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gast

English translation: blimey

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:gast
English translation:blimey
Entered by: Jenny Duthie

11:36 Mar 19, 2008
French to English translations [PRO]
Slang
French term or phrase: gast
hello again, sorry this is the last one! A scientist ("Christophe") studying killer whales is talking to the captain of a scientific ship about the fate of killer whales in the Crozet Islands in the Indian Ocean. Several whales that he was studying have just been caught in poachers' nets. The captain is Breton - here is the conversattion:
CHRISTOPHE
Oui. Et non. Leur famille a été décimée. Mais on dirait qu’elle a adopté des orphelins de ces massacres. Ca suffira pas : à ce rythme, elle vont toutes disparaître.

CAPITAINE
« Gast », Christophe. Paraît que la Marine va renforcer ses contrôles sur zone. Mais en pleine mer, les prises en flagrant délit sont rares, et les pirates font tout pour effacer les preuves. Alors quand on en tient un comme celui-là… plus malin que ceux-ci il faut être, bonhomme !… venez donc avant que tout disparaisse.

I thought of "gastropod" but don't see how it would fit it here???
Jenny Duthie
France
Local time: 07:14
blimey
Explanation:
Although "gast" is equivalent to "putain!", I don't think the Cap'n is in anyway cross with Christophe.
I think "Blimey" or "Crikey" might be used in an equivalent English-language situation.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:13:46 GMT)
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Oops! Just spotted your note to Sophie's answer.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:17:33 GMT)
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"(Expletive) Christophe! They reckon that the Navy's going to be stepping up their checks..." sounds like the skipper doesn't approve of the Navy's actions whereas ""Gast!" is obviously in response to (agreement with) Christophe's comment about the massacre of the whales.
Selected response from:

David Goward
France
Local time: 07:14
Grading comment
thanks David this was the most appropriate in the circumstances I actually chose "heck" but you had a good point there, in this case, it was all about context.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4fuck! / fucking hell!
sophieb
4Damn it!
Euqinimod (X)
2blimey
David Goward


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
fuck! / fucking hell!


Explanation:
putain !

http://www.kervarker.org/fr/useful_phrases_10_Kunujennou.htm...

http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/gast

http://www.bretons-de-lyon.org/a25_petit-lexique-breton-fran...

sophieb
France
Local time: 07:14
Native speaker of: French
Notes to answerer
Asker: I agree with David because the captain isn't angry in this context, he just wants to put across his point - I prefer "Damn it" as below!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  David Goward: Agree that it's a Breton exclamation, but not sure that "fuck(ing hell)" is the best English equivalent in the context.
5 mins
  -> je voulais donner une piste. aux anglophones de trouver la meilleure nuance !
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Damn it!


Explanation:
Suggestion.

Euqinimod (X)
Local time: 07:14
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
blimey


Explanation:
Although "gast" is equivalent to "putain!", I don't think the Cap'n is in anyway cross with Christophe.
I think "Blimey" or "Crikey" might be used in an equivalent English-language situation.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:13:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oops! Just spotted your note to Sophie's answer.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2008-03-19 14:17:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"(Expletive) Christophe! They reckon that the Navy's going to be stepping up their checks..." sounds like the skipper doesn't approve of the Navy's actions whereas ""Gast!" is obviously in response to (agreement with) Christophe's comment about the massacre of the whales.

David Goward
France
Local time: 07:14
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 15
Grading comment
thanks David this was the most appropriate in the circumstances I actually chose "heck" but you had a good point there, in this case, it was all about context.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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