# beauf



## charlyboy81

Salut tt le monde,

Je recherche la traduction du mot "beauf" depuis un bout de temps. Mais je ne parle pas de "redneck" qui désigne les ploucs américains. Je cherche un terme plus général, qui pourrait s'appliquer en Europe.

Merci d'avance,

Charles

*Moderator note*: multiple threads merged to create this one.


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## Rich696

Je dirais "bumpkin", "country bumpkin", "rustic" ou "yokel".


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## denis-a-paris

Ahh where to start?! 

En BE je ne sais pas, mais en AE on-dit "trash" pour le plupart. Peut-être aussi : "simpletons", "blue coller" (the working class) qui sont moins vulgaire.


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## LV4-26

Un beauf n'est pas nécessairement quelqu'un de la campagne (il est même beaucoup plus souvent citadin). Ce n'est pas non plus forcément un ouvrier. 
Je vous renvoie à ce fil
dans lequel la traduction par_ (average) Joe Sixpack_ proposée par egueule (dernier post) me semble assez appropriée.


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## denis-a-paris

After reading the link LV4-26 posted, I still think _trash_ works (adj. _trashy_). _Joe Sixpack_ will work too as would _meathead_. Another term comes to mind of a more educated, better employed *beauf*: _fratboy_. (No offense meant to anyone who is/was a member of a fraternity.) Loud, not much fashion sense, strip clubs, fat, drinks too much beer, eats too much pizza, etc.


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## bernik

Pour les anglophones qui apprennent le français, il faut absolument éviter le mot beauf. A l'origine, ça signifie beau-frère, et ça sous-entend un certain mépris pour les gens normaux. Le mot plouc est beaucoup moins agressif. Les beaufs, en gros, ce sont les gens qu'on considère comme des cons.


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## anangelaway

bernik said:
			
		

> Pour les anglophones qui apprennent le français, il faut absolument éviter le mot beauf. A l'origine, ça signifie beau-frère, et ça sous-entend un certain mépris pour les gens normaux. Le mot plouc est beaucoup moins agressif. Les beaufs, en gros, ce sont les gens qu'on considère comme des cons.


 
Bonjour!

Bernik, qui sont ces gens normaux?
Quand quelqu'un dit - ''Mon _beauf vient nous rejoindre dimanche soir chez mes parents.''_, je ne ressens pas un certain mépris ici. Je pense que c'est tout de même encore utilisé.

_''Le mot plouc est beaucoup moins agressif''_, je n'en suis pas si sûre. Malheureusement dans l'esprit de beaucoup de personnes, _plouc et beauf_ sont tous d'eux considérés tels des cons, comme tu le dis effectivement. 

La raison, à mon avis, pour laquelle il est difficile de le traduire vient qu'il est propre à la culture française. Les raisons qui justifient cette appellation ne sont peut-être pas aussi fondées au travers d'une autre culture.
Son origine et son éthymologie, certes intéréssantes, n'en amènent pas moins à un terme que je considère insultant.
Biensur, qui ne se lasse pas de l'humour de _L'Équipe du Splendide_ de l'époque? Presque nous tous j'imagine... 
Enfin, bref... conclusion:
Ne pas _exporter_ ce vilain mot dans son sens péjoratif, et tenter de l'éliminer de notre chère et tendre langue française... 



Je ne sais pas ce que j'ai aujourd'hui...


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## Jean-Michel Carrère

Methinks chances are greater for this word to disappear from the French language than for the type to vanish.

Not sure it is merely a French type either. Bet there are lots of narrow-minded, petty, conservative, gross and male chauvinistic men around in other countries as well.

I suggest *nerd *or* jerk* for a translation.


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## LV4-26

bernik said:
			
		

> Les beaufs, en gros, ce sont les gens qu'on considère comme des cons.


Aujourd'hui, peut-être. Dans ce cas, c'est dommage. Car, à l'origine, le beauf avait un profil spécifique, un folklore, des rites, enfin tout un ensemble de traits caractéristiques qui en faisait un personnage haut en couleurs.


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## zam

To be *common, *ama, est le plus proche de 'beauf' dans son acception actuelle (mais ça veut pas dire que c'est kif-kif !). Ou a *plonker *c'est pas mal aussi.


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## burqagirl

Is there a female form of this word?


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## LV4-26

burqagirl said:
			
		

> Is there a female form of this word?


