This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English
  3. Poetry & Literature

bien piquée de déprime galopante

English translation: in the grips of a galloping depression

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:bien piquée de déprime galopante
English translation:in the grips of a galloping depression
Entered by: Barbara Cochran, MFA

11:45 Feb 10, 2011
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Novel
French term or phrase: bien piquée de déprime galopante
Talking about the experience of being a runner:

Contexte:

Taklit pressait le pas. De déprime galopante, avait-on dit un jour! Qu'elle était **bien piquée de déprime galopante** et qu'elle ne le savait pas! Comme si elle n'avait jamais déploré cette course! Comme si elle ne s'était demandé pourquoi toute minute assise lui paraissait si vaine!"

Merci,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 16:09
severely affected by galloping depression
Explanation:
Am I missing something here? Surely 'déprime' is 'depression'?

It seems to me as if she was keeping the speed up more out of dogged determination to get this race that she disliked over and done with as quickly as possible than perhaps from any joyous desire to actually win...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-02-10 13:22:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think Carol may have hit the nail on the head: perhaps she is running this race (which she doesn't usually like) for the very reason that she is suffering (albeit unawares) for endorphin-withdrawal-related depression, which may have driven her to race despite herself.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2011-02-10 20:50:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've been worrying about the idea of transalting the idea of 'bien piquée' by 'severely affected', and I just thought of 'in the grips of', which might at one and the same time be a bit less formal, and also, just a tad less strong.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 22:09
Grading comment
"In the grips of a galloping depression." Thanks.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4she had a strong case of rampant depression
Sandra C.
3totally addicted to running
Carol Gullidge
3quite nuts with explosive depression
Suzanne Chackal
1 +2severely affected by galloping depression
Tony M
3 -1She was a severe case of runner's high
Marie-Pascale Wersinger


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
totally addicted to running


Explanation:
I have a friend like this! he can't bear to sit still when there is any possibility of a workout, run, or execrise of any sort. If he stops, the endorphins to which he has become addicted also stop running.
.
Of course, this may be totally off course, but it makes sense to me in the context

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2011-02-10 11:59:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------



Should add that he becomes extremely grumpy/depressed when "deprived" of exercise!

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 80

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jocelyne S: Can you explain your answer Carol as, like Tony, I can't see anything but depression in "déprime" here?//Agreed, but I don't see how you've read that here. This is not a disagree - I just can't see how you derived your answer from the context provided.
1 hr
  -> When you don't get your fix of endorphins (ie, by not exercising as much as usual) you get very depressed/grumpy! It's a well-known phenomenon with people who train extensively// an inspired guess, taken from the personal experience described above
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
quite nuts with explosive depression


Explanation:
I agree, piquée is nuts or barmy. Galopante, could be expressed as explosive.
Perhaps a runner is so used to (addicted) to the high of endorphins released whilst running, that the low feeling when not running becomes the other extreme form of (depression) feeling low, lethargic, moody etc.

Suzanne Chackal
Spain
Local time: 22:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
She was a severe case of runner's high


Explanation:
Why not interpret the meaning,? Runner's high is the state of needing the endorphins

Marie-Pascale Wersinger
Local time: 22:09
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  SJLD: no it's not - a runner's high is when the endorphins are flowing, not when they are lacking
33 mins
  -> You're right, it's the opposite!! My mistake! But I like the expression "she was a severe case of"
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +2
severely affected by galloping depression


Explanation:
Am I missing something here? Surely 'déprime' is 'depression'?

It seems to me as if she was keeping the speed up more out of dogged determination to get this race that she disliked over and done with as quickly as possible than perhaps from any joyous desire to actually win...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-02-10 13:22:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think Carol may have hit the nail on the head: perhaps she is running this race (which she doesn't usually like) for the very reason that she is suffering (albeit unawares) for endorphin-withdrawal-related depression, which may have driven her to race despite herself.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2011-02-10 20:50:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've been worrying about the idea of transalting the idea of 'bien piquée' by 'severely affected', and I just thought of 'in the grips of', which might at one and the same time be a bit less formal, and also, just a tad less strong.

Tony M
France
Local time: 22:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 128
Grading comment
"In the grips of a galloping depression." Thanks.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Along the lines somewhat of the way "man of property" was used in a previous passage.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Carol Gullidge: you cd be right - I had thought about galloping depression - if this is supposed to be ironic - but then this loses all the stuff about depression caused by not receiving one's regular endorphin fix. At least that's how I see it
27 mins
  -> Yes, but maybe she's running the race because of being depressed, as a result of being short on her usual endorphin fix?
agree  Philippa Smith: I think it's a good idea to keep "galloping depression" for the joke; how about "totally under the influence of..." in reference to runners who drug themselves (se piquer = to shoot up)
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Philippa!
disagree  Richard Henshell: I think it's too heavy. For me 'bien piquée' is quite a casual term
3 hrs
  -> For me too, but I thought 'galloping' rather lightened it up! ;-) Like those scampering snails...
agree  claude-andrew
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, Claude-Andrew!
agree  B D Finch
10 hrs
  -> Thanks, Barbara!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
she had a strong case of rampant depression


Explanation:
une autre possibilité :)

Sandra C.
France
Local time: 22:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Agree with 'case of rampant depression', but not sure we can really apply 'strong' to a 'case' of something: a bad / severe / mild case of measles, etc. We might 'make a strong case for something', but of course the construction is quite different there.
3 mins
  -> yes, severe case is better, thank you Tony :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search