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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

يلتقط القفاز

English translation: take up the gauntlet

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Arabic term or phrase:يلتقط القفاز
English translation:take up the gauntlet
Entered by: Ramadan Ibrahim

19:11 May 28, 2020
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / News/media language
Arabic term or phrase: يلتقط القفاز
I am translating an Egyptian newspaper published on January 28, 1966 for my blog. The main headline reads:

ديجول يلتقط القفاز ويعلن: حل لغز بن بركة = إنهاء حرب الجزائر

(Possibly useful) context if you are not familiar: Mehdi Ben Barka was an Algerian nationalist leader possibly killed by Israeli agents in Paris in 1965 with collaboration from the Moroccan monarchy and French officers. The article says that De Gaulle announced he had submitted his police force to official investigation and would hold accountable any officers who committed crimes without his knowledge. (The headline refers to him comparing this investigation to ending the war in Algeria in 1962.)

My question is about the idiomatic phrase يلتقط القفاز . I guess it literally means "put the gloves on" and I can find it in many newspaper articles online, but I would have to read a lot to get enough context for me to glean the exact meaning. I have asked native speakers who have never heard the phrase before. Perhaps someone here could provide the answer?

Thank you in advance for your help!
Cara Piraino
United States
Local time: 13:08
take up the gauntlet
Explanation:
Today the phrase “throw down the gauntlet” means to challenge or confront someone, but in its earliest use it wasn’t meant as a metaphor, but was a physical action intended to issue a formal challenge to a duel. The word itself comes from the French word “gantelet,” and referred to the heavy, armored gloves worn by medieval knights. In an age when chivalry and personal honor were paramount, throwing a gauntlet at the feet of an enemy or opponent was considered a grave insult that could only be answered with personal combat, and the offended party was expected to “take up the gauntlet” to acknowledge and accept the challenge. Over time, as heavy steel armor became less common, gauntlets referred to any heavy glove with an extended cuff to protect the wrists, and the practice of using gloves to initiate duels continued until dueling was outlawed in Europe and the United States in the late 18th century.

Selected response from:

Ramadan Ibrahim
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 00:08
Grading comment
Thank you for this valuable explanation!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1takes over
ABDESSAMAD BINAOUI
5 +1take up the gauntlet
Ramadan Ibrahim
5Handled
Mussab Mustafa
4Be in charge of something
Yassine El Bouknify
4Defy/Accept the challenge
TargamaT team


  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Be in charge of something


Explanation:
Please check the following link. The article mentioned this phrase, and it means to be in charge of something:
http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/331340.html


Yassine El Bouknify
Morocco
Local time: 21:08
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 8
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
takes over


Explanation:
takes command

ABDESSAMAD BINAOUI
Morocco
Local time: 21:08
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ArabicArabic, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Youssef Chabat
2 mins
  -> Thank you
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Handled


Explanation:
Taking responsibility of certain issue.

Mussab Mustafa
Spain
Local time: 22:08
Native speaker of: Arabic
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48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
take up the gauntlet


Explanation:
Today the phrase “throw down the gauntlet” means to challenge or confront someone, but in its earliest use it wasn’t meant as a metaphor, but was a physical action intended to issue a formal challenge to a duel. The word itself comes from the French word “gantelet,” and referred to the heavy, armored gloves worn by medieval knights. In an age when chivalry and personal honor were paramount, throwing a gauntlet at the feet of an enemy or opponent was considered a grave insult that could only be answered with personal combat, and the offended party was expected to “take up the gauntlet” to acknowledge and accept the challenge. Over time, as heavy steel armor became less common, gauntlets referred to any heavy glove with an extended cuff to protect the wrists, and the practice of using gloves to initiate duels continued until dueling was outlawed in Europe and the United States in the late 18th century.



Example sentence(s):
  • the offended party was expected to “take up the gauntlet” to acknowledge and accept the challenge.

    https://www.history.com/news/what-does-it-mean-to-throw-down-the-gauntlet
    https://www.marefa.org/%D9%82%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B2
Ramadan Ibrahim
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 00:08
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you for this valuable explanation!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Fuad Yahya: Or "pick up the gauntlet." Whether the writer used the metaphor appropriately or not is debatable, so it is wiser to translate it thus rather than use a substitute interpretive phrase.
17 mins
  -> Thank you
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54 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Defy/Accept the challenge


Explanation:
This is the historical context...

التقط القفاز ليس بمعنى لبس القفاز وإنما هو في الثقافة الفرنسية
https://ejaaba.com/ما-المقصود-بعبارة-رميت-القفاز-بوجهه

TargamaT team
France
Local time: 22:08
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 12
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