bof!

12:48 Nov 14, 2009 

was the most accurate for this context. Thank you to everyone who contributed with ideas, I am ever so grateful for the help!

13:51 Nov 13, 2009 

The context as I mentioned before, is language learning and the use of communication strategies. How users use different verbal and non verbal elements to communicate in a foreign language. And the importance of body language and this type of expressions (paralinguistics) when we use sounds to express certain things/emotions. I had a list of different sounds for, ex: request silence like/dislike, disgruntlement, etc, and underneath this last one the examples in French is bof!
Many thanks to everyone for their contributions, I very much appreciate it!

08:20 Nov 13, 2009 

Like many French interjections, how bof is translated depends on what it is in reply to. There is no single solution. Each time, the context has to be taken into account.

23:22 Nov 12, 2009 

There's no exact equivalent of "bof" in English, so we have to find something that comes close. However, it's difficult to find the right answer without knowing exactly why you're asking this question and what the text is.

20:24 Nov 12, 2009 

please, text is to be used in England

20:20 Nov 12, 2009 

Or American or "universal"?

19:51 Nov 12, 2009 

Iam just explaining what i have in the text I was given, whether it is right or not I could not say, I just can't think of an English equivalent to express discontent, a sound that is!

19:48 Nov 12, 2009 

For me "bof" means neither good nor bad, neither yes or no, something neutral/average,which could be better, which could be worse. "Tu as aimé le film ? Bof !"; "Ça va ? Bof"; "Tu as réussi ton examen ? Bof !"

19:36 Nov 12, 2009 

is used to express skepticism. It's like when you say "really?" rhetorically. Someone says "George W. Bush was a great president" You say "Really?" (without upward inflection) to signify that you harbor serious doubts about that. (This example brought to you by the Democratic National Committee)

19:32 Nov 12, 2009 

language learning and paralinguistics, sounds to express different things, ie shh, urgh, etc.
Pfft is in English not in French! (various definitions in google)

19:28 Nov 12, 2009 

I've never pfft at anybody and don't think it's that. Pfui seems closer but we need to have context as PG says.

19:25 Nov 12, 2009 

You forgot to give any context!