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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

"le gros lourd"

English translation: "the heavy swelter"

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:"le gros lourd"
English translation:"the heavy swelter"
Entered by: Miranda Joubioux (X)

10:59 May 13, 2008
French to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase: "le gros lourd"
Context - Ocean racing press release
I've put this under Conversation, because it's nothing to do with sailing terminology.

Notamment ces heures à la barre sous un soleil de plomb alias "le gros lourd" qui nous suit depuis une semaine, à se faire liquéfier.

I haven't a clue what to put and its urgent!
Miranda Joubioux (X)
Local time: 23:57
"the heavy swelter" ?
Explanation:
...
Selected response from:

Emérentienne
France
Local time: 23:57
Grading comment
The points are going to Cécile, who really helped me out with this one. There's nothing worse than having an urgent press release to deliver and being stuck on a word! I also feel it's the most suitable choice. However, there were lots of interesting ideas. Thank you to everyone!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3fat yellow guy
Bourth (X)
4the party pooper
Nadia Ayoub
4the irritating yellow guy in the sky
Conor McAuley
4the scorching spoiler or the mega melter
cfraser
2 +1"the heavy swelter" ?
Emérentienne
3sticking like glue
Sandra Petch
2Mr. lay it on thick
Emma Paulay


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"le gros lourd" (urgent)
"the heavy swelter" ?


Explanation:
...

Emérentienne
France
Local time: 23:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
The points are going to Cécile, who really helped me out with this one. There's nothing worse than having an urgent press release to deliver and being stuck on a word! I also feel it's the most suitable choice. However, there were lots of interesting ideas. Thank you to everyone!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson: Good idea.
56 mins
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51 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
"le gros lourd" (urgent)
Mr. lay it on thick


Explanation:
If I'm reading this correctly it's the nickname the crew used for the sun. "Un gros lourd" being someone who is indiscreet, not subtle...

Mr. heavy handed
Mr. OTT
The thick sweater

Bof. It's difficult!

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 23:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 126
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"le gros lourd" (urgent)
the party pooper


Explanation:
Someone who spoils the pleasure of others. Someone who's not welcome.

Nadia Ayoub
Egypt
Local time: 00:57
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 4
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
"le gros lourd" (urgent)
fat yellow guy


Explanation:
Not wishing to make racial/ponderal/sexist issue of it, however.

Oppressive yellow guy doesn't work so well.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2008-05-13 11:39:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To me, the image is of the (very obvious) police detective or private dick following someone about. Probably overweight and greasy, poorly dressed ... a slob, a bore, a pauv' con.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 mins (2008-05-13 11:40:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I'm assuming this is not standard nautical-slang terminology but an invention of this particular crew.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-05-13 12:35:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As in, "Look out, the fat yellow guy's raised his ugly head again this morning".

Bourth (X)
Local time: 23:57
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 204
Notes to answerer
Asker: Nice idea, but it didn't get across the heavy feel of the very hot sun in those latitudes. However, this could be used in other texts - nice one.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  jean-jacques alexandre
14 mins
agree  French Foodie: or even the "big fat yellow guy"
1 hr
agree  Ewa Chojnowska
4 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"le gros lourd" (urgent)
sticking like glue


Explanation:
Two random suggestions, might help might get me a million disagrees!


...when the sun's been sticking to us like glue for a week, sending us into meltdown.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2008-05-13 14:21:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another idea

"the super scorcher"

Sandra Petch
Local time: 23:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44
Notes to answerer
Asker: super scorcher was a really good idea, but the text had been delivered by then.

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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"le gros lourd" (urgent)
the irritating yellow guy in the sky


Explanation:
Lourd is slang for someone who's irritating/annoying, as in "t'es lourd mon pote".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-05-13 15:37:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The "gros" part is just an emphasiser, for want of a better word, so:

the heavy guy in the sky

heavy as in hippie-speak, for someone who's hard work/depressing

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 23:57
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 47
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"le gros lourd" (urgent)
the scorching spoiler or the mega melter


Explanation:
some more options if you're still undecided

cfraser
Canada
Local time: 17:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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