For anyone with advanced French (preferably native) can you explain the word “dandy” to me as it used in French? Google translate just says it has the same meaning as “dandy” in English, e.g., “She’s a dandy” (she’s lovely), “It’s a dandy out there” (the weather is nice).
But this can’t be the case in the context I keep reading it in.
For instance consider this excerpt I just came across in a wikipedia article I’m reading:
“Pour Baudelaire, dandy donc anglophone, ce terme est synonyme de profond desespoir”.
Google translate renders this: "For Baudelaire, dandy so English, this term is synonymous with deep despair. Of course, “dandy so English” does not make sense.
Thanks for any help!
Not a native but here’s my best interpretation:
… une tristesse profonde qu’il nomme le « spleen ». Ce mot signifie « rate » en anglais : selon l’ancienne médecine, la mélancolie provenait d’un dysfonctionnement de la rate. Pour Baudelaire, dandy donc anglophone, ce terme est synonyme de profond désespoir.
A deep sadness he called “spleen (English word)”. This word signifies “spleen (organ)” in English: according to ancient medicine, melancholy originates from a dysfunction of the spleen (organ). For Baudelaire, a dandy (and thus / thereby / consequently) an English-speaker, this term is synonymous with profound dispair.
The missing link might be that it’s referring specifically to Dandyism in the 18th/19th centuries: Dandy - Wikipedia . I’m not sure if all French Dandies spoke English, but it seems that Baudelaire did and that Dandyism originated in Britain.
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salut ! un dandy est un homme très élégant ( dans les vêtements qu’il porte) et raffiné ( dans ses manières, ses goûts). Cela vient du mot “dandysme” qui est un courant de mode venant d’Angleterre à la fin de 18 ème siècle. Tu peux trouver des photos de dandy sur google.
J’espère que cela t’aidera. Bon courage !
Jean-marie
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Thank you both.
@johnvining Great find. That seems makes sense now.