petit mais costaud

14:40 Nov 22, 2010
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Advertising / Public Relations
French term or phrase: petit mais costaud
Hello! This is referring to a pocket-sized guide for a large trade fair. It is small and well-made (it won't fall apart for the week you use it) but I wonder if "costaud" doesn't have a double meaning here. Like powerful / useful. Any ideas for a catchy title? Thanks for your input.
Patrick and Carol Collins
Local time: 18:26


Summary of answers provided
3 +11small but mighty/small but sturdy
Marian Vieyra
4small and resistant
mimi 254
4mini but mighty
Tony M
4Small but compact!
MatthewLaSon
3small but strapping
Gad Kohenov
3a lot in a little
claude-andrew
2small but potent
CKSTraductions
2small but hard wearing
YorickJenkins


Discussion entries: 21





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +11
small but mighty/small but sturdy


Explanation:
my suggestions.

Marian Vieyra
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Pocket-sized but packed with information. This is the version we have ended up with. I would like to thank everyone again for their input! Have a great day!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Simo Blom
0 min
  -> Thanks, Simo

agree  Martin Cassell: sturdy is good
1 min
  -> Thanks, Martin

agree  Philippa Smith: I much prefer the "sturdy" option: then you've got alliteration too!
2 mins
  -> Yes, indeed. Thank you Philippa

agree  Leslie Marcus: I think I would say "small AND sturdy" not "but", maybe even small 'n sturdy; I also thought of "tough and tiny" / "little and long-lasting" ...or maybe something with "practical"
3 mins
  -> I like small AND sturdy - trips off the tongue, thank you

agree  Sarah Bessioud: with sturdy
4 mins
  -> Thanks Jeux de Mots

agree  liz askew: the second one
4 mins
  -> Thanks, liz

agree  David Salas: small and sturdy, yes
10 mins
  -> Thanks, David

agree  Carol Gullidge: neat!
15 mins
  -> Thanks, Carol

agree  Evans (X): yes, I prefer sturdy too. Mighty sounds a bit odd here.
17 mins
  -> Yes, sturdy is better. Thank you.

agree  Colin Rowe: With Gilla. "Mighty" sounds "mighty" odd here.
48 mins
  -> Thanks, Colin

agree  Verginia Ophof
9 hrs
  -> Thanks, Verginia
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
small and resistant


Explanation:
another option

agree with small and sturdy

mimi 254
Local time: 18:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Pocket-sized but packed with information, This is the version we have ended up with. Small and resistant is good, but not in this particular context. I would like to thank everyone again for their input! Have a great day!

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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
mini but mighty


Explanation:
I have to agree that 'mighty' works well here, suggesting as it does 'power' (rather than mere solidity of the phycial book)

I do like the idea of the allliteration, which is why I wanted to suggest this as yet another possible option — full credit of course to Marian who suggested 'mighty' in the first place!

In this particular formulation, I think 'but' works fine: "small but beautifully marked"" springs to mind ;-)

Tony M
France
Local time: 18:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 71
Notes to answerer
Asker: Pocket-sized but packed with information, This is the version we have ended up with. I do like your mini but mighty. Could work well in another context. I would like to thank everyone again for their input! Have a great day!

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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
small but strapping


Explanation:
Suggestion.

Gad Kohenov
Israel
Local time: 19:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in HebrewHebrew
Notes to answerer
Asker: Pocket-sized but packed with information, This is the version we have ended up with. Small and strapping might well fit into another context. I would like to thank everyone again for their input! Have a great day!

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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a lot in a little


Explanation:
a lot of information in a small space

claude-andrew
France
Local time: 18:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Pocket-sized but packed with information, This is the version we have ended up with. A lot in a little is much to the point but didn't work into the sentence. I would like to thank everyone again for their input! Have a great day!

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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Small but compact!


Explanation:
Hello,

Isn't "compact" the word you're after here? I'm not sure why you'd want to use anything but, but....

costaud = compact

I hope this helps.

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 13:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, but it doesn't work here, and small and compact are a bit to similar in meaning. Have a great day.

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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
small but potent


Explanation:
petit mais costaud makes me think of this. quote from the "Witches of Eastwick" talking about mini statuettes.

Probably does not quite fit the context of a guide book though.

CKSTraductions
France
Local time: 18:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Pocket-sized but packed with information, This is the version we have ended up with. Small but potent is good too, but not in this particular context. I would like to thank everyone again for their input! Have a great day!

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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
small but hard wearing


Explanation:
just another thought

YorickJenkins
Local time: 18:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Pocket-sized but packed with information, This is the version we have ended up with. Small but heard wearing is good, but not in this particular context. I would like to thank everyone again for their input! Have a great day!

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