# mains baladeuses



## HogansIslander

Le contexte:

"Je me pose plus de question sur le jugement des politiciens coureurs de jupon qui perdent le nord quand ils voient une jupe, de ceux qui ont *les mains baladeuses* ou de ceux qui se vantent d’avoir baisé la moitié de la colline parlementaire."

Je ne trouve aucun définition pour ce mot-là sauf qu'une lampe électrique ou une voiture...mais ici c'est un adjectif pas un nom.

*Note des modérateurs : *nous avons fusionné plusieurs discussions pour créer ce fil.


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## Benjy

wandering hands I feel would be an appropriate translation 



HogansIslander said:


> Le contexte:
> 
> "Je me pose plus de question sur le jugement des politiciens coureurs de jupon qui perdent le nord quand ils voient une jupe, de ceux qui ont *les mains baladeuses*ou de ceux qui se vantent d’avoir baisé la moitié de la colline parlementaire."
> 
> Je ne trouve aucun defintion pour ce mot-là sauf qu'une lampe electrique ou une voiture...mais ici c'est un adjectif pas un nom.


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## Jean-Michel Carrère

those who can't keep their hands to themselves


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## emma42

Yes, "wandering hands" is a set phrase.
*
I'd stay away from him - he's got wandering hands.

Jane is really upset - her boss is always patronising her and he's got wandering hands.

*I don't know whether you have this as a set phrase in Canada, hence the examples.


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## HogansIslander

Thanks everyone - yes, wandering hands is known in Canada as well.


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## yquiem

hi,
i would like to translate in english the fact that someone's hands are very keen to skin contact , especially touching 'sensitive areas' of the beloved person . in french , "avoir les mains baladeuses" suits perfectly , but i wouldn't say "to have walking/walker hands" .
what would you say ?
TA by advance.


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## la traductrice

Bienvenue sur le forum,yquiem! 

How about "wandering hands"??


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## yquiem

it matches with the translation of "wandering eyes" (to have eyes for the ladies, avoir les yeux qui se baladent) .. 
TA VERY MUCH


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## Princess Fifi

I think "wandering hands" is the perfect translation although it can suggest that they are a little lecherous/possibly even unwelcome.  It has a playful connotation too - nothing too serious.  If it's for a loved one,  I think it's right.


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## sampat1running

wandering or roaming hands


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## Mrs Large

Years ago, at school, we used to call it WHT - wandering hand trouble!


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## Topsie

Tout comme _wandering_ ou _roaming hands_, je ne dirai pas de mon chéri qu'il a des _mains baladeuses_, si j'aimais ça!
 Peut-être quelque chose comme _he's very tactile_...


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## braveheidi

yquiem said:


> hi,
> i would like to translate in english the fact that someone's hands are very keen to skin contact , especially touching 'sensitive areas' of the beloved person . in french , "avoir les mains baladeuses" suits perfectly , but i wouldn't say "to have walking/walker hands" .
> what would you say ?
> TA by advance.


Le fait est qu'on a pas les "mains baladeuses" pour une personne qu'on aime (décrit ici comme "beloved person"). "Avoir les mains baladeuses", c'est toucher les fesses, les seins, les cuisses d'une femme alors que celles-ci n'est pas consentante (situation de harcèlement sexuel au travail, dans les transports publics etc. ). On caresse son amoureuse, on a "les mains baladeuses" sur une femme qu'on importune. Pour une traduction appropriée, il faut que le sens des termes francophones ne soit pas totalement embrouillé !


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## yquiem

je ne suis pas tout à fait d'accord .
une personne qui a les mains baladeuses touchera les parties intimes de l'anatomie d'une autre personne (souvent du sexe opposé , mais "avoir les mains baladeuses" n'est pas l'apanage des hommes) . de plus , cela ne signifie pas forcément que la personne recevant les caresses baladeuses soit importunée . "j'ai les mains baladeuses avec ma femme , ce qu'elle aime car c'est une preuve d'affection" est selon moi une phrase correcte en français. 
sorry to interupt in french (i hope u get the nuance) and if any of you want to react/give the qualified translation, your answer is obviously welcome .


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## Itisi

Topsie said:


> Tout comme _wandering_ ou _roaming hands_, je ne dirai pas de mon chéri qu'il a des _mains baladeuses_, si j'aimais ça!
> Peut-être quelque chose comme _he's very tactile_...


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## LART01

Hi

_He puts/sticks his hands everywhere_


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## guillaumedemanzac

He's a very tactile, affectionate person.
*Wandering hands* is definitely lecherous and not with one loved one but with anyone and everyone.
If he is sensitive, then we can say a *touchy-feely person*.
Your meaning of sexual touching can be given by a rude phrasal verb = "to touch someone up".    *"He touched her up when the lights failed."*
*"He's a nasty pervert - always touching up the girls in the group." * More polite is the euphemism for that: "goosing" = to goose someone which means to do what a goose does and stick its beak up someone's ****.
guillaume


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## Itisi

guillaumedemanzac said:


> He's a very tactile, affectionate person.
> *Wandering hands* is definitely lecherous and not with one loved one but with anyone and everyone.
> If he is sensitive, then we can say a *touchy-feely person*.


