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gueule de bois en plomb
saute-vent inversé

Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

coups de tartes

English translation:

clouts / clips round the ear

    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2009-10-11 14:54:06 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
Oct 8, 2009 13:46
14 yrs ago
French term

coups de tartes

French to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
"comme tout bon mexicain, j'ai été élevé à coups de tartes dans la gueule" comment on pourrait dire tartes dans la gueule en anglais?
pour l'instant j'ai loads of slaps in the face mais c'est très pauvre comme traduction
Proposed translations (English)
3 +4 clouts / clips round the ear
3 +2 smacks (in the chops)
4 +1 with backhands in the face
5 Smacks in the face
3 +2 boxed ears
4 +1 a good hiding from time to time
3 +2 slices of knuckle pie
4 whole phrase: I was slapped around as a child
3 getting beaten black and blue / the hell beaten out of me
Change log

Oct 8, 2009 13:57: Stéphanie Soudais changed "Term asked" from "tartes (coups)" to "coups de tartes"

Discussion

Kevin Sallee (asker) Oct 8, 2009:
I like the word smacks, but if it's really just a short slap, it doesn't work here, because tartes dans la gueule implies strong slaps. I like the sound of it though

Proposed translations

+4
2 hrs
Selected

clouts / clips round the ear

As neither of these has been mentioned before, I thought I'd just point them out — both these suggestions come straight from Robert + Collins.

I think that 'clout' could work well in the context as given, and certainly sounds to my ears as if it is in the right register.

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Note added at 17 hrs (2009-10-09 07:39:30 GMT)
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As Sandra has kindly pointed out, Polyglot did indeed suggest 'clips round the ears' over an hour before my answer; apologies to P/g for my oversight!
Peer comment(s):
agree Bourth (X) : Yes, clips, clouts, hidings, boxed ears are the usual parlance in English, for children at least.
3 hrs
Thanks, Alex!
neutral Sandra Petch : Polyglot did mention "clips around the ears" already....
15 hrs
Thanks, Sandra for pointing that out! I missed it in the forest of answers.
agree Kari Foster : Agree with 'clout' because it sounds more substantial than a 'clip'.
16 hrs
Thanks, Kari! Yes, I rather feel the same way: "My dad clouted me 'cos I broke the window"
agree Catherine Gilsenan
19 hrs
Thanks, Catherine!
agree Evans (X) : yes, I think clout is a good one here
21 hrs
Thanks, Gilla!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
1 min
French term (edited): tartes (coups)

smacks (in the chops)

Not exactly poetic, but this is a possible informal translation.
Peer comment(s):
agree Sandra Petch
10 mins
Thanks Sandra
neutral Tony M : Don't you think 'chops' is perhaps rather dated these days? It's the sort of thing my granddad would've said, but I can't say I've heard it so much recently
1 hr
Oh, the years weigh heavily on me! It is quite probably now a rather dated expression....
agree Verginia Ophof
6 hrs
Thanks Verginia.
neutral Kari Foster : Unlike Tony, I hear (and probably say) 'chops' quite a lot, but it's slightly jocular, which does not seem to be the tone here
18 hrs
Hadn't thought of the jocular angle, but you've got a point. Thanks for the comment.
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+1
3 mins
French term (edited): tartes (coups)

with backhands in the face

Watch my friend backhand my other friend in the face. The 'slappers' fansmanship was challenged. He couldn't back down. This should be the true ESPN ...
fliiby.com/file/575670/7tw3hn2md7.html
Peer comment(s):
agree wiltom : raised on backhands across the face. Quite like this.
15 mins
Thank you Tammy.
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5 mins
French term (edited): tartes (coups)

getting beaten black and blue / the hell beaten out of me

Perhaps more idiomatic options, moving away from the slap itself, though.
Peer comment(s):
agree Mary O’Connor (X) : No, this is not implied at all.
2 mins
You're probably right, on reflection. There's no reason for it to be read this violently, they could just be little slaps.
disagree Sandra Petch : I think this is too strong, as you say yourself :-)
7 mins
neutral Tony M : I agree with Sandra, this sounds like more severe abuse...
1 hr
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7 mins
French term (edited): tartes (coups)

Smacks in the face

I would go with smacks in the face. Smacks in the chops is too informal (and I doubt that everyone would get what chops refers to). Smacks imply a short slap, as one would give a child.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Tony M : Like Asker, I feel that neither 'slap' nor 'smack' really conveys the force of 'tarte' (I think they're more like 'gifle')
1 hr
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25 mins

whole phrase: I was slapped around as a child

I think it might be better rephrased like this.

