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  3. Cinema, Film, TV, Drama

La chanteuse vénéreuse

English translation: The seductive singer

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:La chanteuse vénéreuse
English translation:The seductive singer
Entered by: Rachel Fell

19:53 Dec 24, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
French term or phrase: La chanteuse vénéreuse
This is a caption to describe Isabella Rosselini in Blue Velvet. Checked 3 dictionaries cannot find a definition for vénéreuse. Any thoughts?
Sarah Robertson
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:50
The seductive singer
Explanation:
or sexy - just a suggestion
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/reeling/2009/11/isabella-ross...

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Note added at 1 day16 hrs (2009-12-26 12:07:45 GMT)
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Cette photo est de toute évidence issue d'une série de bouts d'essais réalisés pour un 'Carmen' qui n'a jamais vu le jour, et voilà donc cette couverture, cette pochette, cette armure qu'à la première ligne elle brise pour montrer sa sensibilité et sa mélancolie. CC [Claudia Cardinale] joue la femme fatale, vénéneuse, vénéreuse même pourrait on dire si le mot existait. La réalité est toute autre: une gamine sicilienne de Tunis parfaitememnt francophone, violée à 15 ans,

http://www.amazon.fr/review/R2T8F6HGFLB4BO

Well, I don't know whether the word exists officially, but anyway, that's what seems to be meant.

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Note added at 2 days25 mins (2009-12-26 20:18:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

here Nico is described as a "chanteuse vénéneuse"
Connaître lyon : The Velvet Underground – Un mythe new ...
Moins populaire que les Stones ou les Beatles, la bande des cinq et leur chanteuse vénéneuse, Nico, ont pourtant une résonance beaucoup plus grande dans la ...
www.petit-bulletin.fr/index2.php?.
but not sure whether author of Asker's title was a typo or meant chanteuse vénéreuse

In view of the way the film is (I saw it a long time ago), I'm not sure that I would call her poisonous or venomous
Selected response from:

Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:50
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3The seductive singer
Rachel Fell
4 +1the celebrated vocal artist
joehlindsay
4 +1The poisonous/lethal/venemous singer
Evans (X)
4admired or venerable or Agreeable
njawad25
3sensual
joehlindsay
3the idolized singer
Verginia Ophof
3The fatally attractive singer
Emma Paulay
1erotic singer
Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
Summary of reference entries provided
Venus
cynthiatesser

Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
erotic singer


Explanation:
from Venus.

"1er voyage = érotique, vénéreux, charnel 2ème voyage = amour idolâtre, déifique 3ème voyage = amour primitif (réchauffé par le feu de bois). ...
analyses-litteraires.com/analyses/viewtopic.php?f=170&t=4526 -
http://tinyurl.com/y8e4aar

"mieux vaut le crime, les amants qui se suicident, l’inceste du frère et de la sœur, miroirs, amoureux de leur ressemblance mieux vaut le pain empoisonné, l’adultère dans des lits de cendre, les amours féroces, le délice, son lierre vénéreux"...
Ethiopiques numéros 37-38 revue trimestrielle de culture négro-africaine
nouvelle série 2eme et 3ème trimestres 1984


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Note added at 1 hr (2009-12-24 21:25:44 GMT)
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"Issue de la scène country canadienne, j'ai la nette impression que Kiera Lee va devenir, en l'espace de quelques mois, une vénéreuse et séduisante chanteuse "
http://tinyurl.com/y86hzj5

Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
Israel
Local time: 17:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RomanianRomanian
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
admired or venerable or Agreeable


Explanation:
it means also respected, esteemed, august,honored

njawad25
Local time: 10:50
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
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1 day 8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
the celebrated vocal artist


Explanation:
Mostly just style. The word is of course and adjectival form rooted in the verb vénérer. I think we would tend to say "celebrated" in english in this context.

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Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2009-12-26 04:41:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A few instances of "celebrated vocal artist" I got when I googled:

-"Activist and Celebrated Vocal Artist Rachel Bagby, JD ( Stanford) is an internationally recognized vocal artist and ..."

-"The climax of bel canto was reached when the celebrated vocal artist, Pistocchi, founded his training school for vocalists. ..."