 None that I know of.


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## Cath.S.

Bernik said:
			
		

> Pour les anglophones qui apprennent le français, il faut absolument éviter le mot beauf.


Je ne dirais absolument pas ça ; en revanche - mais n'est-ce pas valable pour tous les mots qui s'appliquent à des personnes ? - il ne faut pas l'utiliser sans être conscient de ses connotations. 

On a encore le droit d'être méprisant, que je sache ! Scrogneugneu !


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## lapalissade

i think id go with meathead, but maybe thats because the cris-crossing set of connotations from 'all in the family' seems to line up with my understanding of the word 'beauf' assez bien.

cela dit, il y a de nombreux mots en anglais dont la traduction s'entrecroise avec les mots de ce genre en francais sans s'aligner parfaitement.  
on pourrait dire, par exemple: idiot, jerk, dumbass, tool, jackass,... et d'autres qui ne viennent pas tout de suite a l'esprit.  il y a certainement des petites differences, qui ne correspondent jamais tout-a-fait au territoire du mot 'beauf' (ou bien: con, debile, idiot, cruche, etc), mais on peut quand meme en arriver a un joli croquis approximatif, non?
alors je pense que, comme dit, c'est miex de trouver celui qui convient le mieux au contexte.


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## bernik

Comme on l'a déjà dit, le personnage du beauf est une invention du dessinateur Cabu. Je crois qu'il a été popularisé par Canal Plus, puis par les médias français en général. Il faut se dire que ce mot a une signification politique. Ce n'est pas un mot neutre comme "idiot, jerk, dumbass, tool, jackass". Ce serait plutôt à rapprocher de "redneck", mais en pire. Je pense qu'en exprimant continuellement leur mépris pour les "beaufs", c'est à dire pour les gens du peuple, les "journalistes" de Canal Plus font passer un message politique très spécial. En même temps, je sais bien que ceux qui reprennent ce vocabulaire ne réfléchissent pas forcément aux implications politiques !


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## Agnès E.

egueule said:
			
		

> Je ne dirais absolument pas ça ; en revanche - mais n'est-ce pas valable pour tous les mots qui s'appliquent à des personnes ? - il ne faut pas l'utiliser sans être conscient de ses connotations.
> 
> On a encore le droit d'être méprisant, que je sache ! Scrogneugneu !


Je suis absolument d'accord avec toi. 

Un beauf est un imbécile d'un certain type. Le terme est précis, il recouvre une certaine catégorie de personnes - et il n'existe aucun synonyme en un seul mot. 
Il n'est pas vulgaire, il n'est pas grossier.
Il a peut-être été popularisé par Canal+ depuis une dizaine d'années, mais il est utilisé depuis bien plus longtemps que cela.
On peut appartenir à une classe sociale peu aisée, on peut être de condition modeste sans être un beauf.

Le terme peut donc parfaitement être utilisé, à la condition que l'on sache de quoi l'on parle.


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## Fred-erique

Je n'avais jamais entendu le mot "beauf" utilisé dans ce sens-là. Pour moi beau se résumait jusqu'ici à beau-frère. Ce doit être une déviation du mot assez récente donc. Il faut dire que ça fait déja une dizaine d'années que j'ai quitté la France.....


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## LV4-26

Fred-erique said:
			
		

> Je n'avais jamais entendu le mot "beauf" utilisé dans ce sens-là. Pour moi beau se résumait jusqu'ici à beau-frère. Ce doit être une déviation du mot assez récente donc. Il faut dire que ça fait déja une dizaine d'années que j'ai quitté la France.....


Ça date des années 70. Mais je crois que Cabu l'a utilisé légèrement avant. Encore une fois le beauf n'est pas n'importe quel imbécile, en tout cas, il ne l'était pas au départ. Au départ, il y avait *un seul *beauf, celui de Cabu, son beau-frère, donc. Ou plutôt, le beau-frère de son personnage principal, le grand Duduche. (mais le grand Duduche, c'était un peu Cabu).

Plus tard, ce terme a été généralisé à tous les individus qui ressemblaient au beau-frère de Cabu. 40/50 ans, dégarni, moustache, vote (très) à droite, volontiers chasseur, abandonne toute dignité devant sa femme légitime mais ménage encore sa maîtresse...

