lost in translation, or something

[rivendellrose]

Two quick points about reading PoA in French.

First, a question: Does anyone know what "ouille" means as an exclamation?

My (normally very comprehensive) dictionary offers only ouiller, and I doubt Harry is shouting some variation on "to fill up" at the Monstrous Book of Monsters. It's not conjugated properly to be an imperative, so I take it to be an exclamation of some variety... Help?

And next, a word of wisdom culled from years of mistakes...

Despite the initial similarities, there is a huge difference between sourire and souris. One is a smile. The other is a mouse. And then there's sourcil - eyebrow.

I figure that when I finally am no longer at all confused by these three words, I will be in good shape as a student of French. *headdesk*

Comments

Shady translation...

[(Anonymous)]

Not that I've ever trusted Babelfish, but it translates "ouille" as "ullage," which, according to dictionary.com, means "the amount that a container (as a wine bottle or tank) lacks of being full."

So... maybe he's exclaiming that the Monster Book of Monsters isn't full?

I dunno. I don't have the English version handy... what does it say in that one?

Re: Shady translation...

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Good point - *runs and checks English version*

....The English version says "Ouch!"

I am very confused.

Re: Shady translation...

[becksbooks.livejournal.com]

perhaps it's just an onomotopoiea for "owie!" although it doesn't quite seem to work...

Re: Shady translation...

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

It's probably closer to that than anything else.

[bluerose16.livejournal.com]

No, I dunno what that means, but I can ask someone I know once she comes on AIM who is fluent.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

That'd be lovely. I'm starting to think it's just a transliteration of a surprise or pain sound, but it'd still be nice to get word from someone who knows.