A Conversation for Ask h2g2
What's the French for...?
Wand'rin star Started conversation Sep 17, 2013
A friend has just informed me on the telephone that he's getting up early in the morning to get a sick note from the doctor to enable him to submit an essay late (well, he IS a mature student). Conversing , as we sometimes do, in a foreign language, we became aware that we couldn't express the concept of lying in order to get out of work/exercise. We couldn't even come up with the French for "lazy".
Any thoughts? (apart from the thought that we're both mad)
What's the French for...?
Superfrenchie Posted Sep 17, 2013
Well, skiving is "sécher les cours", so I would tend to say "je sèche le travail". 
That's not proper French, though.
Mmmmhhh.... thinky-thinky.... 
I have no idea. Is there a word for it in English?
And, tucuxii : 
What's the French for...?
TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office Posted Sep 17, 2013
English? Skiving off.
French? No idea.
TRiG.
What's the French for...?
TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office Posted Sep 17, 2013
When I type the word /skive/ into Google translate, it helpfully autodetects it as Danish.
TRiG.
What's the French for...?
2legs - Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side... Posted Sep 17, 2013
"Pulling a sicky" might be an alternative version? but I've no idea for the French... s skiving... nah, can't relaly think of any other alternatives... let alone the French for htem 
What's the French for...?
Yelbakk Posted Sep 17, 2013
Try if "école buissonnière" gets you started somewhere. "Lazy" might be "paresseux".
Y.
What's the French for...?
swl Posted Sep 17, 2013
Defeating comprehensively in battle, on land and (especially) at sea.
What's the French for...?
Whisky Posted Sep 18, 2013
I'd say 'lazy' would be either 'paresseux' or 'fainéant'
What's the French for...?
Geggs Posted Sep 18, 2013
You know, I was thinking that, but I didn't think it was my place to say it...
Geggs
What's the French for...?
paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant Posted Sep 19, 2013
In French, a liar is called a "menteur."
What's the French for...?
kuzushi Posted Sep 19, 2013
The "proper" word for pretending to be sick to avoid work is malingering. Skiving is a general term to describe avoiding work, but doesn't necessarily imply the use of being sick as an excuse. Don't know about the French for it, though.
What's the French for malingering?
kuzushi Posted Sep 19, 2013
I've just looked up the French for malingering on GoogleTranslate and it comes up with "la simulation".
What's the French for malingering?
Wand'rin star Posted Sep 19, 2013
Thanks.
So would a malingerer be a simulateur?
Thanks for the above suggestions as well, most of which weren't in ou French idiolects
What's the French for malingering?
Icy North Posted Sep 19, 2013
So a French pilot throwing a sickie is a flight simulateur?
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What's the French for...?
- 1: Wand'rin star (Sep 17, 2013)
- 2: tucuxii (Sep 17, 2013)
- 3: Superfrenchie (Sep 17, 2013)
- 4: TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office (Sep 17, 2013)
- 5: TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office (Sep 17, 2013)
- 6: 2legs - Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side... (Sep 17, 2013)
- 7: Yelbakk (Sep 17, 2013)
- 8: swl (Sep 17, 2013)
- 9: tucuxii (Sep 18, 2013)
- 10: Whisky (Sep 18, 2013)
- 11: Mu Beta (Sep 18, 2013)
- 12: Geggs (Sep 18, 2013)
- 13: paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant (Sep 19, 2013)
- 14: kuzushi (Sep 19, 2013)
- 15: kuzushi (Sep 19, 2013)
- 16: Wand'rin star (Sep 19, 2013)
- 17: Icy North (Sep 19, 2013)
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