Aujourd'hui, ce que les jeunes appellent un beauf a changé. D'abord, il n'a plus la cinquantaine, comme avant. Il est de leur génération et possède une sono d'enfer dans sa voiture (en général, une petite "nerveuse") : il diffuse de la _dance,_ pousse le volume à fond et ouvre les fenêtres. Plus rien à voir avec le beauf de ma jeunesse. Ah, ma pauv' dame, y'a pus rien comme dans l'temps.


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## Lenjo

Dear all

Does anyone know how to translate the word ''beauf'' into English?

The definition of beauf in French would be the following:

Somone very average, of very low cultural level, whose tastes and opinions are judged to be tacky and very simple

Example, someone, with a big belly watching football on TV shouting at his wife to bring more beer, and that possibly has a car with fur around the stirring wheel and an ''I love Arkansas'' sticker on the windshield....If that can give an idea....
I have been looking for this word for quite some time

The one I think to be the closest is redneck but there may be a more accurate term

Thanks


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## FAC13

I suggest "pikey" in BE, though it's not particularly common. 
Perhaps "white trash" in AE?


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## badgrammar

Problem with "redneck" and other similar terms like hick or hillbilly is that they indicate, as does your description, someone basically from a rural area, whereas a "bof" can be a city boy, too.  The term "redneck" comes from the kind of sunburn these outdoorsy guys get on the back of their neck, that stops at the t-shirt line.

There is another term, then, that some will find offensive, but I think it applies.  It's "white trash".  White trash can live anywhere.  But then again, I don't know if that's exactly the same as a "bof".


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## Lenjo

Thanks to all, actually I have found another forum on thsi website about this wrod that gave me a couple of possible translations of beauf:

Meathead, fratboy, Simpleton, white trash etc.


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## badgrammar

Careful though, a fratboy, for example, has a whole different connotation...


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## Nicomon

I found this Wikipedia page which confirmed my impression that a "beauf" is to France what a "kétaine" or "colon" is to us Quebecers.

And here I thought "beauf" was only short for beau-frère.


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## Sickduck

I agree with badgrammar. Fratboy is not in the same category as the other words on your list. Here's the definition of fratboy at the Urban Dictionary: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fratboy


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## mnewcomb71

How about "trailer trash"?


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## LV4-26

Hi, Lenjo

Here is another thread on the same topic
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=87514&highlight=beauf
la beauferie

[...]


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## Nicomon

_Joe Sixpack_, as suggested by egueule in the "la beauferie" link above also appears under AE, in the Wikipedia page that I gave a link to (post #7)

I would rather use this - or rustic (suggested in "beauf" previous thread) - than any combination with _trash_, or _meathead/simpleton_, which to me sound clearly more pejorative than _beauf_ or _colon/kétaine_. I'm not familiar with BE _pikey or bumbkin. _


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## badgrammar

I like Joe Sixpack, I think it's good, and I do find white trash pretty harsh.  And I like your bunny, Nicomon.


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## harmondsworth

for British English I'd definitely translate it as 'chav'


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## ExpatRat

Yes, would definitely go for 'chav' as well!


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## Antipodean

In Australia, we use the term *bogan*. Accordingly to Wikipedia it is also used by New Zealanders and is a close regional equivalent to the English *chav* or _*pikey*_, the Scottish *Ned*, the Irish *Scanger* or _*Spide*_ and the North American _*White Thrash*_ and _*Hillbilly*_. However, I note from earlier entries that the North American examples may not be the best translation.


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## bloomiegirl

If anyone still cares, for AE, how about an Archie Bunker type?


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## Jabote

I like Egueule's Joe Sixpack. And a redneck is not a _beauf_. A redneck is a _plouc,_ or a_ péquenaud_.


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## Cath.S.

bloomiegirl said:


> If anyone still cares, for AE, how about an Archie Bunker type?


If we are reading this, then it must mean we care. 
Sounds good to me. 

_Un beauf_ is essentially an unquestioning conformist with poor taste, who also tends to be a male chauvinist, furthermore he tries to come out as the assertive type but is, deep-down, very insecure and relying on his peer group to have any opinion at all.

Have a happy winter solstice !


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## bpcarrol1

As an American living in Paris, I cannot really find a true translation for the word "beauf" in English, simply because we don't have an equivalent word we use as frequently as the French use "beauf". I suppose the best would be "white trash" - however we use this expression considerably less than the French use "beauf."

