Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

mal-vivre

English translation:

misfortune

Added to glossary by Expertexte
Sep 25, 2005 03:31
18 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term

mal-vivre

French to English Social Sciences Esoteric practices
Bonjour tous, pourriez-vous m'aider à traduire "mal-vivre" en anglais?
"....Je peux vous aider à vous débarasser de votre mal-vivre et de votre malchance dans la vie..."
I am thinking of using "misery", any better ideas?
Merci

Proposed translations

+2
3 hrs
Selected

free you from your misery and misfortune

I like your suggestion of "misery"!
Peer comment(s):

agree Mario Calvagna : i like it too
2 hrs
Thank you, Mario!
agree Red Cat Studios
9 hrs
Thank you, Dan!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Hi, misfortune is perfect! Thanks for your help."
13 mins

see comment

Hey E,
"Misery" sounds a bit too strong to these ears. I would depart just ever so slightly from the source text and say something like "I can help you straighten out your life" and get rid of your bad luck or whatever... - hwihc in effect has the same meaning.
Just a thought
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+2
34 mins

help you get rid of your problems

I can help you find happiness/turn your luck around/get lady luck to shine down on you

is this for a psychic reader?

do people really believe this stuff?
Peer comment(s):

agree Rachel Fell : in their droves, I'm afraid - witness the no. of ads. for such stuff by people who know that hope springs eternal...(!)
7 hrs
hi Rachel :-)
agree Tamara Salvio : 2nd formulation: I can help you find happiness and change your luck...definitely go with the positive in English
1 day 14 hrs
thanks Tamara!
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1 hr

lifestyle

I Googled the term and ended up reading several articles that used it. In all of them, the term more or less referred to "lifestyle"; a choice of living style by the person(s) experiencing the "mal-vivre". So perhaps something more along the lines of: "I can help you improve your lifestyle and your luck in life...." Which, depending on the context, makes sense; if you improve your lifestyle, life will get better for you in general, thus making you believe your luck has improved. Slick sell!
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4 hrs

nfg

pour une note plus poétique: Spleen

II. Un tableau du spleen :

Spleen : mot anglais utilisé au XIXème siècle pour désigner une sorte de mal vivre associant à un malaise physique un état d'âme mélancolique. Ce mot signifie donc mélancolie. Ce n'est pas le premier sens du terme. Ce dernier est rate que l'on considérait alors comme le siège de l'humeur noire qui causait la mélancolie chez les sujets où elle était abondante

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:Ey29N3FEcLwJ:www.litteral...
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+3
14 hrs

unhappiness

is s/he offering life counseling?
Peer comment(s):

agree Dr Sue Levy (X) : sounds like the little bits of paper I get in my letter box every week offering the services of Professor Mamadou ;-)
40 mins
I hope you recycle them!
agree Paige Stanton (X)
1 hr
thanks Paige
agree Gina W
5 hrs
thanks gad
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