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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

mettre carrément le nez sur la photo

English translation: looked at the photo up close

18:38 Sep 18, 2010
French to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Beauty/hair salon
French term or phrase: mettre carrément le nez sur la photo
"La dernière coiffeuse mettait carrément le nez sur la photo pour tenter d'imaginer ce que cela [cette coupe de cheveux] pouvait être."

This is in the context of a letter of complaint to customer service in a hair salon.
Timothy Rake
United States
Local time: 03:11
English translation:looked at the photo up close
Explanation:
in French "mettre le nez dans quelque chose" (mettre le nez dans son assiette, dans un livre, for instance) does not actually mean sticking your nose in it, it just means to pay convey close attention to. I would would move away from the nose thing in English., where the appendage is used for other things "looking down one's nose at someone" Sticking one's nose in other people's business".... Just my own take on this. Do what you will with it.
Selected response from:

jmleger
Local time: 05:11
Grading comment
Thanks. I think "looked at/studied the photo very closely" will work.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1looked at the photo up close
jmleger
4 +1she carefully studied the photo in great detail / she firmly put her nose up to the photo
Chris Hall
4she literally put her nose on the photo
Verginia Ophof
4really studied the photo
kashew
3she actually put(stuck) her nose on the photo...
Wendy Streitparth
3had to think long and hard to [try to] figure out what's on that photo
Kiwiland Bear
3squint at the photo
polyglot45


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
she literally put her nose on the photo


Explanation:
suggestion

Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 04:11
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 53
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
she actually put(stuck) her nose on the photo...


Explanation:
a possibility

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 12:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
looked at the photo up close


Explanation:
in French "mettre le nez dans quelque chose" (mettre le nez dans son assiette, dans un livre, for instance) does not actually mean sticking your nose in it, it just means to pay convey close attention to. I would would move away from the nose thing in English., where the appendage is used for other things "looking down one's nose at someone" Sticking one's nose in other people's business".... Just my own take on this. Do what you will with it.

jmleger
Local time: 05:11
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 115
Grading comment
Thanks. I think "looked at/studied the photo very closely" will work.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  kashew: I agree with your comment: took a careful look etc. But for a Brit your "up close" sounds like she's short-sighted.
1 hr
agree  Jennifer White: Yes, or "very closely". Agree with comment.
14 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
really studied the photo


Explanation:
*

kashew
France
Local time: 12:11
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 74
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
had to think long and hard to [try to] figure out what's on that photo


Explanation:
Or "imagine" if "figure out" is a bit too much for the text. The idea been that another hairdresser couldn't even figure out what the heck is that on the photo.

Kiwiland Bear
New Zealand
Local time: 22:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 16
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
she carefully studied the photo in great detail / she firmly put her nose up to the photo


Explanation:
Two suggestions.

Chris Hall
Local time: 11:11
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 47

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Andrew Levine: just "she studied the photo carefully" is enough I think
6 hrs
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
squint at the photo


Explanation:
the last stylist brought the photo right up to her face

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 227
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