Furthermore, in Paris a "beauf" is anyone (or anything) that is not parisian, and therefore lacking in taste and class. For a more detailed explanation in English, read this blog entry : http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/calling-people-beaufs/


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## JeanDeSponde

bpcarrol1 said:


> Furthermore, in Paris a "beauf" is anyone (or anything) *that is not parisian*, and therefore lacking in taste and class. For a more detailed explanation in English, read this blog entry : http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/calling-people-beaufs/


I'd rather say that this article states that _beauf_ and _gros beauf_ don't have the same meaning from a Parisian or a non-Parisian point of view. Unless I'm mistaken, I couldn't find a statement that non-Parisians were considered as _beaufs?_


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## funnyhat

Jabote said:


> I like Egueule's Joe Sixpack. And a redneck is not a _beauf_. A redneck is a _plouc,_ or a_ péquenaud_.


 
Although a "Joe Sixpack" probably often has _beauf_-like qualities, it's not as insulting a term.  It's more just a label for an average, blue-collar person.  

I'm leaning towards "white trash," but it may not always work, because it usually implies that the person is poor.


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## drewsy

Hello all!

I am translating an article on Hortefeux and the situation over his racial slur... He is described as a "beauf"

... se voir ravale au niveau d'un "beauf" par une video volee, donne envie de pleurer. 

Would the word 'simpleton' work in this context? or would it be better to use a word like 'idiot/fool'?

Merci!!

drewsy


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## ratonlaveur

'bear' is used in Scotland for the description above from Lenjo.
I don't know if it is understood in the rest of the UK.


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## Tomcat_380

What about "Low class loser" ?


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## Calina18

Jerk and douche come to mind. Also, douche is becoming almost as popular as beauf .


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## lilipopette

I guess it would depends on what kind of "beauf" ! For BE, I think "chaav" could work.


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## Keith Bradford

From the original cited in #18, I think there's a strong family resemblance to _*Alf Garnett*_.  I find the word _beauf _indispensable to translate into French the English term *lowbrow*, but it doesn't work in all circumstances.


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## franc 91

a complete oaf (yet another suggestion)


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## Belen13

Very late on this thread but researching possible translations for beauf and I'm surprised no one (in UK at least) has suggested "chav" as a possible translation. This is suitably pejorative, but in a friendly kind of way (???) and refers to the 'class' aspect of beauf - or 'normal people' as one forumer suggested, implies very bad taste (for non-chavs) and a love of orange sun-tans etc. Redneck wouldn't really work in a BRE text. 

Any thoughts?


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## JeanDeSponde

That has been suggested in #30...


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## Belen13

Thanks Jean, not sure how I missed that one, confirms my translation at least.


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## Mtrain17

I've heard "White Trash" for this translation.


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## imnegan

In English, "beauf" is different depending on what country you are in.

USA:  Redneck (Note this has a strong white/rural connotation)
UK: Chav
Australia: Bogan



Lenjo said:


> Dear all
> 
> Does anyone know how to translate the word ''beauf'' into English?
> 
> The definition of beauf in French would be the following:
> 
> Somone very average, of very low cultural level, whose tastes and opinions are judged to be tacky and very simple
> 
> Example, someone, with a big belly watching football on TV shouting at his wife to bring more beer, and that possibly has a car with fur around the stirring wheel and an ''I love Arkansas'' sticker on the windshield....If that can give an idea....
> I have been looking for this word for quite some time
> 
> The one I think to be the closest is redneck but there may be a more accurate term
> 
> Thanks


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## L'irlandais

Hello imnegan,
Welcome to the forum.  


My guess is that to have arrived at over 50 posts this discussion tells us that no English word captures the subtile meaning conveyed by the French term.

Many English speakers in this very old thread have over looked the point that first and fore most:

_*1.* *beauf* as a noun =* beau-frère*, brother-in-law in English.
2.  beauf as a pejorative term = narrow minded Frenchman with conservative attitudes and tastes.
3. beauf has a humorous aspect too :  It's an abbreviation of beau-frère,  a pejorative and humorous term used to refer to stereotypicial ordainary Frenchmen who are percieved as being somewhat vulgar, narrow minded and chauvinistic.
4.  As an adjective  (goûts, tenue) = tacky  Source Le Robert & Collins_(Try calling your brother-in-law a "Bogan" (redneck, chav) and see if he sees the humorous side of that term of endearment)  These English words only capture the pejorative aspect of the french word.  No one English word conveys the same four meanings as listed above.

