This question was closed without grading. Reason: Errant question
Feb 4, 2018 18:42
6 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
teint bruine
French to English
Other
Cosmetics, Beauty
Skin color
This is from the statement of a witness to a crime committed in the Central African Republic. The witness is describing a captain in the military: "Le capitaine était de la même tribu, avec le teint bruine, visage rasé et la tête allongée devant."
I have selected the "cosmetics/beauty" category for this inquiry because I am guessing that people familiar with that field will know more than most about how skin tones are described.
Obviously, no one would describe skin as "drizzle" in English. I did a Google search on images of "teint bruine", "couleur bruine", "couleur de bruine" and "peau bruine" and didn't spot anything useful. Could it mean that the captain's skin was dewy, sweaty or shiny? Or is this simply a misspelling of "brun"? (If that were the case, it is odd that there is an "e" at the end.)
I have selected the "cosmetics/beauty" category for this inquiry because I am guessing that people familiar with that field will know more than most about how skin tones are described.
Obviously, no one would describe skin as "drizzle" in English. I did a Google search on images of "teint bruine", "couleur bruine", "couleur de bruine" and "peau bruine" and didn't spot anything useful. Could it mean that the captain's skin was dewy, sweaty or shiny? Or is this simply a misspelling of "brun"? (If that were the case, it is odd that there is an "e" at the end.)
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +3 | dark complected |
Barbara Cochran, MFA
|
| 4 +1 | dark complexion or dark-skinned |
Raquel Holzmann (X)
|
| 3 | a swarthy complexion |
ormiston
|
| 2 | weathered complexion |
Anne-Marie Laliberté (X)
|
Proposed translations
+3
1 hr
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
dark complected
I think, given the context, that the military captain would in all likelihood be "dark complected" (he's from a tribe) rather than have skin that is "tan".
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Note added at 2 hrs (2018-02-04 20:48:32 GMT)
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No, I have not. But I think, after reading Nathalie's post, that the description has to do with skin color ("brun"), rather than "sweaty" or "shiny skin".
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Note added at 2 hrs (2018-02-04 21:20:15 GMT)
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You're welcome.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2018-02-04 20:48:32 GMT)
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No, I have not. But I think, after reading Nathalie's post, that the description has to do with skin color ("brun"), rather than "sweaty" or "shiny skin".
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Note added at 2 hrs (2018-02-04 21:20:15 GMT)
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You're welcome.
Note from asker:
| Thank you, but have you found any example of "bruine" being used in context with that meaning? |
| At one point in the interview, the witness describes someone else as having a "teint noir clair", so I am definitely leaning towards the conclusion that "bruine" is a misspelling of "brun" but I will wait a couple of days before deciding, just in case anyone else comes up with a better interpretation. Thank you. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Yolanda Broad
2 hrs
|
|
Thank you, Yolanda.
|
|
| agree |
Sheri P
16 hrs
|
|
Thank you, Shari.
|
|
| agree |
GILLES MEUNIER
1 day 9 hrs
|
|
Thank you, GILOU.
|
|
| neutral |
ormiston
: i feel compelled to post a reservation as this sounds more than startling to UK ears
1 day 14 hrs
|
|
But it sounds spot on to American ears, and I notice that the asker is in my time zone.
|
+1
5 hrs
dark complexion or dark-skinned
'dark complected' is unheard of in BE. Since the rest of the sentence refers to the captain's facial features, I think you can be fairly sure that bruine is a mispelling of brune.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jennifer White
: I agree. "Complected" is an Americanism, unheard of here. Better to have a translation that is universally understood.
9 hrs
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|
Thanks, Jennifer!
|
17 hrs
French term (edited):
teint bruine (buriné)
weathered complexion
.........
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Note added at 17 heures (2018-02-05 11:56:12 GMT)
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''buriné'' is the correct word maybe.
Note from asker:
| Thanks, that's a good guess. However, I think the witness would have said "visage" with "buriné", not "teint". Every other time he uses "teint" in the interview transcript, it is to describe skin color. |
1 day 15 hrs
a swarthy complexion
This would fit i think, avoiding the possible ambiguity of dark as a euphemism for black
Discussion
As you have more details of this crime, can you give any indication if this could be found?
Or is that a bit unrealistic?
http://www.biodermal.nl/blog/tips-om-langer-bruin-te-blijven...
or
http://www.trendystyle.net/beauty/zon/zon_bruin.html