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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

perle

English translation:

\"the world is my oyster\"

Added to glossary by Wyley Powell
May 29, 2014 15:47
9 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term

perle

French to English Bus/Financial Insurance
This is a motivational speech to insurance salespeople. One slide has the quotation: "Je suis la perle du monde" together with "Prenez les commandes de votre cerveau." Perhaps something along the lines of "I'm the best in the world". There are also references to intuition, reflexes, creativity, habits, instincts, etc.

TIA
Proposed translations (English)
4 "the world is my oyster"
4 +1 I am an absolute gem
3 +1 the world is my lobster
4 The Pearl of the World
3 the world is mine

Discussion

mchd May 29, 2014:
@ Whyley Cela me plus clair. Dans ce discours, prendre les commandes de son cerveau, c'est changer son inconscient : c'est modifier son intuition, ses réflexes, habitudes, etc ...
philgoddard May 29, 2014:
If it's your brain/unconscious talking to you, it might make more sense to say "You're the best" (or whatever) than "I'm the best". French often uses the first person in such contexts where we would use the second.
Wyley Powell (asker) May 29, 2014:
Malheureusement, c'est tout ce qu'il y a comme contexte. Cette phrase se trouve dans une "bulle" à côté d'une liste intitulée "Inconscient" comprenant les termes : intuition, réflexes, habitudes, etc.
Sheri P May 29, 2014:
My reading of it is something like "I am special," but that sounds too self-esteem-movement-ish. Maybe "I have what it takes"?
mchd May 29, 2014:
D'accord avec Nikki, il faudrait plus de contexte : ces phrases ne sont pas anodines,
et plutôt "exceptionnelles" dans un discours de motivation. Pourriez-vous transmettre le texte qui précède ?
Nikki Scott-Despaigne May 29, 2014:
Your own solution may be fine. When head-hunting for example, it is common for companies to say they are looking for the "perle rare". Maybe edge towards something with an idea of rarity? Difficult to be more helpful without more context.

Proposed translations

15 hrs
French term (edited): "Je suis la perle du monde"
Selected

"the world is my oyster"

to get back to the original
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks!"
+1
1 hr

the world is my lobster

Humourous touch
Peer comment(s):
agree Daryo : salespeople and humour? unusual bedfellows they would be ...
14 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 hr

the world is mine

Being French, I have never heard this "perle du monde", but "perle rare" yes...What a strange motivation speech!!! all about assertiveness!!
Peer comment(s):
neutral Daryo : "la perle du monde" is probably some "creative translation" for "the world is my oyster" in the first place
13 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
16 hrs

I am an absolute gem

Literally,'I am the best pearl in the world'.
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher
1 day 3 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 days 4 hrs
French term (edited): la perle du monde

The Pearl of the World

This is a literary reference - to Steinbeck's novel The Pearl
Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pearl_(novel)

Something went wrong...
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