Translation

[mcdolphin]

Can anyone translate the following for me?

la distance diminue les mediocres passions mais augmenter les grandes comme le vent etaitent les boujies mais allume les feus

Apologies if ther should be accents anywhere within the text.

ta

[Quizmonkey]

Distance diminishes mediocre passions but improves great ones - just as wind blows out candles but fuels fires.

(There are a few errors in the French!)

[mcdolphin]

Thanks Quizmonkey - any errors are the responsibility of the author!!! By the way what were they out of interest?

[Quizmonkey]

La distance diminue...mais augmente (third person singular - not augmenter, infinitive). Etaitent should be �teint (I think! infinitive is �teindre). Plural of feu is feux (not feus). M�diocres needs the accent.

I think that's all - it's been a long time since my degree!

[shineybomb]

There is a great translation tool on Google. Just to the right hand side of the search box

[Narolines]

Quizmonkey, you missed "bougies" rather than "boujies".

[Quizmonkey]

Thanks Narolines, you're right! Oddly, the J makes it looks more French than the G.

And I'd be very wary of internet translation sites - only use if you're desperate.

[China Doll]

Sorry Dolphin, have been following this thread since I read the translation ) in the vain hope that someone will mention where the quote comes from and no one has! What book are you reading please? (I really like the quote... sorry!)

[mcdolphin]

Hi China Doll - I was kinda hoping someone might be able to say where it was from as well. It was given to me by a friend of a friend because they knew I had studied french and although I had most of it right I couldn't work out the "boujies" so thanks to all. I agree though - it's a lovely quote.

[JamesEverton]

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/La_Rochefoucauld

It's Maxim 276 from Fran�ois de La Rochefoucauld.