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## ascoltate

if it's in general, I would say "He's a touchy-feely person" (as suggested)
but if it's directed towards his partner I would say "He can't keep his hands off of me"

actually, if you want a more general expression that could be either positive or negative: "He can't keep his hands to himself."


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## braveheidi

Euh... certes en théorie, il pourrait y avoir une femme avec les "mains baladeuses". Dans la pratique, constatons que l'immense majorité des victimes de mains baladeuses sont des femmes. Pour moi, la meilleure traduction de "mains baladeuses" est "touching up". 
Et "j'ai les mains baladeuses avec ma femme" n'est pas une phrase très courante. On peut l'imaginer dans un sens ironique, pas grand chose d'autre. 

Si l'idée c'est plutôt de décrire une relation consensuelle et amoureuse, alors "touchy-feely" est une bonne traduction.


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## seekerkm

Wandering hands for a partner lets your object of affection know that you still find him/her attractive... where as wandering hands for a stranger would get you a slap... a jail term for molestation...


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## Itisi

seekerkm said:


> Wandering hands for a partner lets your object of affection know that you still find him/her attractive...


 Maybe, but you *don't* call it 'wandering hands' in that case!


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## seekerkm

Itisi said:


> Maybe, but you *don't* call it 'wandering hands' in that case!



How about roving hands... ? and isn't a language fluid and a term open to new interpretation based on the context in which it has been employed?


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## seekerkm

the reason why I say that is because "wandering hands" in the middle ages even as late as the 80s would have been offensive in most social milieu... but these days in mileu where public displays of affection are sought after... it has not remained so much of a negative thing, but rather positive, desirable even if I may say so...


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## seekerkm

one could even say "doting hands" or "attentive hands" but it would lose its sexual edge... the image of them being all over is lost... so it depends on what needs to be communicated... "attentive" hands could still do the trick while playing coy...


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## Colmartranslation

LART01 said:


> Hi
> 
> _He puts/sticks his hands everywhere_


That would be fine for a toddler getting jam/mud on his/her hands and then sticking his/her hands everywhere, it doesn't work in this context.
I like "wandering/roving/roaming hands", which can adapt to the context, just like "pattes baladeuses".


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## Cephlanot

People used to make a pun: He likes toga parties because he has Roman hands.


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## velisarius

Personally I like Topsy's suggestion of *very tactile, *but what about *venturous* hands ?


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## Itisi

seekerkm said:


> How about roving hands... ? and isn't a language fluid and a term open to new interpretation based on the context in which it has been employed?


 Four/five people on this thread are saying 'wandering hands'(or its synonym, 'roving hands') is not the best term to use _when talking about a loved one_ - right now, in 2012, in our society!  Can you be convinced?


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## Itisi

ascoltate said:


> actually, if you want a more general expression that could be either positive or negative: "He can't keep his hands to himself."


  Not usually used in a positive way!


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## seekerkm

la traductrice   Senior Member , Princess Fifi Junior Member, sampat1running  Senior Member, Colmartranslation  Senior Member

All have positive things to say about roving/wandering/roaming hands... 

If I can count right that makes 4 people who are *for* the translation... does one need say more?

And for any count to be a made into a statistic It needs to be representative of the diaspora that makes a society... till one has proof of that... I would not draw conclusions one way or the other...


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## Tea for Two

The term I know the best is "to have roving hands". I hope that this helps.


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## Santana2002

For me the term 'to have wandering hands' is definitely not one that would be used or understood in a complimentary manner, even among consenting partners.  It definitely has a 'lecherous and sleezy' overtone which is not in the least romantic, charming or endearing.  To 'touch someone up' is on a similar level, also indicative of unwanted physical attention, unsolicited physical contact, with no encouragement given by the person on the receiving end. 

The most suitable expression in the circumstance described is 'touchy-feely', or 'can't keep his hands off her'.  These imply desire on the part of the person with the 'wandering hands', and flatter the recipient.


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## braveheidi

Santana2002 said:


> For me the term 'to have wandering hands' is definitely not one that would be used or understood in a complimentary manner, even among consenting partners.  It definitely has a 'lecherous and sleezy' overtone which is not in the least romantic, charming or endearing.  To 'touch someone up' is on a similar level, also indicative of unwanted physical attention, unsolicited physical contact, with no encouragement given by the person on the receiving end.
> 
> The most suitable expression in the circumstance described is 'touchy-feely', or 'can't keep his hands off her'.  These imply desire on the part of the person with the 'wandering hands', and flatter the recipient.


As I tried to make clear earlier on, "mains baladeuses" in french DOES HAVE a "lecherous and sleezy overtone" that is, neither romantic, charming or endearing...It is widely used to described "unwanted physical attention, unsolicited physical contact". In fact, these two expressions are a good definition of "mains baladeuses". The expression "wandering hands" seems to be the most appropriate translation. Both convey the same idea of hands "walking" on someone (se balader = se promener, to go for a walk).


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## epillarbox

Incidentally, 'touchy-feely' doesn't have particularly positive connotations and is suggestive of emotional rather than sexual incontinence.


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## Itisi

epillarbox said:


> Incidentally, 'touchy-feely' doesn't have particularly positive connotations and is suggestive of emotional rather than sexual incontinence.


 True, but emotional incontinence is on the whole considered pretty normal and healthy (and sexual incontinence often too!).  'Tactile' is the most acceptable on the scale!


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