"the school of hard knocks" is another possibility
Peer comment(s):
neutral Sandra Petch : I'm not sure, but I think "hard knocks" is about difficulties and problems that occur in life. I could be wrong!
22 hrs
I agree it tends to be used figuratively more often than not
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+2
21 mins

boxed ears

like all good Mexicans my upbringing was marked by its fair share of boxed ears

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-10-08 14:50:24 GMT)
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regular clips around the ears
Note from asker:
i like "my upringing", i didn't think of that, so thank you for that. But boxed ears doesn't seem what I'm looking for, sorry
Peer comment(s):
agree Noni Gilbert Riley : Moving away - no problem with this because we're really just talking about how free the other family members are with doling out the wallops, not exactly where anything lands.//Clip too.
3 mins
agree Susan Nicholls : I was brought up on having my ears boxed (it just means getting slapped around the head)
18 mins
neutral Sandra Petch : I like "clips around the ear." "Boxed ears" sounds way too old-fashioned to my, er, ears!
1 hr
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+1
44 mins

a good hiding from time to time

Well, that's how I was brought up.... And I haven't done anyone an ounce of harm as a result of it, not since I got out of prison last week anyway.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-10-08 19:45:03 GMT)
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No room to complete my thoughts in my agree to Tony's suggestion, so this goes here ...

'Knuckle sandwich' has only ever been used in jest and/or threateningly in my experience, feeble as it may be in this field, though Mum used to whack my rear end with a folded-over kettle flex from time to time, just to keep her bowling arm in shape.
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M : Yes, but just look at you now, Alex...! Seriously, though, I think this probably best conveys the kind of upbringing that seems to be the context here
41 mins
neutral Kari Foster : This is one of the most natural-sounding suggestions, but it could be that the context requires a beating about the head or face, and a 'hiding' is usually at the other end, is it not?
17 hrs
The eternal translation/culture/context issue ... I'm not convinced that tartes dans la gueule necessarily means figuro-literally what it says.
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+2
14 mins

slices of knuckle pie

Knuckle pie being a slap in the face. One of my French pals actually says "tarte aux phalanges"!

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Note added at 32 mins (2009-10-08 14:19:30 GMT)
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http://www.bookrags.com/tandf/slice-of-knuckle-pie-tf/
A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
slice of knuckle pie
. A punch in the mouth: low: C.20. (Heart, 1962.) Cf. synon. knuckle sandwich, and contrast:



http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/79960/

The new Dem President will pull us out. My question...how can the average American citizen vote for and allow a cretin like Bush to be elected. This asshole has needed a knuckle pie-in-the-face since day one.



[email protected]/msg96960.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg96960.h...
Elitism is alive and well in the halls of California justice and throughout the nation. There is justice for the rich and connected, and there is justice for the very rich and the well connected. The rest of us can expect a big slice of knuckle pie from the same evil bastards that brought us Waco, Ruby Ridge, and the Warren Report.

http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/3/thethird.html
Doyle thanked him and joined his partner, who had entered the foyer, ostensibly to admire the model reproduction of the original palace. Without a shadow of expression, Bodie said under his breath, "Do that again, Doyle, and you'll be eating a slice of knuckle pie."


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Note added at 3 days17 hrs (2009-10-12 07:44:44 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks Kevin for choosing this answer. Shame not to have graded yourself...
Note from asker:
I like the sound of it! And it's a good image! Is it a real expression? can you back it up a little bit more?
Peer comment(s):
agree Susan Nicholls : brought up on knuckle sandwiches, perhaps?
30 mins
Not much of a menu is it ;-)
neutral Tony M : I think Susan's suggestion would be the best way to work this in
1 hr
"Brought up on slices of knuckle pie/knuckle sandwich" either way. One of the references gives "knuckle sandwich" as an alternative (edited for typos).
agree Lianne Wilson : I like this, sounds very idiomatic. Agree with Susan on knuckle sandwiches. Both are good but I think sandwiches sounds more usual.
1 hr
neutral Kari Foster : Any of the 'knuckle' expressions seem a little bit too light-hearted in this case
17 hrs
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