a sorry lot

French translation: alors c\'est à désespérer de nous

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:a sorry lot
French translation:alors c\'est à désespérer de nous
Entered by: DLyons

14:04 Dec 21, 2012
English to French translations [PRO]
Slang / Colloquial French
English term or phrase: a sorry lot
As in e.g.
"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed."
"They were such a sorry lot. The very bottom of the social ladder."
"They are a sorry lot. One will die soon, another is finally pregnant, a third may stop drinking and an elderly pair may marry, or not."

Would something like "Les gens sont bien désolés aujourd'hui" work?

Thanks in Advance.
DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 11:07
alors c'est à désespérer de nous
Explanation:
une nouvelle fois, je n'adhère pas à une traduction littérale.

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Note added at 3 mins (2012-12-21 14:08:28 GMT)
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pour la 1ere phrase!

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Note added at 7 mins (2012-12-21 14:12:30 GMT)
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pour le reste, on peut utiliser aussi "une bande de branquignoles" ou une "fine équipe" (ironique)
Selected response from:

jmleger
Local time: 06:07
Grading comment
The "fine équipe" fitted my context nicely also.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5alors c'est à désespérer de nous
jmleger
4 +2des gens pathétiques
Tristan Jimenez
3nous sommes des gens bien tristes
Marie LE MEN (X)
4 -1un ramassis de caractères attristants
Daryo


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
alors c'est à désespérer de nous


Explanation:
une nouvelle fois, je n'adhère pas à une traduction littérale.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 mins (2012-12-21 14:08:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

pour la 1ere phrase!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2012-12-21 14:12:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

pour le reste, on peut utiliser aussi "une bande de branquignoles" ou une "fine équipe" (ironique)

jmleger
Local time: 06:07
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
The "fine équipe" fitted my context nicely also.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Catherine De Crignis: Oui, j'aime bien
42 mins
  -> Merci, Catherine.

agree  Yvonne Gallagher: yep,like them all and agree that the different ones are required//You have good taste:-)
1 hr
  -> Thx! (from a lover of Joyce and Flann O'Brien)

agree  Anne R
3 hrs
  -> Thx, Anne.

agree  B D Finch
4 hrs
  -> Thx!

agree  Marion Feildel (X)
1 day 5 hrs
  -> Thx, Marion.
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48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
des gens pathétiques


Explanation:
pour les deux dernières phrases.



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Note added at 56 mins (2012-12-21 15:01:36 GMT)
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Correction : "des gens pitoyables/lamentables" (thanks to CatherineDC)

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-12-21 15:12:23 GMT)
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Au lieu de "Les gens sont bien désolés aujourd'hui" > "Les gens sont pitoyables/lamentables de nos jours"

Tristan Jimenez
France
Local time: 12:07
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Tristan - also pefectly usable.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Catherine De Crignis: Voici un magnifique anglicisme, ce mot a un sens différent en français ( - ;
2 mins
  -> Oops! I meant to say "pitoyables/lamentables"... ;)

agree  kashew
4 hrs
  -> Thanks Kashew!

agree  Jean-Claude Gouin: pathétiques, pitoyables, lamentables ...
8 hrs
  -> Merci, 1045 !
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
nous sommes des gens bien tristes


Explanation:
autre proposition

Marie LE MEN (X)
Local time: 12:07
Native speaker of: French
Notes to answerer
Asker: Merci Marie.

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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
un ramassis de caractères attristants


Explanation:
a sorry lot = a lot one should feel sorry about = attristants

aussi:

un tas de cas/caractères attristants

"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed."
".... alors nous sommes vraiment un ramassis de caractères attristants"

"They were such a sorry lot. The very bottom of the social ladder."
"Ils étaient un tel ramassis de caractères attristants. ..."

"They are a sorry lot. One will die soon, another is finally pregnant, a third may stop drinking and an elderly pair may marry, or not."
"Ils sont un ramassis de caractères attristants. ...".




Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:07
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Merci Daryo.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  GILOU: character = personnage en français.....
1 day 5 hrs
  -> plus juste une trentaine d'autres acceptions ; j'ai bien vérifié que "caractère" peut être employé dans ce sens.
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