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Feb 18, 2010 08:06
14 yrs ago
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English term

bear

English to French Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
"I can deal with dying but the pain is a bear".

Does it mean: La douleur est insupportable?
Proposed translations (French)
3 +5 c'est plus que je ne puis supporter
3 +3 le problème (c'est la douleur)
4 je ne supporte pas de souffrir
4 Je peux supporter la mort, mais pas la douleur
3 la douleur est monstrueuse

Discussion

emiledgar Feb 26, 2010:
Yeah, except that "it's a real bear" does imply that it's really hard to bear - the bear is hard to bear.
ormiston Feb 26, 2010:
dommage, mais tant pis le mot "bear" ici n`a rien a voir avec "supporter"
Lorna Bertaud Feb 18, 2010:
Isn't "insupportable" a bit too strong here? There is a slight difference in meaning between "hard to bear" and "unbearable".
As to whether what is hard to bear is the degree of pain or the very fact of suffering, maybe more context would help. Instinctively, I would tend to go with the 2nd interpretation.
emiledgar Feb 18, 2010:
No, not bugbear in this case. (bugbear=bête noire) When something "is a bear" it is hard to bear - "Bear n. 5. DIFFICULT THING something difficult to experience or endure (slang)"
ormiston Feb 18, 2010:
my spontaneous reading I actually think it is a shortcut expression for 'bugbear'. It does not indicate the level of pain - the person says I'm OK about the idea of dying but the problem is the pain. Let's see if any native speakers agree with my interpretation.
BUGBEAR Meaning and Definition - Dictionary - eLook.org
[noun] an object of dread or apprehension;
www.elook.org/dictionary/bugbear.html - Cached
Sylvie LE BRAS Feb 18, 2010:
oui pour la douleur est insupportable
Hélène ALEXIS Feb 18, 2010:
vous avez raison la douleur est insupportable, c'est ce que je dirais ici

Proposed translations

+5
18 mins
Selected

c'est plus que je ne puis supporter

registre un peu élevé, je ne sais pas si ça convient dans votre contexte.

Mourir, cela n'est rien, mais souffrir, c'est plus que je ne puis supporter.


("Mourir cela n'est rien. Mourir, la belle affaire...mais vieillir... " ça c'est Brel qui le chantait)
Peer comment(s):
agree GILLES MEUNIER : Je préfère : La douleur est insupportable
3 mins
Plus j'y pense, plus il me semble que ce n'est pas la même chose. "la douleur est insupportable" ne met pas l'accent sur la dimension psychologique comme le fait "+ que je ne puis supporter", mais plutôt sur le degré de douleur. (comme l'évoque ormiston)
agree Aude Sylvain
21 mins
Merci.
agree Annie Dauvergne : d'accord avec Gilles.
1 hr
voir rem ci-dessus
agree Mustela : oui pour insupportable
1 hr
voir rem ci-dessus
agree Anne-Sophie Cardinal : je trouve que c'est le sens :)
1 day 3 hrs
Merci bien.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "merci"
15 mins

la douleur est monstrueuse

Oui clairement le sens est "insoutenable", mais je ne crois pas que cela vienen du verbe "to bear", mais plutôt de "bear", l'animal, en relation avec sa taille. Je suggère donc "monstrueuse", qui garde un peu l'idée.


"Her mouth shakes around really crazy-like as she's trying to drink. Margo Martindale is a badass. She says she can deal with dying (she's doing it right now!) but the pain is a bear. She says the worst part is losing her... "Dignity" says Dex. She doesn't finish her thought."
http://tv.yahoo.com/dexter/show/si-se-puede/episode/187411/r...

"Oh I am sure and I know the pain is a bear. Southern, stop worrying how all this is effecting him. Who cares?! You are a good person and worthy of respect and consideration. I have no clue why he periodically keeps contacting you, but hey, that's his issue to deal with."
http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/relationships/any-ideas-why-ex-...

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Note added at 17 mins (2010-02-18 08:23:42 GMT)
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"Inversion de la courbe du rachi-cervicales - Mal de dos, sciatique .
Je vous comprends, la douleur est monstrueuse. Elle se traduit par une raideur au niveau de la nuque, des maux de tête, douleurs dans le ..."
http://forum.doctissimo.fr/.../inversion-courbe-cervicales-s...

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Note added at 55 mins (2010-02-18 09:02:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Bear: Slang Something that is difficult or unpleasant: The final exam was a bear."
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bear?o=100074
Peer comment(s):
agree Amélie Ragot
26 mins
merci
disagree GILLES MEUNIER : "Bear: Slang Something that is difficult or unpleasant: The final exam was a bear." = donc examen monstrueux ?
35 mins
bear, not cub. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_young_bear_called
Something went wrong...
+3
1 hr

le problème (c'est la douleur)

I am almost sure there is no reference to the LEVEL of pain (see definition under Fraixpoint's own answer)

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-02-18 09:58:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

oui, style 'le vrai problème, c'est la douleur' ?
Peer comment(s):
agree Françoise Vogel : c'est aussi mon point de vue (même si l'expression devrait être un peu plus forte, me semble-t-il)
6 mins
great, thanks!
agree Marielle Rebel : je le comprends comme cela aussi
2 hrs
agree Geneviève Tardif (X)
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 hr

je ne supporte pas de souffrir

après réflexion je pense finalement que c'est plutôt ça l'idée ici :
"je veux bien mourir mais je ne supporte pas de souffrir"

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Note added at 3 hrs (2010-02-18 11:39:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

ou bien, "souffrir c'est insupportable"
Something went wrong...
22 hrs

Je peux supporter la mort, mais pas la douleur

-
Something went wrong...
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