Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
un homme du sérail
English translation:
born into the business
Added to glossary by
David BUICK
Oct 20, 2009 06:55
14 yrs ago
French term
un homme du sérail
French to English
Bus/Financial
Business/Commerce (general)
This is being used to describe a son taking over from his father as the head of a large, family-owned business. I know what it means but am casting around for something better than my current attempt. Suggestions welcome!
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
1 hr
Selected
a man born to the business
Another option.
Could we see the whole sentence if there is one, to see how to make it fit?
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-20 08:16:50 GMT)
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There are examples of the phrase used in this context on the Oueb, e.g.
http://blog.nola.com/judywalker/2008/07/distiller_was_born_t...
Distiller was born to the business
Chris Sule, distiller at Old New Orleans Rum, said it was a big honor for him to give a rum presentation this year with the Tales of the Cocktail heavy hitters whose books he studied.
"I came from a family of brewers," Sule said. "Both my grandfathers, one of them worked at Jax Brewery and one worked at Falstaff."
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-20 08:27:23 GMT)
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No probs, I understand that we have to respect confidentiality!
Could we see the whole sentence if there is one, to see how to make it fit?
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-20 08:16:50 GMT)
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There are examples of the phrase used in this context on the Oueb, e.g.
http://blog.nola.com/judywalker/2008/07/distiller_was_born_t...
Distiller was born to the business
Chris Sule, distiller at Old New Orleans Rum, said it was a big honor for him to give a rum presentation this year with the Tales of the Cocktail heavy hitters whose books he studied.
"I came from a family of brewers," Sule said. "Both my grandfathers, one of them worked at Jax Brewery and one worked at Falstaff."
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-20 08:27:23 GMT)
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No probs, I understand that we have to respect confidentiality!
Note from asker:
Hi Sandra, while this is not about Jean Sarkozy ;-) it is for quite a high-profile customer whose identity I'm anxious not to reveal inadvertently! In the mean time, your suggestion incorporates the family idea quite nicely - thank you! |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
mimi 254
: yes - a man born to it
11 mins
|
neutral |
writeaway
: perhaps more born 'into' it, from the meagre context revealed.
27 mins
|
"Into" is good too.
|
|
agree |
Yolanda Broad
: Looks like a nifty solution to me!
17 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks. I went with "born into" the business (cf Writeaway) in the end.
I don't know about the rest of you, but when searching KudoZ I often find the proposed answers equally if not more edifying than the one finally selected, so thanks to all contributors!"
1 hr
establishment figure; It's not what you know, it's who you know
is what Collins Robert gives
but more context would help to know what it is you're looking for. ST would provide such things as register, and may give us a clue as to why you're not looking for a straightforward dictionary def...
Hence my lowish CR
A couple more stabs in the dark
The old boy network
family connections
like father, like son
blood is thicker than...
...
Again, we don't really know what it is you're looking for, without at least the sentence that contains it
but more context would help to know what it is you're looking for. ST would provide such things as register, and may give us a clue as to why you're not looking for a straightforward dictionary def...
Hence my lowish CR
A couple more stabs in the dark
The old boy network
family connections
like father, like son
blood is thicker than...
...
Again, we don't really know what it is you're looking for, without at least the sentence that contains it
9 mins
a man with insider's knowledge / who knows the score
I think this depends on how the expression is being used within the sentence, but I like "knows the score" for this type of situation.
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Note added at 18 mins (2009-10-20 07:14:26 GMT)
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uy, I didn't see that :-) well, off the top of my head, I guess you could add "family" to a noun such as "business/trade" to get that across. I don't think something like "chip off the old block" is appropriate here. I guess maybe "cut from the family cloth"; but again, these deal with being similar in personality, rather than possessing the same expertise.
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Note added at 19 mins (2009-10-20 07:15:22 GMT)
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I think if you're going to use "inside", then perhaps "with the inside scoop" is the most idiomatic way to do so.
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Note added at 20 mins (2009-10-20 07:16:47 GMT)
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how about "following in his father's footsteps"?
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-20 08:22:13 GMT)
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or "clinging to his father's coattails", although I think this maybe reads perjoratively.
