Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit
English translation:
short of wit
Added to glossary by
zkt
Sep 19, 2007 18:01
16 yrs ago
French term
un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit
French to English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Hello, I am wondering how to say this in English, this is the whole sentence:
"Et, se sentant peut-être un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit, Eléonore se calfeutrait dans un silence qui se transformait peu à peu en maussaderie"
Thank you
"Et, se sentant peut-être un peu inférieure quant à l'esprit, Eléonore se calfeutrait dans un silence qui se transformait peu à peu en maussaderie"
Thank you
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+9
50 mins
Selected
another take?
feeling a bit short of wit and repartee
or even
not feeling intellectually quite up to the mark
the French is odd but I maintain this interpretation is also possible
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:51:45 GMT)
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Of course it is old French - I was a bit thrown by the other answers. On doute de soi....
Feeling somewhat less witty than her companions/Feeling her wit to be somewhat inferior
Is it modern or old English you want?
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:52:28 GMT)
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Knowing she was with sharper wits than hers
or even
not feeling intellectually quite up to the mark
the French is odd but I maintain this interpretation is also possible
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:51:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Of course it is old French - I was a bit thrown by the other answers. On doute de soi....
Feeling somewhat less witty than her companions/Feeling her wit to be somewhat inferior
Is it modern or old English you want?
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-19 19:52:28 GMT)
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Knowing she was with sharper wits than hers
Note from asker:
| This is the correct interpretation, It is an old French text. I am looking for an elegant way of saying this |
| I have thought of "inferior in mind", I don't know if it is too strong, but the lady in question has an illness that gets her mind confused. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you very much I will go for short of wit"
+2
5 mins
Taylor Kirk
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Translating into native U.S. English
Native in: English 
Works in: Portuguese to English, Spanish to English
a little down in the dumps
...
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Note added at 5 mins (2007-09-19 18:07:08 GMT)
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a bit morose
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Note added at 5 mins (2007-09-19 18:07:08 GMT)
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a bit morose
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
emiledgar
54 mins
|
|
Thanks Emil!
|
|
| agree |
Katarina Peters
54 mins
|
|
Thanks Katarina!
|
18 mins
Christopher Crockett
Native in English
Specializes in field
M.A., Ph.D. Historian/Art Historian
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
46
a little dispirited
Or, "a little bit low in spirit."
More formal than "down in the dumps," which is close to being slang.
More formal than "down in the dumps," which is close to being slang.
43 mins
Mohamed Mehenoun
Canada
Canada
Native in French
Canada
guaranteed reliability and accuracy
Native in: French , Arabic
Works in: English to French, Arabic to French, Spanish to French, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
feeling a little bit moody...
given the context that's what I understood...
4 hrs
She felt intellectually inferior...
Hello,
She felt like she wasn't as smart/intelligent/bright as the others.
esprit = intelligence
I hope this helps.
She felt like she wasn't as smart/intelligent/bright as the others.
esprit = intelligence
I hope this helps.
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