Le con d'un autre

English translation: You are always more stupid than someone else.

11:47 Oct 17, 2016

French to English translations [PRO]
Linguistics

French term or phrase: Le con d'un autre

I have just read an article in the City.am about Didier Rappaport a French entrepreneur. In his CV, there is a question: "Most likely to say: “On est toujours le
con d’un autre” – “there is always
someone smarter than you”"
I think there is a better translation for "etre le con d'un autre".

"There is always someone smarter than you" seems to loose the negativity in this sentence.
What do other Proz think?

Felicite Robertson KudoZ activity Questions: 175 (5 open) (10 without valid answers) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 714 United Kingdom
Local time: 10:36

English translation:You are always more stupid than someone else.

Explanation:
Here is a suggestion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days2 hrs (2016-10-19 14:01:20 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thank you.

Selected response from:

Alexandre Tissot
Local time: 11:36

Grading comment

Thank you. This fits. Thank you to all Proz.
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +9

[You're always] somebody's fool

B D Finch

You are always more stupid than someone else.

Alexandre Tissot

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

14 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +9

Le con d\'un autre [You're always] somebody's fool

Explanation:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1596917881
James Geary - 2008 - ‎Language Arts & Disciplines
... his aphorisms and observations. Essential Aphorisms To prepare yourself so well to die one day that you forget to live. You are always somebody's fool ...

soundclouds.stream/.../spaghetti-hillbillies-when-the-healing-starts-brian6 Nov 2013 - I'm always somebody's fool - The neon ladies are sparking. The suicide's out on a ledge. Two hundred feet to the parking. It's the thin edge of ...

calvarypandan.sg/rpg/junior/2015/09/04/4 Sep 2015 - Brother Whie Kwang said we're always somebody's fool – either the world's or Christ's. As for me, I'd rather be a fool for Christ.”

B D Finch
France
Local time: 11:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

writeaway: the most obvious equivalent. first thing that came to mind when I saw it

2 mins

-> Thanks writeaway. Great minds think alike. ;)

agree

Nina Iordache

3 mins

-> Thanks Nina

agree

Tony M: Yup, me too! Like the other common expression "She's nobody's fool!"

1 hr

-> Thanks Tony - ;)?

agree

Alexandre Tissot

1 hr

-> Thanks Alexandre

agree

Nikki Scott-Despaigne: Ah yes, that's it. Thanks!

1 hr

-> Thanks Nikki

agree

Michele Fauble

3 hrs

-> Thanks Michele

agree

Jean-Claude Gouin

4 hrs

-> Thanks

agree

katsy

5 hrs

-> Thanks katsy

neutral

polyglot45: I hate to spoil the party but this is slightly off register for me - think of song titles just as "I'm a fool for you." Surely this means there's always someone who'll think you're a dumbo - you're always someone's whipping boy

5 hrs

-> I fail to why "dumbo" is stronger than "fool" and "con" isn't very strong in this part of France and it doesn't mean "whipping boy". The context is a CV!

neutral

Juan Jacob: Moi aussi, je trouve "fool" bien trop faible pour "con".

6 hrs

-> Ce n'est pas forcement le cas, surtout pas dans le sud-ouest de la France.

agree

Daryo

1 day 20 hrs

-> Thanks Daryo

4 mins confidence:

Le con d\'un autre

You are always more stupid than someone else.

Alexandre Tissot
Local time: 11:36
Works in field
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 2

Grading comment

Thank you. This fits. Thank you to all Proz.

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

Le con d'un autre

English translation: You are always more stupid than someone else.

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

Your current localization setting

Select a language

Le con d'un autre

English translation: You are always more stupid than someone else.

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

You have native languages that can be verified

Your current localization setting

Select a language