en forme d'ange

English translation: made/left behind a grass angel

10:01 Dec 3, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / expression (argotique?)
French term or phrase: en forme d'ange
Voici le contexte.

"Ils(un homme et une femme) avaient pique-nique sur une ile, entoures du vol nuptial de petits papillons bleus, et s'etaient sentis gigantesques compares a ces couples microscopiques. Ils avaient marque l'herbe d'une empreinte en forme d'ange, s'attristant aussitot de ce qu'ils appartenaient a une espece dont les gestes d'amour prenaient tant de place."

merci d'avance...
malamour
Local time: 18:32
English translation:made/left behind a grass angel
Explanation:
As Philippa says, this evokes "snow angels" :

A snow angel is a human-made depression formed in an area of snow in the shape of an angel. Making snow angels is a common childhood game. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_angel

I see no reason why "grass angel" (possibly in quotes) should not be invented (if it hasn't been already) here.

Ah, those were the days, I remember it well ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-12-03 11:08:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It's the name of a photo:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-6150694-grass-angel.p...
and it's the name of a book:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/790269.Grass_Angel
[Liza is no relation]

And on the author's page there's even another picture of a grass angel:
http://www.julieschumacher.com/Grass Angel.htm



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-12-03 12:01:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course not all grass angels are as clear-cut as those above. The following is more like those I've left behind me:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OnlcDT37hkebkeNhqdYkxw
Selected response from:

Bourth (X)
Local time: 11:32
Grading comment
Thanks a lot, very helpful....
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6made/left behind a grass angel
Bourth (X)
4 +5angel-shaped
Emmanuelle Debon
4 +1angel shape
Evans (X)
4in the shape of an angel
cynthiatesser


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
angel-shaped


Explanation:
Simply?

"they had left their angel-shaped silhouette on the grass" ...quelque chose comme ça?

Emmanuelle Debon
Local time: 11:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  liz askew
9 mins

agree  B D Finch: Not "silhouette", imprint perhaps. Not "argotique", but an echoing of wings (butterflies and angel).
36 mins

agree  mimi 254
46 mins

agree  Sarah Bessioud: agree with B D Finch - imprint
1 hr

agree  Verginia Ophof
4 hrs
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
angel shape


Explanation:
A variation on Emmanuelle's excellent suggestion:

"They left behind them an angel shape in the grass"

Evans (X)
Local time: 10:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 48

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Philippa Smith: nice!
3 mins
  -> thanks Philippa
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
in the shape of an angel


Explanation:
-

cynthiatesser
Italy
Local time: 11:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Italian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
made/left behind a grass angel


Explanation:
As Philippa says, this evokes "snow angels" :

A snow angel is a human-made depression formed in an area of snow in the shape of an angel. Making snow angels is a common childhood game. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_angel

I see no reason why "grass angel" (possibly in quotes) should not be invented (if it hasn't been already) here.

Ah, those were the days, I remember it well ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-12-03 11:08:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It's the name of a photo:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-6150694-grass-angel.p...
and it's the name of a book:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/790269.Grass_Angel
[Liza is no relation]

And on the author's page there's even another picture of a grass angel:
http://www.julieschumacher.com/Grass Angel.htm



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-12-03 12:01:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course not all grass angels are as clear-cut as those above. The following is more like those I've left behind me:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OnlcDT37hkebkeNhqdYkxw

Bourth (X)
Local time: 11:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 110
Grading comment
Thanks a lot, very helpful....
Notes to answerer
Asker: Vos photos me sont tres utiles, Merci Bourth!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Barbara Wiebking
50 mins

agree  Alison Sabedoria (X): I'm still making angels at over 50! =)
3 hrs

agree  Travelin Ann
4 hrs

agree  Vicky James
5 hrs

agree  Martyn Greenan
5 hrs

agree  Trudy Peters
8 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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