Feb 23, 2013 12:44
11 yrs ago
French term
pipelette
French to English
Art/Literary
Music
Paroles
La midinette fait sa dînette au bistro
La pipelette
Lit ses journaux
- Ménilmontant (Trenet)
La pipelette
Lit ses journaux
- Ménilmontant (Trenet)
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 | Gossiper |
chriscfro
|
| 4 +6 | doorkeeper, concierge, janitor |
Catharine Cellier-Smart
|
| 5 +3 | chatterbox |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
|
| 3 | chatty concierge |
David Vaughn
|
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:
Non-PRO (1): Nikki Scott-Despaigne
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Proposed translations
18 mins
Selected
Gossiper
A little more precise than one who never stops talking, a pipelette is a gossip monger.
Note from asker:
| Thanks - I reckon that's the gist of it. |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: "Gossip" is the noun for both the individual and for what he/she does. However, given the context, particularly of the epoque, then I don't reckon this meaning fits. We need the earlier meaning.
25 mins
|
| neutral |
Catharine Cellier-Smart
: that's not the meaning meant here IMO
38 mins
|
| neutral |
Marie LE MEN (X)
: en francais c'est juste une personne tres bavarde, pas forcément quelquun qui raconte des ragots
2 days 4 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to everyone for the input.
In the end, right or wrong, I went for tattletale (3 syllables like pipelette!) after initially gossip."
1 hr
chatty concierge
Both ideas are essential to the French meaning. I'm not sure what kind of translation you need, but this is concise enough for many purposes.
You don't call a silent sullen concierge a pipelette.
You don't call a silent sullen concierge a pipelette.
+6
38 mins
Catharine Cellier-Smart
Reunion
Reunion
Native in English
Reunion
The Smart Solution
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: French to English, Creoles & Pidgins (French-based Other) to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
doorkeeper, concierge, janitor
it doesn't help you with the rhyme, but when this song was written 'pipelette' referred to the above profession.
That explains why they're reading the newspapers (presumably on their lunch break), which would be difficult to understand if the meaning here was 'chatterbox'.
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Note added at 40 mins (2013-02-23 13:25:34 GMT)
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It's easy to understand where the present day meaning came from!
see also:
Pop. ou p.plaisant. Concierge, portier. Il venait au bureau le dimanche; et comme le concierge, ce jour-là, mettait à profit ses loisirs pour aller prendre le vermouth avec des cochers du quartier, il lui arrivait de l'attendre des heures, sous le porche glacial de l'immeuble, −payé de sa peine si, à son retour, le pipelet le saluait d'un flatteur: −Ah! ah!... quel bûcheur, ce Monsieur Sainthomme! (Courteline, Ronds-de-cuir,1893, 2etabl., III, p.82).Une concierge distinguée, qui n'a rien de la pipelette d'arrondissement populaire, sort de sa loge (H. Bazin, Vipère,1948, p.207).
http://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/pipelette
(Populaire) Concierge.
Il s’rend aux endroits en question et passe la loge d’la cloporte, une serviette sous le bras. « Eh bien ! crie la pip'lette, où qu’vous aller ? » — (Francis Carco, Messieurs les vrais de vrai, 1927)
http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/pipelette
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Note added at 1 hr (2013-02-23 14:37:48 GMT)
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I also suggest 'caretaker', to rhyme with 'dressmaker' (see previous question: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_english/music/5115037-mi...
That explains why they're reading the newspapers (presumably on their lunch break), which would be difficult to understand if the meaning here was 'chatterbox'.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 mins (2013-02-23 13:25:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
It's easy to understand where the present day meaning came from!
see also:
Pop. ou p.plaisant. Concierge, portier. Il venait au bureau le dimanche; et comme le concierge, ce jour-là, mettait à profit ses loisirs pour aller prendre le vermouth avec des cochers du quartier, il lui arrivait de l'attendre des heures, sous le porche glacial de l'immeuble, −payé de sa peine si, à son retour, le pipelet le saluait d'un flatteur: −Ah! ah!... quel bûcheur, ce Monsieur Sainthomme! (Courteline, Ronds-de-cuir,1893, 2etabl., III, p.82).Une concierge distinguée, qui n'a rien de la pipelette d'arrondissement populaire, sort de sa loge (H. Bazin, Vipère,1948, p.207).
http://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/pipelette
(Populaire) Concierge.
