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English Vocabulary


hug ≠étreinte

LiLi
User since 2009
Posts: 72

28 March 2009

I was wondering what to write on a poster, in french, to contain all the idea of a "Free Hug". In my opinion "Étreintes gratuites" does not work well because "étreinte" does not render all the meaning of "hug" and vice versa. It would be more accurate to write "Prenez-moi dans vos bras, ça ne coûte rien!" which is not very punchy. I always come up against a vocabulary problem when I try to express myself in English because words are highly debatable.

1 comments

  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    28 March 2009

    So, Hortence, you are about to run a free hug session in Montreal. That's a smart move!
    Rather than "Prenez-moi dans vos bras..." I'd write "Venez dans mes bras, çà ne coûte rien!" because, to my mind, to "have a hug" is either to "receive a hug" given by another person, or to exchange hugs. It's not that punchy, I agree.
    As French speakers, we shoud try and imagine another way to express thoughts in English, and vice-versa, shunning any word to word translation. Therefore we should think in the given language and never translate. Don't you think so?
    Have a hug!

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