Play on words question

[Josh Sauerman]

Hi, all.  I'm rather novice with French, but I have a wordplay question.  My understanding is that the term "Train de vie" translates as "way of life" or "lifestyle".  If I wanted to use "train de vieux" to have the double entendre "lifestyle of the old"/"train of the old person" (as in a locomotive for the second one), would that work or be just plain wrong?

[Chantal Savignat]

Hello

I am not sure that "train de vie" is really  "way of life" or  "lifestyle", I don't know what is exactly understood by "lifestyle" or "way of life" but "train de vie" must be understood rather as the level of the way of life, the financial level. Someone who has a good "train de vie" is someone who spends a lot of money, and no matter what he buys.

So "train de vieux" can't be understood as "lifestyle of the old"  (even in a 2nd degree joke) but only as "train of old person".

[Josh Sauerman]

Ah, OK.  Very helpful.  Didn't realize it was in a purely a financial sense.  Thanks!