Jan 9, 2021 20:45
3 yrs ago
62 viewers *
French term
United Kingdom
Cambridge educated business specialist
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English
Rêve et boit de l'eau
French to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
West Africa
A young man tells a young woman about all the luxuries he'll shower her with when he makes his millions (he's unlikely to; and she's not that into him): she says
"Rêve et boit de l'eau" West African (possibly Muslim) context.
Is it an expression? Is it more
"Dream on buddy, ain't gonna happen!"
or "If only!" (like, if wishes were horses then beggars would ride, or similar)
or "From your mouth to God's ear" I heard that drinking water in a dream in Islamic culture is a presager of good fortune.
TIA!
"Rêve et boit de l'eau" West African (possibly Muslim) context.
Is it an expression? Is it more
"Dream on buddy, ain't gonna happen!"
or "If only!" (like, if wishes were horses then beggars would ride, or similar)
or "From your mouth to God's ear" I heard that drinking water in a dream in Islamic culture is a presager of good fortune.
TIA!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 | A promise that is unlikely to happen/far from reach (but not impossible) |
Youssef Chabat
|
| 2 | "Dream on, or when Allah sends you a sign" |
Conor McAuley
|
Proposed translations
1 day 22 hrs
Youssef Chabat
Morocco
Morocco
Native in French
Morocco
A wordsmith at your disposal
Native in: Arabic (Variant: Standard-Arabian (MSA)) , French (Variant: Standard-France) 
Works in: French to Arabic, English to Arabic, Arabic to French, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
2
Selected
A promise that is unlikely to happen/far from reach (but not impossible)
She's almost sure that he won't get rich, and therefore she won't get all the luxuries.
I've given you the meaning, you can replace that with whatever proverb that you know and which means the same.
There is another Arabic proverb which goes like "you can name the baby when it's born"
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Note added at 6 days (2021-01-16 13:00:07 GMT) Post-grading
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Nice to be of some help, although my participation is missing the exact expression you're looking for.
I've given you the meaning, you can replace that with whatever proverb that you know and which means the same.
There is another Arabic proverb which goes like "you can name the baby when it's born"
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Note added at 6 days (2021-01-16 13:00:07 GMT) Post-grading
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Nice to be of some help, although my participation is missing the exact expression you're looking for.
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Explains the meaning, thank you, tho nearest English saying is probably culturally inappropriate."
15 hrs
Conor McAuley
France
France
Native in English
France
Excellence, Expertise & Experience
Native in: English (Variants: Irish, British, Wales / Welsh, UK, Scottish)
Works in: French to English, English
French term (edited):
Rêve et boit de l\\\'eau
"Dream on, or when Allah sends you a sign"
Depends entirely what the tone is.
Using the above, you can hedge your bets a bit.
Ref. Andrzej's first discussion entry. The expression may have evolved over time (ref. Emmanuella).
You also need to be culturally sensitive.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2021-01-10 13:39:12 GMT)
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If you decide on a sarcastic tone:
"In your dreams"
"In your dreams, man"
Almost "go take a hike" maybe.
Using the above, you can hedge your bets a bit.
Ref. Andrzej's first discussion entry. The expression may have evolved over time (ref. Emmanuella).
You also need to be culturally sensitive.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2021-01-10 13:39:12 GMT)
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If you decide on a sarcastic tone:
"In your dreams"
"In your dreams, man"
Almost "go take a hike" maybe.
Discussion
For historical reasons, Francophone West African countries tend to be Christian on the coast and Muslim inland (this is a generalisation and a schematisation).
The real question is probably whether the speaker is aware of the expression's religious origin and intends it in this way.
It's a bit like the difference between using a well-known quotation intentionally or unintentionally.
Anyway, enough theorising.
https://www.expressio.fr/expressions/compte-la-dessus-et-boi...[fraiche]
L'ajout "et bois de l'eau", parfois complété par l'adjectif "fraîche" (peut-être par mélange avec "vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche"), est attesté en 1823 chez Paul-Émile Debraux () dans "Voyage à Sainte-Pélagie".
Certains l'analysent comme une formule sacrificielle où il faut comprendre : tu peux toujours te sacrifier en allant jusqu'à ne boire que de l'eau (au lieu d'un excellent vin), n'espère quand même pas obtenir quoi que ce soit.
J'essaie de voir la manière dont si la jeune femme se sert l'expression : de manière sarcastique, ou par rapport à l'interprétation des rêves.
'(Yeah,) in your dreams!'
"But in Islam, dreams are understood as, on occasion, offering a portal to the divine will, and are seen as the only appropriate form of future divination. Dreams have a special authority as they are believed to communicate truth from the supernatural world (dar al-haq)."
https://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/blog/the-islamic-stat...
It is used in this forum (with the correct spelling "bois de l'eau") in this way - quite far down the thread...
https://forum.doctissimo.fr/psychologie/couples-relations/se...
"Dream on" would be a good approximation, and the meaning is clear, but I wonder if we could find something as colourful as the French term.
I guess 'Dream on ...' is correct.