In France, “a sunk sheep” has a broader meaning and enters the political sphere.
Why do I need to know? Brebis Galeuse?
The phrase can be used in several contexts outside agriculture or veterinary circles.
What does it mean?
Brebis Galeuse – Bruh-bee gah-loos- technical translates as ‘Owe Scabby’ or ‘Sick or infected sheep’.
TO Brebis It is a female sheep and also a very delicious type or cheese made with sheep’s milk. While gramAleux ORPÍN Galuse It can mean scruff, but it also has a meaning of Sarnia, suspect or infected.
Most of the time, you wish you should go to a veterinarian to listen to this phrase used. In colloquial discourse, it refers to a bad thing or person that can cause damage or corrupt the rest of the group or organization.
In English, the closest expression could be ‘a bad apple’, thinking that sometimes it is translated as ‘black sheep’. The idea is that an infected sheep has the potential to infect the rest of the flock, just like a bad apple can spoil others.
There is an ancient French proverb that uses Brebis Galeuse. Goes: “Il ne Faut Qu’une Brebis Galleuse pouring Gcales Tout Le Toupeau” (Only a Sarnia sheep is needed to infect the entire flock, or to use its English equivalent, only a rotten apple is needed to spoil the entire barrel).
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You can see this phrase appear in the discussions of the French press about police violence: one side you can say that the problems are with the institution, while others could say that there are ‘only a few bad apples’.
If you want to use the expression in English ‘black sheep’ (to refer to someone who stands out or always gets into trouble), you can use direct translation – Mouton Noir – In French.
Use it like that
I will be tenth that Les Policiers Implicadores dance l’encid de brutité n’étautent than quelques Brebis Galuses. – He said that police officers involved in the brutity incident were just some bad apples.
Le candidat d’estrême droite a denanceé proposed racists of Son Collègue. I will be tenth qu’il s’agissait simply d’ane brebis galuse et – The extreme right candidate denounced the racist comments of his colleague. He said it was simply a bad apple and urged people not to judge the party.
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