Reflexive verb

[Robert]

I'd like to write this sentence in French:

Where can one find some peace and happiness?

I thought it might be nice to use a French pattern that does not exist in English, like this one:

Où se trouve la tour Eiffel ?
Where-does-the-tour Eiffel-find-itself ?

Following the same pattern, I come up with this:

Où se trouvent de la paix et du bonheur ?

Is that any good?

[George Hunt]

When you use "se trouver " it is a bit like saying "where is some peace and happiness?"

If you are actively seeking out a place where these things can be found I would  be more inclined to say "Où est-ce qu'on peut trouver ....." etc.

On the other hand your expression would not be incorrect although I would probably rephrase it as "Où se trouvent  la paix et le bonheur ?"

[Robert]

Merci. A most fascinating thing to me about languages is how  'similar' languages can be infuriatingly 'un-equivalent.'

In this example, both languages recognizes the distinction between 'something is there' and 'go find it.'

As you've pointed out, the 2 sides can come close:

'something can be found there'  === se trouver

'go find it' ===  trouver

However it seems the 2 languages go separate ways when it comes to Paix et Bonheur:  In English it is common to refer to 'some amount of it'  (perhaps because one is so desperate one is hoping for any amount at all).  But the  French side will instead go for the general concepts.  I am sure some extra works can bring across the idea of 'some amounts of peace and happiness.'  But that makes the 2 languages very un-equivalent.  Interesting!

I'd like to ask anyway- How would you translate the some in 'Where can I find some peace and happiness' ? Perhaps it is already implied in 'la paix et le bonheur,'  without it explicitly spelled out ?

    

[George Hunt]

Yes I was putting words in your mouth.

"Some peace and happiness"  reminds me of "peace and quiet" -kind of a set expression perhaps.

If you wanted to explicitly say "some peace and happiness" it would be "de la paix et du bonheur" .

I think in French you need to repeat the "du" before "bonheur" whereas  in English the "some"  can apply to both "happiness" and "peace".

In English we can use the "some" with "peace and happiness"  or not and  the meaning changes with the latter usage implying some kind of a Nirvana state with the former implying some kind of a respite perhaps.

Sorry if this seems a bit of a ramble.......

[Robert]

So my translation of 'some' was actually ok. But had you agreed the first time, I wouldn't have had that confirmation. Le rond-point est souvent mieux que la route directe.

[Vedas]

As Georges said if the person is seeking some respite you could say:

Ou peut-on/ où puis je/ trouver un peu de paix et de bonheur?

[Robert]

un peu - cela réssemble désespérée.
Ou peut-on trouver un peu de paix et de bonheur?
I like that, merci beaucoup.