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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

a la guerre comme a la guerre

English translation:

all is fair in love and war

Added to glossary by Alanna Wilson-Duff
Sep 27, 2007 13:15
16 yrs ago
10 viewers *
French term

a la guerre comme a la guerre

French to English Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I'm pretty sure there's an English expression that fits squarely into this mould.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +2 all is fair in love and war
4 +6 we'll just have to make the best of things
3 +4 we'll just have to make the best of things
3 +3 needs must...
4 Don't you know there's a war on?
3 with the war as with the war
3 whatever happens / in all(any) circumstances
3 Don't mention the War

Discussion

Alanna Wilson-Duff (asker) Sep 27, 2007:
Definitely trying to find a set phrase/proverb with a comical play on words, retaining the war theme and focussing more on the fact that different means can be used, rather than being nasty about one's approach.
Martin Cassell Sep 27, 2007:
So which do you give more weight to here -- a direct translation of the literal meaning, or retaining the element of a set phrase with its attendant play on words?
Alanna Wilson-Duff (asker) Sep 27, 2007:
Sure, Carol. It's actually the title of a comics page. In the comic we see the different protagonists acting out different roles in a war- the weaponist of mass destruction... and the UN. It's a funny play on words.
Carol Gullidge Sep 27, 2007:
hi Alanna: can you provide some context - as there are several possibilities that would depend on this. What sort of text, what is it about, who is saying it, in what circumstances, why, surrounding text...?

Proposed translations

+2
37 mins
Selected

all is fair in love and war

-

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Note added at 46 mins (2007-09-27 14:02:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The sense of "making do" or "keeping a stiff upper lip" may well be the most common usage, but I suspect this is the original.

Et, c’est bien connu, « à la guerre comme à la guerre », TOUS LES COUPS SONT PERMIS. L’armée, via la suspension des libertés constitutionnelles et l’instauration de la loi martiale, peut même alors exterminer des simples citoyens en fonction des intentions qu’elle leur prête, sans même qu’ils tentent de les réaliser
http://lejournalenvolee.free.fr/article.php3?id_article=27
Note from asker:
This is definitely the one I was thinking of! But now, I'm not so sure it fits the context... I guess I want to stress the all possible mean angle without saying you gotta be nasty about it.
Peer comment(s):
agree Martin Cassell : I think that would be nearer the mark for « c'est de bonne guerre », though we are working without context here // OK, just seen Alanna's addendum on the context; this might well be a good substitute in this case
7 mins
Out of context, I may be confusing with "de bonne guerre", but I'm obviously not the only one!
agree Jean-Claude Gouin : I like "All is fair in love and war."
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This was a really difficult one to decide, I ended up ringing a French friend for a bit of a discussion on it and we both came to the conclusion that the French title did not really reflect what was happening in the cartoon as such, but was simply the best known connotation to do with war. So it therefore comes back to All's fair... even though I think the John Wayne quote better describes the actions of the cartoon characters. Thanks everyone for your help!"
+4
9 mins

we'll just have to make the best of things

My electronic Collins Robert produced the expression above; Babylon.com suggests "make do with what you have" and "do what you have to do", perhaps one of these 3 will fit your context? They all have approximately the same meaning.
Peer comment(s):
agree Jennifer White : Yes.http://www.babylon.com/definition/a_la_guerre_comme_a_la_gue...
2 mins
agree hirselina
2 mins
agree Jean-Claude Gouin
16 hrs
agree Gina W
2 days 16 hrs
Something went wrong...
23 mins

with the war as with the war

la guerre is "the war", and comme a la guerre is "with the war", so the translation literally is with the war as with the war

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Note added at 26 mins (2007-09-27 13:41:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

however, not literally, it could mean any of the variety of "make do with what you have", "use any means necessary"
Reference:

http://translate.google.com/translate_t

Note from asker:
???
Are you for real?
Peer comment(s):
neutral Martin Cassell : Do you really think that the asker is not capable of providing her own mot-à-mot ... ?? !!
19 mins
neutral Jean-Claude Gouin : This doesn't sound like English to me ...
7 hrs
Something went wrong...
+6
9 mins

we'll just have to make the best of things

Collins Robert (sic)

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Note added at 40 mins (2007-09-27 13:56:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

in that case, I'll risk losing my place here, to add an alternative option, which could be comic if taken ironically - which it would have to be. Everybody will be familiar with the famous John Wayne quote:

A MAN'S GOTTA DO WHAT A MAN'S GOTTA DO

Note from asker:
Yes that quote is definitely a good one and excellent for comic value! Thanks!
Peer comment(s):
agree Jenny Duthie : touché!!!!
2 mins
thanks! (great minds...)
agree hirselina
3 mins
thanks, hirselina!
agree veratek : A MAN'S GOTTA DO WHAT A MAN'S GOTTA DO
43 mins
thanks, vera-tech!
agree Nina Iordache : superb!
57 mins
thanks you, Nina!
agree Jean-Claude Gouin : A MAN'S GOTTA DO WHAT A MAN'S GOTTA DO ... Could be ...
2 hrs
thank you, 1045!
agree Cervin : A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!
3 hrs
thank you, Cervin!
Something went wrong...
+3
11 mins

needs must...

....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2007-09-27 14:02:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Thanks Alanna - have read Carol's qu. and your answer, and I do like her John Wayne quote. However, if the phrase is a title, and my proposal is usually a phrase used to prepare for doing soemthing unpleasant, well maybe it's OK. I had also thought of "When in Rome...." Why not, in your case, "When at war....."?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 47 mins (2007-09-27 14:02:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry - soMEthing
Note from asker:
I like this Katsy...
Peer comment(s):
agree veratek : "When at war....."
40 mins
Thanks Vera-tech :-)
agree Olga Layer : I also like "When at war..."
1 hr
Thanks Olga :-)
agree Jean-Claude Gouin : When at war ...
2 hrs
Thanks 1045 :-)
Something went wrong...
5 hrs

whatever happens / in all(any) circumstances

depending on the context, this could be it, but there is no explanation around!
Something went wrong...
5 hrs

Don't you know there's a war on?

The stock phrase used to justify stringencies. Cf. Google if not convinced...
Peer comment(s):
disagree Jean-Claude Gouin : I, for one, do not agree with this translation ... even if Google does ...
1 hr
Google gives frequencies, not judgements of pertinence
agree Sandra Petch : I quite like this!
11 hrs
Something went wrong...
21 hrs

Don't mention the War

praeteritio
Note from asker:
Who could forget the classic Faulty Towers episode?!!
Something went wrong...
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