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Note added at 18 mins (2009-10-20 07:14:26 GMT)
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uy, I didn't see that :-) well, off the top of my head, I guess you could add "family" to a noun such as "business/trade" to get that across. I don't think something like "chip off the old block" is appropriate here. I guess maybe "cut from the family cloth"; but again, these deal with being similar in personality, rather than possessing the same expertise.
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Note added at 19 mins (2009-10-20 07:15:22 GMT)
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I think if you're going to use "inside", then perhaps "with the inside scoop" is the most idiomatic way to do so.
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Note added at 20 mins (2009-10-20 07:16:47 GMT)
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how about "following in his father's footsteps"?
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-20 08:22:13 GMT)
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or "clinging to his father's coattails", although I think this maybe reads perjoratively.
Note from asker:
Well as you can see from my attempt revealed to Tony above, I think you're a real genius for suggesting "insider" ;-), but I'm wondering if there's a way of getting the family aspect across (I understand this to literally mean something like "a son of the harem"...) |
10 mins
.....steeped in the business....
Just to get the ball rolling...;
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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-10-20 09:13:54 GMT)
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.....brought up in the business.... might give you the family connection you seek.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-10-20 09:13:54 GMT)
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.....brought up in the business.... might give you the family connection you seek.
15 mins
a chip off the old block
or do they just mean "nepotism" - sorry, couldn't resist! Think "Sarko"
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Note added at 16 mins (2009-10-20 07:12:39 GMT)
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the "home" candidate
local lad made good
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Note added at 25 mins (2009-10-20 07:20:57 GMT)
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a member of the home team
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Note added at 37 mins (2009-10-20 07:33:21 GMT)
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or even the HEIR APPARENT
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Note added at 55 mins (2009-10-20 07:51:32 GMT)
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home grown product
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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-10-20 09:20:35 GMT)
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someone from the RANKS
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Note added at 16 mins (2009-10-20 07:12:39 GMT)
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the "home" candidate
local lad made good
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Note added at 25 mins (2009-10-20 07:20:57 GMT)
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a member of the home team
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Note added at 37 mins (2009-10-20 07:33:21 GMT)
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or even the HEIR APPARENT
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Note added at 55 mins (2009-10-20 07:51:32 GMT)
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home grown product
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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-10-20 09:20:35 GMT)
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someone from the RANKS
Note from asker:
hehe... in this case the author is most likely the "chip off the old block" himself, so I think "nepotism" is out... |
6 hrs
bred in the bone
if your context allows you to wander this far from the French
7 hrs
homegrown talent
Not sure this is the right tone but it's the sort of title you might see in En for the Smart article.
Reference comments
1 hr
Reference:
example in context
Un homme du sérail pour Smart
AUTOMOBILE
20/10/2000
Après le départ de Christophe Debrie, DaimlerChrysler France, la maison mère de la petite voiture urbaine, a nommé Bertrand Saugnac à la tête de Smart. Il est placé sous la responsabilité de François Le Clec'h, directeur général des voitures particulières Mercedes et Smart. À 36ans, Bertrand Saugnac a déjà à son actif douze ans de maison. Depuis 1997, il était chef du département administration commerciale à la direction générale voitures particulières de la filiale DaimlerChrysler France. Son arrivée coïncide avec une période où la Smart, lancée il y a maintenant deux ans, semble enfin trouver sa vitesse de croisière en France.
http://www.strategies.fr/actualites/marques/r15177W/un-homme...
AUTOMOBILE
20/10/2000
Après le départ de Christophe Debrie, DaimlerChrysler France, la maison mère de la petite voiture urbaine, a nommé Bertrand Saugnac à la tête de Smart. Il est placé sous la responsabilité de François Le Clec'h, directeur général des voitures particulières Mercedes et Smart. À 36ans, Bertrand Saugnac a déjà à son actif douze ans de maison. Depuis 1997, il était chef du département administration commerciale à la direction générale voitures particulières de la filiale DaimlerChrysler France. Son arrivée coïncide avec une période où la Smart, lancée il y a maintenant deux ans, semble enfin trouver sa vitesse de croisière en France.
http://www.strategies.fr/actualites/marques/r15177W/un-homme...
Note from asker:
Thanks Writeaway: that's similar to the register I'm looking for. |
8 hrs
Reference:
Discussion