jokes. A "perpetual clown" is similar but not group-specific. "Clowning around" is what a clown does.
http://www.edutopia.org/clowning-around
http://www.arkansasleader.com/2008/05/editorial-huck-shoots-...
http://www.okcupid.com/tests/describescore?testid=4741219933...
A "class clown" is typically a kid who tries to make everyone else laugh in class, and by extension it can refer to someone in a group who seeks attention by making jokes. A "perpetual clown" is similar but not group-specific. "Clowning around" is what a clown does.
http://www.edutopia.org/clowning-around
http://www.arkansasleader.com/2008/05/editorial-huck-shoots-...
http://www.okcupid.com/tests/describescore?testid=4741219933...
1 hr
be a daft haporth
Be the one who acts the goat round here.
Ideally we'd have the exact setting for this usage, since I suspect it might deviate from the more literal in a great many cases.
I should know, as the self-professed clown in this particular circus.
Ideally we'd have the exact setting for this usage, since I suspect it might deviate from the more literal in a great many cases.
I should know, as the self-professed clown in this particular circus.
8 hrs
the jokester of the evening/class joker
Hello,
It depends on the context. The idea is someone who plays jokes around and tries and to everyone's attention.
It could be a class joker/class clown, but in some contexts, it might be better to say "jokester of the evening."
de service = on duty/call (the clown on duty)
It depends on the context. The idea is someone who plays jokes around and tries and to everyone's attention.
It could be a class joker/class clown, but in some contexts, it might be better to say "jokester of the evening."
de service = on duty/call (the clown on duty)
23 hrs
be the token clown
I asked a fluently bilingual French Canadian translator friend
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Note added at 1 day53 mins (2009-02-01 19:39:58 GMT)
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I see plenty of references to the expression "token clown" on the internet.
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Note added at 1 day53 mins (2009-02-01 19:39:58 GMT)
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I see plenty of references to the expression "token clown" on the internet.
+1
1 day 14 hrs
to be the resident clown
The one who is always on hand to make everyone laugh.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
suezen
: yes, that's the word I was looking for ...the resident joker!
9 hrs
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Thanks Sue :-)
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