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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

un bateau "mignon"

English translation: endearing/delightful

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:mignon
English translation:endearing/delightful
Entered by: Miranda Joubioux (X)

08:46 Apr 20, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / use of an adjective to describe a boat
French term or phrase: un bateau "mignon"
Target=UK
Article concerning a small simple family boat for 4 people

Un bateau séduisant, "mignon", fignolé, abouti dans les détails, aujourd'hui on dirait designé.

There are a range of words for 'mignon': sweet, cute, dinky
but none of them seem to suit a boat.
Any ideas?
Will I have to use the dreaded 'nice'?
Miranda Joubioux (X)
Local time: 21:52
endearing / appealing
Explanation:
These are two options that might not be out of place in the descriptions you mention.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 21:52
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone for your ideas. I toyed with delightful, but since I'd already used that in the same paragraph, I went with 'endearing' in the end. At a pinch, I could have used 'nice' I think, but I DO hate that word. Colin's idea of 'compact' helped me out later! All in all, a great brainstorming session!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3a delightful little boat
Teresa Quinn
4 +1sweet boat
Graham macLachlan
4A nice boat
MartinPorto
3 +1endearing / appealing
Tony M
3 +1compact
Colin Rowe
3elegant
freekfluweel
2a pretty boat
Françoise Vogel


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
a pretty boat


Explanation:
Pretty Fishing boat !I look for this plan,or similar - Boat Design ...
www.boatdesign.net › ... › Design › Boat Design
I found a wooden fishing boat http://blog.tadroberts.ca/2010/09/aluminum-bulwarks/ A pretty boat,I look for the construction plan,who design it?

Françoise Vogel
Local time: 21:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Alison Sparks (X): don't really think so for a boat
2 hrs
  -> nor "mignon" ;-)
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43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
A nice boat


Explanation:
could mean all sorts ot things of course

MartinPorto
Portugal
Local time: 20:52
Native speaker of: English
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
mignon
endearing / appealing


Explanation:
These are two options that might not be out of place in the descriptions you mention.

Tony M
France
Local time: 21:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 348
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone for your ideas. I toyed with delightful, but since I'd already used that in the same paragraph, I went with 'endearing' in the end. At a pinch, I could have used 'nice' I think, but I DO hate that word. Colin's idea of 'compact' helped me out later! All in all, a great brainstorming session!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alison Sparks (X): that or Teresa's delightful.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Alison! Teresa's delightful what?!
neutral  Colin Rowe: Perhaps she means "Teresa is delightful"! :)
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Colin! I'm sure she is!
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
a delightful little boat


Explanation:
...

Teresa Quinn
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:52
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alison Sparks (X): that or Tony's endearing offering
1 hr
agree  Tony M: Though I can't help feeling this might be needed for 'séduisant'?
1 hr
agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: "delightful little boat" does it for me for "séduisant, mignon", mignon can also imply small
6 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
elegant


Explanation:
stylish...
petite...

freekfluweel
Netherlands
Local time: 21:52
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: I think 'elegant' is rather at the opposite end of the scale to 'mignon', which sort of means 'a dear little...'
12 mins
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1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
compact


Explanation:
might work well here

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Note added at 16 mins (2012-04-20 09:02:22 GMT)
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or possibly "cosy (GB)/cozy (US)"

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Note added at 4 hrs (2012-04-20 13:37:01 GMT)
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How about adding "lovely" and "charming" to the list of possible candidates?

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 21:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wendy Streitparth
33 mins
neutral  Alison Sparks (X): not sure
3 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
sweet boat


Explanation:
A little classic to build this spring | intheboatshed.net
intheboatshed.net/2008/.../a-little-classic-anyone-can-build-this-sprin...
8 Feb 2008 – Not only was it a sweet boat, but I could see it making a nice early project for someone just learning to work CAD software. Click on the image ...

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Note added at 6 hrs (2012-04-20 15:23:31 GMT)
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A rare Uffa Fox Flying 10 at Beale Park | intheboatshed.net
intheboatshed.net/2007/06/.../a-rare-uffa-fox-flying-10-at-beale-park...
29 Jun 2007 – ... I fear the cost of making a keelboat like this would have been too high to create a large market, and so this sweet little boat remains a rarity.

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Note added at 7 hrs (2012-04-20 16:00:42 GMT)
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tacky plastic ? ;-))

Graham macLachlan
Local time: 21:52
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: This isn't exactly rufty-tufty ;-) It jars with me I'm afraid, even if there are examples of it. It just doesn't go with the company's overall image! You can probably guess which company I'm talking about.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M
5 mins
  -> Hi Tony!
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