Keith's post #44 goes some way to explaining it (to a UK audience) at least.  Those who've said "white trash" and similar clearly haven't a clue how the French use the word "beauf", but then some native speakers have also confessed ignorance of this péjoratif aspect.  Anyone refering to the Urban Dictionary for word definitions is "Hors sujet" to my way of thinking.  Several native speakers have pointed out that many of the English words proposed here are too stong.  It's cultural, we don't really have anyway of saying beauf in English, but depending on the specific context we could find an equivalent on a case by case basis.

No doubt this post won't end the discussion either.


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## Kowpox

So here's my humble opinion.

The problem with the word beauf is that there are as many definitions as people who use it. As would my family say "on est tous le beauf de quelqu'un" (we're all somebody's beauf).

People that I've called beauf have themselves called other people beauf.

To me, a beauf is someone who wears socks with their flip flop, call their wife "maman" (pretty much all the types of people you find in the movie Camping)
They are not necessarily mean or narrow-minded or even stupid. It's more that they lack style and manners, they use bad French expressions etc. (It's definitely related to how they use the French language. Not just if they're vulgar or not : they would say "la voiture à Marie" instead of "la voiture de Marie" for example.) It can me a male or a female.

Then again, I come from a very conservative and "high-class" family - it's hard to find a word for beauf in American English because, I think, the history of classes is different - and my family tends to call a large variety of people beauf (people who don't have the same education as us basically.)

For other people, it's a person who has a car and customizes their car etc. For me this is a "kéké".

I've stopped (or almost) using this word and I've found that I've stopped feeling superior to a lot of people and judging them in regards to their looks. (to some extent )
I now use the word mainly as an adjective. 

I hope this was helpful!


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## Santana2002

How about a *lout*? ( a clumsy, ill-mannered boor, an oaf, an awkward and stupid person)


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## boterham

Collins-Robert translates "chav" (spelt "chav", not "chaav") as "caillera" (verlan for "racaille"), something completely different from "beauf" (to me at least!).


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## megrez alberich

Tout dépend. Pour un beauf à la Homer Simpson, j'utilise en général le terme de Joe sixpack. Si je dois dire de quelqu'un qu'il est un peu beauf dans le genre mal dégrossi, je dirais plutôt "uncouth".

Pour l'adjectif "beauf", maintenant, pour désigner tout ce qui est de mauvais goût, ringard (genre les dés en peluche au rétroviseur, les cheveux longs dans la nuque, les gâteaux érotiques en forme de seins ou d'organes génitaux) je dis "tacky".

Et pour la "beauferie", du style "Johnny Hallyday, c'est vraiment le summum de la beauferie" je traduis ça par "Johnny Hallyday is really the epitome of tackiness".

Hope it helped.


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## wildan1

megrez alberich said:


> Si je dois dire de quelqu'un qu'il est un peu beauf dans le genre mal dégrossi, je dirais plutôt "uncouth"


Exact, sauf que _uncouth_ est d'un registre standard ; loin d'avoir le punch de _beauf._..

_He's a slob, a jerk, a buffoon, a tool, a dunce, an asshole..._ take your pick!


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## mollisha

average Joe


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## joelooc

The thing is, when the word was coined by Cabu, those who opposed the then considered oppressive governement were prone to virulent criticism; to put it bluntly they were easily _being judgmental_ (references to being a soldier, whether in the French Foreign Legion or a grunt in Algeria or in Indochina were systematically sneered at). Then Mitterand was elected president and France entered an era when judging or condemning went out of fashion (what was to become _politically correct)_. Now we have all been confronted with the cruel insanity of jihadists beaufs from outer space, everyone seems to have sacrificed their sense of humour that enabled them to be judgmental for the fun of it. The concept of Beauf has sunk into folklore. For those interested, it has been pinpointed by singer/songwriter Renaud:
www.google.fr/webhp?hl=fr#hl=fr&q=mon+beauf+paroles 
I can't imagine someone in his right mind calling a vietnam vet a beauf, hence the difficulty to find an equivalent.


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## mollisha

How about "shmuck"? or "some poor shmuck"... This might be US English.


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