Jan 5, 2012 19:38
12 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
papillonnage
Non-PRO
French to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Fickleness, instability, evasion of responsibility, selfishness, excessive indulgence in life’s pleasures, ***papillonnage***, excitabilité, nervosité, manque de suite dans les idées
aimless fluttering? butterfly like behaviour? sleeping around? dispersion? scattering of one's energy? Obviously none of these are quite right, and I'm not sure if there is a sexual connotation or not, but I'm sure there's somebody who does, I don't want to be forced to "wing it".... :^¨
Sorry for the half translated text I know it can be confusing at first...
aimless fluttering? butterfly like behaviour? sleeping around? dispersion? scattering of one's energy? Obviously none of these are quite right, and I'm not sure if there is a sexual connotation or not, but I'm sure there's somebody who does, I don't want to be forced to "wing it".... :^¨
Sorry for the half translated text I know it can be confusing at first...
Proposed translations
(English)
| 2 +1 | unfocussed / lack of focus |
Jonathan MacKerron
|
| 4 | unstable relationships |
Drmanu49
|
| 3 | to flit from one subject to another/from one woman to another |
M-L.Tétreault
|
Proposed translations
+1
15 hrs
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in English
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
32
Selected
unfocussed / lack of focus
my guess
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Note added at 15 hrs (2012-01-06 11:11:47 GMT)
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"inability to commit" might fit your context better
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Note added at 15 hrs (2012-01-06 11:11:47 GMT)
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"inability to commit" might fit your context better
Note from asker:
| Cheers, but I'm going to go with licentious |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Helen Genevier
: I like that. I'd shy away from translations that only apply to the sexual interpretation of papillonnage
2 days 16 mins
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
3 mins
unstable relationships
or sleeping around. It definitely identifies a person who cannot stick to a single relationship for long.
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Note added at 7 minutes (2012-01-05 19:45:25 GMT)
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It doesn't always have a sexual connotation though and can also identify a person who remains shallow in his approach of activities or relationships.
Somebody who goes from one activity to the next too easily without achieving much.
papillonnage
, s
nom masculin singulier batifolage, va-et-vient, passade, amusement, amourette, tocade, aventure, béguin, affinité, bluette, badinage
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Note added at 8 minutes (2012-01-05 19:47:02 GMT)
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hectic romantic life yes if hectic goes with number and shallowness.
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Note added at 10 minutes (2012-01-05 19:48:14 GMT)
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papillonnage /pa.pi.jɔ.naʒ/ masculin
Action de papillonner, résultat de cette action.
Evitez le papillonnage exponentiel, une des principales difficultés concrètes dans cette période, c'est la gestion du temps et de l’effort.
(Par extension) Libertinage, marivaudage.
Sans doute, il existe des gens qui considèrent comme du « pluralisme », les coucheries, le papillonnage, les relations physiques sans lendemain.
Les couples se font rapidement et se défont à la même vitesse, le papillonnage est de mise.
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Note added at 17 minutes (2012-01-05 19:55:16 GMT)
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dissolute seems a little strong, maybe licentious, or overindulging in sensual pleasures. And not really being able to settle down.
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Note added at 7 minutes (2012-01-05 19:45:25 GMT)
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It doesn't always have a sexual connotation though and can also identify a person who remains shallow in his approach of activities or relationships.
Somebody who goes from one activity to the next too easily without achieving much.
papillonnage
, s
nom masculin singulier batifolage, va-et-vient, passade, amusement, amourette, tocade, aventure, béguin, affinité, bluette, badinage
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Note added at 8 minutes (2012-01-05 19:47:02 GMT)
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hectic romantic life yes if hectic goes with number and shallowness.
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Note added at 10 minutes (2012-01-05 19:48:14 GMT)
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papillonnage /pa.pi.jɔ.naʒ/ masculin
Action de papillonner, résultat de cette action.
Evitez le papillonnage exponentiel, une des principales difficultés concrètes dans cette période, c'est la gestion du temps et de l’effort.
(Par extension) Libertinage, marivaudage.
Sans doute, il existe des gens qui considèrent comme du « pluralisme », les coucheries, le papillonnage, les relations physiques sans lendemain.
Les couples se font rapidement et se défont à la même vitesse, le papillonnage est de mise.
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Note added at 17 minutes (2012-01-05 19:55:16 GMT)
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dissolute seems a little strong, maybe licentious, or overindulging in sensual pleasures. And not really being able to settle down.
Note from asker:
| Definitely? I already said "instability" so I wonder if you had another idea of how I could say this... what do you think of "hectic romantic life"? |
| dissoluteness then, but I don't like this word much... Thank you Manu! |
| I'll go for licentious then - perfect :o) |
37 mins
M-L.Tétreault
Native in French
&
English
Specializes in field
23 years of freelance translations
Native in: French 
, English
Works in: English to French, French to English
to flit from one subject to another/from one woman to another
like a butterfly, to flit or flutter from one flower/one object to another
Note from asker:
| Thank you but I already knew that ;o) |
Discussion
Chris - damn right those flutterbies know what they're doing!
Thank you all and good night :o)
........ thinking that it alluded to "manque de suite dans les idées"