8 years ago
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Americans Foil Gunman on French Train, Officials Say
The assailant wounded at least three people before two American passengers subdued him. France’s interior minister described them as particularly courageous.
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http://www.nytimes.com
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I love that French has a perfect word to sum up the quality these guys exhibited (while English doesn't), and he used it.
you mean cold-blooded?
More like what we used to call ’nerve,’ I think. Or courage.
Sang-froid means cold-blooded, which means calm in moments of distress.
So did ‘nerve’ once.
Yeah, technically we have that, but in French, sang-froid has connotations of composure, poise, grace under pressure, and such. James Bond stuff. When I hear "cold blooded," I think of sociopaths and murderers (perhaps also Bond qualities, but that's another analysis).
Perhaps is a media issue. In spanish media they use 'sangre fria' (cold-blooded) for murderers, but it also has the connotations you are implying.
I see. It never occurred to me that it might also imply heartlessness in French.
I just really like non-English words that express ideas that English doesn't have a word for, which sang-froid (the good meaning) is a great example of, and I was excited to see that the minister used it so perfectly.
I think the better translation is "cool headed," or simply "poised"
This isn't helping the French people's reputation at all, no sir.
The suspicious, irrational person in me: CIA!!!