Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
électron libre
English translation:
free spirit
Added to glossary by
Victoria Britten
Dec 2, 2013 16:43
10 yrs ago
3 viewers *
French term
France
Tracking the right turn of phrase
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: French to English, English, French
électron libre
French to English
Marketing
Marketing
Target audience
This is about a marketing campaign aimed at young city dwellers, who are described as "une cible d' ***électrons libres*** pas facile".
The Kudoz directory suggests "wandering star" and "maverick", neither of which feel right here.
The Kudoz directory suggests "wandering star" and "maverick", neither of which feel right here.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +8 | free spirits |
merlrennes
|
| 4 +1 | "unknown quantity" OR "wild card" |
Carol Gullidge
|
| 4 | audience of moving targets difficult to pin down |
Daryo
|
| 3 | free electrons |
Jean-Claude Gouin
|
Proposed translations
+8
11 mins
Selected
free spirits
people whose actions are hard to predict
Note from asker:
| Thanks! Like writeaway, I like the almost subliminal harmony with the object of the campaign. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
writeaway
: great since the product is beer.
4 mins
|
| agree |
GuillaumeT (X)
: People who do their own thing.
6 mins
|
| agree |
philgoddard
: Or freewheelers, or nonconformists.
41 mins
|
| agree |
Yolanda Broad
: I like Phil's freewheelers
43 mins
|
| neutral |
Daryo
: ASAK "free spirits" are free of stale and boring conventions, but can still be quite predictable within their specific mindset/as long as they can be pigeonholed in one or more ways they would not be seen as "électrons libres" by marketers.
1 hr
|
| agree |
James Perry
1 hr
|
| agree |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Bertrand Leduc
4 hrs
|
| agree |
John Holland
4 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks again"
2 hrs
French term (edited):
une cible d'électrons libres
audience of moving targets difficult to pin down
L'objectif confié à C. par S. (deuxième groupe de bière au monde) : personnaliser .... et décliner le claim de la marque, "la bière des indépendants". Au programme de cette communication multicanale ciblant les jeunes urbains (une cible d'électrons libres pas facile) : la création d'un concept artistique global,...
" .... targeting young urban dwellers (a demanding audience of moving targets difficult to pin down)" or
" .... ..... ....... ..... (a demanding audience presenting [you with] shifting goalposts)"
What marketing people like is a clearly defined target to aim their advertising at.
From their viewpoint "électrons libres" are wandering targets, shifty animals you can't pin down - you're never sure what it is exactly they want.
http://www.e-marketing.fr/Thematique/Tendances-1000/Breves/L...
" .... targeting young urban dwellers (a demanding audience of moving targets difficult to pin down)" or
" .... ..... ....... ..... (a demanding audience presenting [you with] shifting goalposts)"
What marketing people like is a clearly defined target to aim their advertising at.
From their viewpoint "électrons libres" are wandering targets, shifty animals you can't pin down - you're never sure what it is exactly they want.
http://www.e-marketing.fr/Thematique/Tendances-1000/Breves/L...
Note from asker:
| Thanks for the suggestion, Daryo |
2 hrs
Jean-Claude Gouin
Canada
Canada
Native in French
Canada
Subscribe to my newsletter ...
Native in: French 
Works in: French to English, English to French, French, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
3
free electrons
The French sentence uses 'électrons libres'; that's why I said 'free electrons'.
Since the French uses this odd expression, I used this odd translation ...
Since the French uses this odd expression, I used this odd translation ...
Note from asker:
| "électrons libres" is in a wider range of contexts than are covered by the "free electron" translation - including this one. Thanks! |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Daryo
: in French it's not odd at all; the question how it would be (mis)understood in English?
16 hrs
|
|
Thank you, Daryo, for taking the time to give your opinion ...
|
+1
3 hrs
Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
poetically precise prose with... panache
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
19
"unknown quantity" OR "wild card"
either of these is something you can't depend on 100%, which I feel might be what you were looking for with "maverick", etc, - i.e., someone who doesn't behave according to the norms - who - like an 'électron libre', can't be pinned down - , so you can't count on their vote
Note from asker:
| Thanks for your input, Carol |
Discussion