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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

complicité

English translation:

synergy/harmony, solidarity, identity, empathy

Added to glossary by suezen
May 9, 2005 19:01
19 yrs ago
10 viewers *
French term

complicité

French to English Marketing Marketing / Market Research beauty products
This is one of those words I always cringe at when I come across it, and I usually end up translating it differently each time, depending on the context, and always with a lot of hair-pulling :-)

I am interested in hearing some of your solutions for complicité.
This particular context is for beauty products, but other examples are welcome too.

"C'est la nouvelle mise en scene de l'offre produits, visible et originale et traduisant toujours les valeurs de XYZ:
Complicité, Fantaisie, Qualité et Joie de Vivre."

Personally, I don't think complicity works - I want the idea of association or participation, but feel that the notion of a wrongful act is too strong.
Perhaps this is just me though...

Thanks in advance for your brainstorming.
Mara
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 synergy/harmony
5 +1 Concern = Sharing our customers concerns
3 +1 connecting / connection / communion / contact
3 togetherness
3 intrigue
3 collaboration
1 +2 Empathy
2 Sharing / Togetherness
1 belonging
1 more context?

Discussion

Non-ProZ.com May 9, 2005:
More context: Complicite is actually one of the four "values" of the whole brand (along with Fantaisie, Qualite and Joie de Vivre), so it applies to all of their products, from lipsticks and eyeliners to mascara and foundation. Hope this helps a bit more :-)
Non-ProZ.com May 9, 2005:
Wow! What rapid, overwhelming response! All of these suggestions are helpful and I will tuck them away for later use (complicite seems to be the fashion and beauty buzzword these days). I really like Suezen's solidarity - the idea of a community of interests is good here. I was actually thinking along the lines "fellowship" but it sounded too masculine for make-up. I often translate "complice" as insider - you buy this brand of make-up, you get to join those precious few, that select group. But how to get that across with "complicite"?
Thanks again for all your answers!!

Proposed translations

+3
10 mins
French term (edited): complicit�
Selected

synergy/harmony

solidarity,

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 24 mins (2005-05-09 20:25:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

how abour unity, identity or coherence? ...
Peer comment(s):
agree Erin McGann : synergy is good :)
7 mins
thanks Erin :-)
agree Kim Metzger
18 mins
thanks Kim!
agree French2English : I was going to suggest 'harmony' myself!
1 hr
thanks :-)
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This was a really tough one to grade. Many of the suggestions could work well for "complicite" in various situations. Would you believe in the end, after much discussion with the client, that they went for congeniality?!? Thanks to everyone for your suggestions."
2 mins
French term (edited): complicit�

belonging

Just some suggestions: a feeling of belonging, togetherness... err... not an easy one:)
Something went wrong...
4 mins
French term (edited): complicit�

togetherness

perhaps: joyful complicity (with the adjective absolutely essential so as to avoid a negative connotation)
Something went wrong...
4 mins
French term (edited): complicit�

intrigue

might work (sounds mysterious)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2005-05-09 19:07:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

without being too \"wrongful\"
Something went wrong...
6 mins
French term (edited): complicit�

Sharing / Togetherness

???
Something went wrong...
6 mins
French term (edited): complicit�

collaboration

or partnership
Something went wrong...
+1
55 mins
French term (edited): complicit�

connecting / connection / communion / contact

connecting / connection / communion / contact
Peer comment(s):
agree Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X) : Connection is the best so far of all the answers..the company connects with its customers
1 hr
Something went wrong...
1 hr

more context?

A tough one, to be sure - but I thought it might be easier to make suggestions for the 'mot juste' if we knew what kind of beauty product it is. Is it a face cream, a soap, a perfume, for example ...

Knowing the nature of beauty product descriptions, chances are it will sound as silly in English as it does in French...!
Something went wrong...
+1
32 mins
French term (edited): complicit�

Concern = Sharing our customers concerns



The complicité is one of the values of XYZ. It sharing the same concern.

I am the client. XYZ shares my concern. [about wanting to be/stay attractive]

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Note added at 2 hrs 39 mins (2005-05-09 21:41:16 GMT)
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Shared concern
Peer comment(s):
agree Vicky Papaprodromou
2 hrs
Thanx Vicky!
Something went wrong...
+2
7 hrs

Empathy

Another shot.
Peer comment(s):
agree Philip Taylor : This is the kind of vague and poetic word which might work quite well.
6 hrs
Thanks - I was looking for a touchy-feely expression
agree French2English : I like this - the word kept eluding me, personally!
11 hrs
Thanks - "complicité" is a tricky concept
neutral Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X) : Funny but I don't think so at all...empathy exists in French..I don't think a company doing cosmetics has empathy with customers...maybe a socially oriented NGO but...
11 hrs
I took these to be 'values' customers shared by buying the product
Something went wrong...
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