Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

"ils ne s’encombrent jamais d’une rivale embarrassante"

English translation:

they don't take kindly to unwelcome rivals

Added to glossary by Mari O'Keefe
Feb 11, 2007 13:26
17 yrs ago
French term

"ils ne s’encombrent jamais d’une rivale embarrassante"

French to English Art/Literary Games / Video Games / Gaming / Casino
This sentence appears in the following piece of dialogue. Any ideas on how to translate it?

Eleanor: Mais au fait, je ne me suis même pas présentée. Je m’appelle Eleanor. Oh, mais dis-moi, j’adore ce que tu portes! Tu sais s’ils font les mêmes pour fille ? N’hésite pas à m’appeler si tu as besoin de quelqu’un pour t’aider à t’habiller de manière décente. Quoi qu’il en soit....bienvenue chez les dingues !

Sandy: Ne fais pas attention à eux et à tout ce qu’ils peuvent bien te raconter. Crois-moi, ces deux là ne sont pas très fréquentables.

Carol: Quel accueil, ça fait chaud au cœur. Ils sont toujours comme ça ?

Sandy: Non, ça leur arrive d’être sympa de temps à autre. Mais je préfère te prévenir tout de suite, ils ne s’encombrent jamais d’une rivale embarrassante. Alors reste prudente.

Carol:Ne t’inquiète pas, je m’en souviendrai.

Proposed translations

+1
4 hrs
Selected

they won't welcome a (potential) rival aboard



another way of putting it
Peer comment(s):

agree ACOZ (X)
9 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Really nicely put. Thank you, Anca!"
21 mins
French term (edited): ils ne s’encombrent jamais d’une rivale embarrassante

they never take on the hindrance of a potential rival in their group

A fairly clumsy first attempt, but that's the idea.
Something went wrong...
+2
38 mins

They never let a rival stand in their way


Another idea. Interestingly 's'encombrer' and 'embarrassant' have similar meanings of 'getting in the way', being burdensome.

Conversely we say 'clear the way to do something'.
Peer comment(s):

agree katsy
3 mins
Thanks katsy
agree blavatsky
12 hrs
Thanks blavatsky.
Something went wrong...
3 hrs
French term (edited): ils ne s’encombrent jamais d’une rivale embarrassante

they will never burden themselves with a rival who could get in their way.

from what I understand this is about being or not being accepted into a group that is self-interested, and wants to move on without being disturbed/held back by anything or anyone. A rival (to one of their members - or to the whole group) in their ranks would keep them from doing so.
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1 day 2 hrs
French term (edited): ils ne s’encombrent jamais d’une rivale embarrassante

They don't take kindly to unwelcome rivals.

I know it's closed but I just thought it looked a bit clunky for teenager dialogue.

I'm not totally sure of the context, but it looks something like:
"They don't take kindly to unwelcome rivals."
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