LIST OF EXCLAMATIONS
Exclamations are much more usual in the give-and-take of French conversation than they are in English. Although, therefore, they may be sometimes omitted in translation, it is imperative that their force should in each case be clearly understood, and that the translation should convey, if not by a similar expletive, at any rate by some lively turn of phrase, an equivalent impression of the vivacity of the dialogue. It is here that scholarship and ingenuity can find their opportunity.
Ah! generally the English Oh! of surprise or indignation. Butsometimes (often in the mouth of Henriette) our Ah! of satisfaction or delight.
Ah bah! expresses the greatest open-mouthed amazement: You don't say!
Ah çà! generally before an interrogation, expresses some impatience or rising temper, as when the speaker is getting tired of, or a littlevexed at, anything. It frequently introduces a question that is meant to be somewhat of a poser (see Act II, Sc. I). It can often be translated by See here! or Now see here! or But see here! spoken with some sharpness and with a frown.
Aïe! always an exclamation of pain: Ouch!
A la bonne heure! That's right! (with emphasis on «that») or Good! always implying that something not so good has come before, and that this is right at last. Compare the second use of Allons donc!
Allons! literally, Come along! or figuratively, Come! or All right! or Very well, then!
Allons bien! always ironical, and expressive of disgust: There now!
Allons donc! more usually (1) Nonsense! like our «Get along with you!» but also (2) expresses encouragement (Act III, Sc. VIII, last line). When what you want is at last occurring, Allons donc! has the force of «Come along, then!» with great emphasis on «come,» and consequently may be translated At last! with strong emphasis on «at.» In the latter sense it has the same meaning as A la bonne heure! but conveys rather a sense of the successful effort that is being made, than of the result that has been achieved.
Comment donc! exactly our Why certainly!
Dame_! (from the Latin dominum = lord) expresses reluctant assent.
Its force is «Why, of course!» or «Why, yes!» or «I am sorry, but…»
Cf. parbleu!
Dieu! = My! but…
Diable! The deuce! Bother! Thunder!
Dis donc! Dites donc! Say!
Donc (with an imperative) = Do.
Eh! Why!
Eh bien! always Well!
Enfin! At last! or Well! or Anyhow!
En route! Off we go! or Let's be off!
Hein? What? or Eh? a weak interrogation.
Ma foi! Indeed! or Really! Cf. the English, «Upon my word,» or the
Irish, «Faith! and…»
Mon Dieu! generally very weak, expressing resignation or indifference: Dear me! or O dear! but sometimes much stronger, Good gracious! (see Act III, Sc. III).
Parbleu! emphatic, half-indignant assent: Of course! Cf. Dame!
Par exemple! generally expresses surprised indignation; literally, «For an instance (of something extraordinary, this is such an instance).» Translate by such an equivalent as Well, I declare! But sometimes (e.g. Act III, Sc. I) it is less strong, and introduces an exception to what has come before: e.g. «Napoleon was a great general, but par exemple, he blundered in Russia.» This use is equivalent to «But on the other hand,» literally, «For an instance (of a case to which this does not apply),» and may often be rendered, But then, or Oh! but…
Que voulez-vous? a very frequent expression of half-apology, «What could you expect?» «What was I to do?» «How could I help it?» etc., and is generally accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders and by a turning outward of the palms of the hands.
Saperlotte! a humorous exclamation of surprise, in line with, but stronger than, Sapristi! Often equivalent to Gee whiz!
Sapristi! (a euphemism for «per sanguinem Christi») is a mild and always humorous expression of surprise. Parallel to our Gee!
Soit! (Sound the final «t») All right! literally,«So be it!»
Tiens! (1) Take this! Here! (2) See this! See! (3) (the same as the second use, only addressed to one's self) Hello! Why!
Tenez! has the same first and second meanings as Tiens above, but is never used in the third, as no one would address himself in the plural of politeness.
Très bien! All right!
Voyons! often used to soothe or pacify, Come, come!