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faire la bonne
dû faire le coup (French to English ) plz ;-)
Jan 17, 2007 18:57
17 yrs ago
French term

des petits pains au sarrasin

Non-PRO French to English Other Cooking / Culinary trend of book sales
Is it some cooking term, or is it just 'selling like hot cakes to people of arabic origin', sort of thing?
Des intrigues de cette farine, les romans du terroir en offrent à la pelle. Mais que voulez-vous, ça plaît ! Evocation nostalgique d’un monde rural englouti, résurrection des métiers oubliés et exaltation des valeurs éternelles en ce début de XXIe siècle, ces récits tout simples qui sentent bon la glèbe et la France d'antan se vendent comme des petits pains au sarrasin.
Proposed translations (English)
4 wholewheat hot cakes
4 +3 buckwheat bread rolls
3 +4 home-grown hotcakes (!)
2 buckwheat cakes

Discussion

David West (asker) Jan 22, 2007:
Hi Juan, I just noticed your comment. Sorry I have been busy. I am just making sure I am not mistaken with anything. No harm in that surely?
frenchloki (X) Jan 18, 2007:
Whatever answer you choose, please don't translate it as selling to Saracens!
ormiston Jan 17, 2007:
hello! in yesterday's question we peers felt that the text is somewhat tonge in cheek. Here we have a well-known idiom to which the writer adds a (gently mocking) 'pre-industrial, back to basics' slant.
Juan Jacob Jan 17, 2007:
Hi. With all due respect, in the past 2 days you've asked, in little pieces, the translation of the whole sentence. No ProZ abuse, as far as I know, but seems strange to me.

Proposed translations

11 hrs
Selected

wholewheat hot cakes

Just another idea!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks Emma, and everybody. I used home-made wholewheat hot cakes."
2 mins

buckwheat cakes

if Collins is to be believed

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Note added at 3 mins (2007-01-17 19:01:27 GMT)
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more like "buckwheat rolls"
Peer comment(s):
neutral David Goward : That is the literal translation, but "sell like buckwheat rolls" loses something in translation. I think we need to keep the "hotcakes" idiom and elaborate on it, as ormiston suggests.
1 hr
Something went wrong...
+3
5 mins

buckwheat bread rolls

Sarrasin is buckwheat flour, and petits pains are bread rolls.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2007-01-17 19:04:26 GMT)
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but the actual translation in the context would be your own suggestion- selling like hot cakes.

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Note added at 11 mins (2007-01-17 19:09:10 GMT)
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http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/02/galettes_de...
Peer comment(s):
agree Sarah Gall (X)
6 mins
Thanks Sarah.
neutral David Goward : We need to keep the "hot cakes" idiom, even if it means losing the buckwheat.//So you did!
1 hr
Thanks David - I already said that above :-))
agree wolmix : selling like buckwheat hot cakes, you get the same wordplay
7 hrs
Thanks.
agree Raymonde Gagnier : I agree with Wolmix! Buckweat hot cakes.
11 hrs
Thanks.
Something went wrong...
+4
39 mins

home-grown hotcakes (!)

though it's hard to render the idea !

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-01-17 20:51:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've just re-re-read the whole paragraph and they are actually talking about flour so we are back to real non metaphorical buckwheat, despite the back-to-nature mockery. So despite this heartening peer approval I think I ought to remove my suggestion and stick with the literal buckwheat hot cake !!
Peer comment(s):
agree David Goward : "sell like hot cakes out of a farmhouse oven" maybe?
37 mins
agree Emma Paulay : country-baked hot cakes?
53 mins
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : I would go with : it sells like hot cakes (the reference to "sarrasin= buckwheat" is not necessary and takes away from the impact in this context imho
56 mins
agree Alain Pommet : hotcakes yes! How about 'snapped up like hot cakes in all their wholesome goodness? - or is that OTT?
1 hr
Something went wrong...
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