Il s’rend aux endroits en question et passe la loge d’la cloporte, une serviette sous le bras. « Eh bien ! crie la pip'lette, où qu’vous aller ? » — (Francis Carco, Messieurs les vrais de vrai, 1927)
http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/pipelette
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Note added at 1 hr (2013-02-23 14:37:48 GMT)
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I also suggest 'caretaker', to rhyme with 'dressmaker' (see previous question: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_english/music/5115037-mi...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
jmleger
: Yes. The word is derived from a gossipy concierge character (Mrs. Pipelet) in Les mystères de Paris by Eugène Sue.
31 mins
|
|
Yes. Thank you.
|
|
| agree |
SafeTex
: Agree cos I've seen the read the rest of the verse
50 mins
|
|
thank you
|
|
| agree |
ormiston
: I'd go for 'office girl' (on her lunch break) and keep the French word 'concièrge' but is this meant to scan and be SUNG ?!
1 hr
|
|
it's meant to rhyme if possible with translations for "midinette" and "dinette"!
|
|
| agree |
Cyril B.
1 hr
|
|
thank you
|
|
| agree |
Daryo
: "concierge" // also agrees with: "Voici la grille verte Voici la porte ouverte"
1 hr
|
|
exactly. Thank you Daryo.
|
|
| agree |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: "concièrge" is a nice solution her, for meaning at the time and also keeps a French reference. As for the rhyming elements, then the asker may have to tweak to fit and/or provide indications of terms used so we can take account of rhymes.
2 hrs
|
|
thank you Nikki
|
|
| disagree |
Marie LE MEN (X)
: It's over-translated here. Concierge in Paris is really the receptionist of a building, does not work. Only chatterbox works here
Voir mon commentaire ci-dessus
2 days 3 hrs
|
|
This is not over-translation, this is contextually correct translation. This song of Trenet's was written in the 1930s, when 'pipelette' did not have its current meaning. Have you read the discussion entries for this and the asker's previous question?
|
|
| agree |
Jean-Louis S.
3 days 12 hrs
|
|
merci Jean-Louis
|
+3
13 mins
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Native in English
Psychologist, Court-certified legal
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
7
chatterbox
That's it for the meaning. A "pipelette" is someone who never shuts up a real chatterbox!
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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-02-23 16:14:07 GMT)
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As I have indicated elsewhere, but not done so here, now is the time! "Chatterbox" is the contemporary meaning, but given the time when Charles Trenet was around, then the older meaning is more likely to be the relevant one!
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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-02-23 16:14:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As I have indicated elsewhere, but not done so here, now is the time! "Chatterbox" is the contemporary meaning, but given the time when Charles Trenet was around, then the older meaning is more likely to be the relevant one!
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
freekfluweel
: but she is reading the newspapers...
4 mins
|
|
Which does nothing to prevent her from being a chatterbox!
|
|
| neutral |
writeaway
: @freekfluweel: look again, you have misread the question
19 mins
|
| neutral |
Catharine Cellier-Smart
: that's not the meaning meant here IMO
43 mins
|
| agree |
Jane F
: agree with Nikki, a "pipelette" is a girl or young woman who never stops talking
2 hrs
|
|
That is is current day meaning but I have come round to thinking that the earlier meaning is the appropriate one here, given the times when Trenet was around.
|
|
| agree |
Marie LE MEN (X)
: Chatterbox is perfect here, it would be my pick. Trenet was around in the 20's and not in Zola's times where indeed it meant concierge.
2 days 4 hrs
|
| agree |
Claire Mercier
6 days
|
Discussion
Sounds OK in my brand of US English.
A little hint of leading to a joke about "how can gossip read?"
TIA.
Selon le CNRTL cette déf de pipelette sginifie personne bavarde en 1921 donc avant cette chanson. C'est donc plutot une étymologie usitée au 19ème siècle.
La vie s'éveille à nouveau
Tout résonne
De mille échos
La midinette fait sa dînette au bistro
La pipelette
Lit ses journaux
Voici la grille verte
Voici la porte ouverte
Qui grince un peu pour dire "Bonjour bonjour
Alors te v'là de retour ?"