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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

Ma femme!

English translation: My wife!

14:07 Mar 2, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase: Ma femme!
Two stoned men are having a 'serious discussion' – at least, a discussion they were taking seriously. They're interrupted by someone's arrival, but when they get back to it, one says 'Revenons a notre petit differend' to which the other responds, grumpily, 'Ma femme!'

I'm taking it that this is something like 'Ha! My foot!', i.e., let's not get back into that argument?? There are no wives involved here.
Nora Mahony
Ireland
Local time: 17:18
English translation:My wife!
Explanation:
I know it sounds obvious, but from the context I intuit that it's the "petit différend" rather than the "argument" which is being likened to "ma femme".
e.g. Man A: Let's get back to our little difficulty.
Man B: Huh! My wife.
Selected response from:

Jennifer Forbes
Local time: 17:18
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2My wife!
Jennifer Forbes
2 +2Just like my wife!
Laurette Tassin
4My Wife!
Tylie


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Just like my wife!


Explanation:
Without further context...

Laurette Tassin
France
Local time: 18:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 18

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yolanda Broad
2 hrs
  -> thank you Yolanda
agree  emiledgar
8 hrs
  -> Merci emile
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
My wife!


Explanation:
I know it sounds obvious, but from the context I intuit that it's the "petit différend" rather than the "argument" which is being likened to "ma femme".
e.g. Man A: Let's get back to our little difficulty.
Man B: Huh! My wife.

Jennifer Forbes
Local time: 17:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: *slaps hand to forehead*... yes indeed, that sounds likely!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yolanda Broad: This works. I like your phrasing.
13 hrs
agree  Philippa Smith
1 day 6 hrs
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7 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
My Wife!


Explanation:
I think that's the joke.
When they say, "Back to our little disagreement (difference/argument/ bone of contention).
The other replies "My Wife!"
It's because that's the little problem between them - the guy's wife.
Kind of a 1950's type joke...


Tylie
United Kingdom
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
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