Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
jouent les filles de l'air
English translation:
threaten to fly away
Added to glossary by
dholmes (X)
Mar 10, 2006 13:26
18 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
jouent les filles de l'air
French to English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
book on parks and gardens
"Des petits bouleaux et des cyrpès jouent les filles de l'air". text about a garden which is installed on the top of a train station. My idea is that they feel the breeze, are up in the air - but how would you express this ?
Ideas welcome...
Ideas welcome...
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +1 | threaten to fly away |
Dr Sue Levy (X)
|
| 3 +5 | like feathers in the breeze |
Kari Foster
|
| 2 +4 | float, fairy-like, |
NancyLynn
|
| 4 | danse as if they are about to leave the garden, are disaspearing, are vanishing without notice |
ntaylor (X)
|
Proposed translations
+1
1 hr
Selected
threaten to fly away
"jouer les filles de l'air" means to escape, take off.
seem about to fly away
seem about to fly away
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Although all answers were interesting this one actually gave the meaning, so thanks to all"
+5
15 mins
Kari Foster
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Technical knowledge, attention to detail
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Italian to English, German to English, and 1 more.
like feathers in the breeze
I'm not sure this is the ideal translation, but to help clarify the metaphor: "fille de l'air" is the tillandsia cyanea, also known as the "pink quill" or "air plant". So it could mean that they feel airy and light as a feather, or they feel pretty and pink... I think the rest of the context might help you there.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Claire Cox
: sounds good to me
10 mins
|
| agree |
NancyLynn
20 mins
|
| agree |
MoiraB
: or "waft in the breeze/air"
21 mins
|
| agree |
French Foodie
: sounds lovely
24 mins
|
| agree |
IC --
1 hr
|
+4
37 mins
float, fairy-like,
I like the other suggestion, but this is what came to mind when I saw the question - have fun with it!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
French Foodie
: yes, I thought of fairies, too :-)
2 mins
|
| agree |
IC --
41 mins
|
| agree |
Anna Fitzgerald
: I did a little digging and while Sue is right about the expression "jouer les filles de l'air", "filles de l'air" by itself is found in several texts, one by Gautier, and seems to refer to fantastical, flying creatures.
7 hrs
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| agree |
suezen
1 day 17 hrs
|
1 day 9 hrs
danse as if they are about to leave the garden, are disaspearing, are vanishing without notice
dictionary
jouer les filles de l'air = to leave without warning
jouer les filles de l'air = to leave without warning
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