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vie de bistrot

English translation: a "café society" lifestyle

13:45 May 7, 2010
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
French term or phrase: vie de bistrot
I'm translating something about Simone de Beauvoir and I came across this phrase that I don't understand, although I'm a French native speaker :
"une vie de bistrot"

context:
L'existentialisme est un grand modèle, ca veut dire qu'on ne loge pas ensemble, qu'on a pas de problème de ménage ensemble. Et ça ils s'en sont dispensé dès le départ. C'est une vie de bistrot"

Thanks for at least explaining what vie de bistrot is.
Faustine.Rou (X)
Local time: 09:04
English translation:a "café society" lifestyle
Explanation:
I think, without further context, that they are just referring to her lifestyle:

with her long-time companion, Paul Sartres, personified "café society" and its requisite nicotine haze, at nearly the same time France also instituted its smoking ban in cafés, bars, and restaurants.
http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2008/01/simone-de-beau...
Selected response from:

Julie Barber
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:04
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +5a "café society" lifestyle
Julie Barber
3Living like a tavern keeper
said Lemonnier
3cafe lifestyle / bistro lifestyle
bozhana


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Living like a tavern keeper


Explanation:
Le terme bistro(t) se réfère peut-être ici non au lieu proprement dit mais à la personne qui tient ce genre d'établissement. Elle rencontre beaucoup de gens mais de façon superficielle.

said Lemonnier
Local time: 10:04
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Chris Hall: "Tavern keeper" sounds very strange to my ear.
9 mins
  -> Yes, i agree. I was just trying it as an exampe but again it depends on wether or not it could be used at the time.
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59 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +5
a "café society" lifestyle


Explanation:
I think, without further context, that they are just referring to her lifestyle:

with her long-time companion, Paul Sartres, personified "café society" and its requisite nicotine haze, at nearly the same time France also instituted its smoking ban in cafés, bars, and restaurants.
http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2008/01/simone-de-beau...


Julie Barber
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 17

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chris Hall: Good suggestion Julie - without more to go on, I agree with it.
5 mins
  -> Hi and thanks Chris. I lifted the term from that kind person's blog ;-)
agree  Verginia Ophof
21 mins
  -> Thanks Verginia
agree  marie leconte: definitely a lifestyle thing! This is the closest (café society) we can get to it in ENglish
53 mins
  -> Thanks Marie!
agree  Marian Vieyra
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Marian
agree  Jean-Louis S.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks jlsjr
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
cafe lifestyle / bistro lifestyle


Explanation:
just a thought

bozhana
Canada
Local time: 04:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Bulgarian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Chris Hall: More or less the same as what Julie had suggested two hours previously.
13 mins
neutral  Tony M: I think one actually has to be careful here, since 'bistro' in EN has a quite different connotation from 'bistrot' as used here in FR
12 hrs
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