-"Squirrel is voiced by June Foray, the celebrated vocal artist who originated the role..."

joehlindsay
Local time: 09:50
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jim Tucker (X): Except that I.R. is not a celebrated vocal artist in real life, and just a nightclub singer in B.V.; better technique would be to google the French collocation and deduce from there.
4 hrs
agree  cynthiatesser: Maybe, but the derivation from "Venus" convinces me more. Why would a singer be "poisonous"?
9 hrs
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1 day 19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
sensual


Explanation:
With more context, I might switch to 'sensual', ie alludes to Venus, Goddess of love, beauty and fertiility.

joehlindsay
Local time: 09:50
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 day 19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
The poisonous/lethal/venemous singer


Explanation:
I know this film quite well. Isabella Rossellini plays a rather tormented femme fatale, a singer involved with the underworld. I think the meaning is metaphorical. Her effect is poisonous and malign; and her back story is one of being seriously mistreated herself.

Evans (X)
Local time: 15:50
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  joehlindsay: But why would the author say vénéreuse instead of vénéneuse if he/she meant poisonous? She was poisonous and very sensual in this movie.
24 mins
  -> I think it is something people say, a neologism perhaps. An example is this use, although doubting the word's credentials, in a similar context: "Claudia Cardinale joue la femme fatale, vénéneuse, vénéreuse même pourrait on dire si le mot existait".
agree  Emma Paulay: Yes - supposing this is either a typo for "vénéneuse" or a neologism - a cross between "vénéneuse" and "généreuse".
1 day 4 hrs
  -> Thanks Emma. I don't think it's a typo but a conflation of two ideas.
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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
The seductive singer


Explanation:
or sexy - just a suggestion
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/reeling/2009/11/isabella-ross...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day16 hrs (2009-12-26 12:07:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Cette photo est de toute évidence issue d'une série de bouts d'essais réalisés pour un 'Carmen' qui n'a jamais vu le jour, et voilà donc cette couverture, cette pochette, cette armure qu'à la première ligne elle brise pour montrer sa sensibilité et sa mélancolie. CC [Claudia Cardinale] joue la femme fatale, vénéneuse, vénéreuse même pourrait on dire si le mot existait. La réalité est toute autre: une gamine sicilienne de Tunis parfaitememnt francophone, violée à 15 ans,

http://www.amazon.fr/review/R2T8F6HGFLB4BO

Well, I don't know whether the word exists officially, but anyway, that's what seems to be meant.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days25 mins (2009-12-26 20:18:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

here Nico is described as a "chanteuse vénéneuse"
Connaître lyon : The Velvet Underground – Un mythe new ...
Moins populaire que les Stones ou les Beatles, la bande des cinq et leur chanteuse vénéneuse, Nico, ont pourtant une résonance beaucoup plus grande dans la ...
www.petit-bulletin.fr/index2.php?.
but not sure whether author of Asker's title was a typo or meant chanteuse vénéreuse

In view of the way the film is (I saw it a long time ago), I'm not sure that I would call her poisonous or venomous

Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jim Tucker (X): or sultry; cf. "ces sept jeunes musiciens tissent depuis trois ans la toile vénéreuse d'une matière sonore en constant frémissement" (passages such as this suggest the source is not "Vénus" but "venin"; cf. "champignons vénéreux" -- and "femme fatale")
13 hrs
  -> Thank you Jim!\I think it's a typo for vénéneuse in places, but I think vénéreuse may also be used as a neologism in places - anyone French around?
agree  cynthiatesser: I think it comes from the Latin "Venus, Veneris", the goddess of love and seduction. In ancient English "venery" means "lust".
15 hrs
  -> So do I - thank you Cynthia!
agree  Jennifer Forbes: I think this is the best suggestion.
17 hrs
  -> Thank you Jenny:-)
neutral  joehlindsay: I think this is plausible, but this word is not common in French. It may be a neologistic attempt to evoke Venus, the goddess of love, beauty & fertility and avoid 'venereal' (Vénérien).
19 hrs
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2 days 22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the idolized singer


Explanation:
suggestion

Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 08:50
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
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3 days 33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
The fatally attractive singer


Explanation:
Or "dangerously seductive". This is presuming a neologism - mixing "vénéneuse" and "généreuse".

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 16:50
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
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Reference comments


1 day 15 hrs
Reference: Venus

Reference information:
I think it comes from the Latin word "Venus, Veneris", the goddess of love and seduction. In ancient English "venery" means "lust". The same root as for "vénérien" (venereal).

cynthiatesser
Italy
Works in field
Native speaker of: Italian

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
neutral  Jim Tucker (X): could be a popular etymology, but have a look at the link above in discussion; perhaps not "Venus" but "venenum"; cf. "champignons vénéreux" -- and "femme fatale" ; the end result may be similar: erotically dangerous. Intervocalic n/r can be explained.
2 hrs
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