Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France

From	Hibou <vpaereru-unmonitored@yahoo.com.invalid>
Newsgroups	sci.lang, alt.usage.english, soc.culture.france, soc.culture.french
Subject	Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France
Date	2024-05-09 06:07 +0100
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<v1hlm9$fkda$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	<v1ednt$3h9pa$1@dont-email.me> <a830dfe83fa0e5e07197281772ea6fe4@www.novabbs.com>

Cross-posted to 4 groups.

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Le 08/05/2024 à 16:49, Bebercito a écrit :
> HenHanna wrote:
>>
>> Over time, perceptions of body image have shifted in France, as 
>> elsewhere.
>>
>> Today,  embonpoint can still be used in a neutral way, but it can also 
>> have a slightly negative connotation, suggesting someone is overweight.
> 
>> A more positive term for someone who is pleasantly plump might be
>>                             **rond(e)  **(round).
> 
> "bien-portant", which can refer either to someone who is doing well
> or (euphemistically) who is portly is even more positive.

The word I seem to run across routinely in classic novels, generally 
applied to bits of women (hands and arms), is 'potelé(e)' (plump). I 
find this example in Sand:

« "N'est-il pas vrai, ma chère signora ?" ajouta-t-elle en 
s'enhardissant jusqu'à presser doucement de sa /jolie main poteĺée/ le 
bras languissant de Consuelo. » (My emphasis.)

And this one in Dumas:

« "Or", continua Aramis en prenant sur son fauteuil la même pose 
gracieuse que s'il eût été dans une ruelle et en examinant avec 
complaisance sa /main blanche et potelée/ comme une main de femme, qu’il 
tenait en l’air pour en faire descendre le sang: "or...". »

(I'd forgotten this about Aramis. I was expecting the adjective to be 
applied to the charming Constance Bonacieux.)

I can't see the word being adopted into English, though.

Thread

[embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@devnull.tb> - 2024-05-07 16:33 -0700
  Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France bebercito@aol.com (Bebercito) - 2024-05-08 15:49 +0000
    Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@dev.null> - 2024-05-08 19:32 +0000
    Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Hibou <vpaereru-unmonitored@yahoo.com.invalid> - 2024-05-09 06:07 +0100
      Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France occam <occam@nowhere.nix> - 2024-05-09 10:55 +0200
  Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@dev.null> - 2024-05-10 19:19 +0000
    Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France bebercito@aol.com (Bebercito) - 2024-05-11 05:25 +0000
      Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@dev.null> - 2024-05-11 07:32 +0000
        Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@devnull.tb> - 2024-06-15 17:42 -0700
          Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org> - 2024-06-16 11:29 +1000
            Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@dev.null> - 2024-06-16 03:24 +0000
              Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@dev.null> - 2024-06-16 05:07 +0000
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org> - 2024-06-16 15:28 +1000
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Julien ÉLIE <iulius@nom-de-mon-site.com.invalid> - 2024-06-16 09:08 +0200
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France HenHanna <HenHanna@devnull.tb> - 2024-06-16 00:44 -0700
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Hibou <vpaereru-unmonitored@yahoo.com.invalid> - 2024-06-16 09:03 +0100
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org> - 2024-06-16 19:41 +1000
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Aidan Kehoe <kehoea@parhasard.net> - 2024-06-16 19:26 +0100
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Aidan Kehoe <kehoea@parhasard.net> - 2024-10-27 11:43 +0000
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Bertel Lund Hansen <rundtosset@lundhansen.dk> - 2024-10-27 19:53 +0100
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org> - 2024-10-28 12:43 +1100
                Re: [embonpoint] was once a completely positive term in France Aidan Kehoe <kehoea@parhasard.net> - 2024-10-28 18:47 +0000

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