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What is the capital of Tunisia?

« crapahuter » or « patauger » – Which to use to express “trudge home through the snow”?

I would go for crapahuter.

As you said, patauger is specifically used when there is water somewhere. Pataugeoire is even used as the small-depth pool for children.
Crapahuter is more general, for every kind of terrain.

I’m sure there is another word, in another style, more formal, but I can’t find it.

I wouldn’t use crapahuter which for me evokes too much military activities like an assault or a forced march.

As already stated:

  • patauger implies there is some water so might work or not depending of the snow quality.

  • chez soi is for third person (e.g. chacun chez soi.) Here you are talking about your own home, so chez moi.

I would remove the pronoun en from your sentence as it has no antecedent.

Here is what I would use if the snow is usually melting:

J’ai des frissons rien qu’à l’idée de devoir patauger dans tant de neige jusqu’à chez moi chaque jour.

and if the snow usually stays frozen:

J’ai des frissons rien qu’à l’idée de devoir [me traîner]/[progresser] péniblement dans tant de neige jusqu’à chez moi chaque jour.

“Crapahuter” is really very familiar, and not snow-related. Neither is “patauger”.

I would say : “Me frayer un chemin dans la neige”, if the distance is short (between the car and the house for instance). It seems to me it is the most suited expression for snow.

But for longer distances, I would formulate it otherwise, stressing the time (and thus the effort) needed: “Rien qu’à l’idée de devoir marcher des heures dans la neige, j’en ai des frissons”

I do not agree with “la neige abondante”, which is definitely very english-sounding.

Many other possibilities exist, depending on the effect you are looking for :
“Me frayer un chemin dans la neige / dans les congères” (Regular style)
“Me frayer un chemin dans la neige sur deux kilomètres”.
“Moi, me taper deux kilomètres dans la neige, vous rigolez ?!” (Popular style).
“Rien qu’à l’idée de devoir traverser toute cette neige à pied, j’en ai des nausées” (Drama queen).
“Mon ami, si vous croyez que je vais traverser toute cette neige à pied, vous vous trompez!” (Victorian style).
“Je vais vous dire un truc : moi, la neige, j’ai horreur de ça et je ne mets pas les pieds dedans, mais j’irai quand même” (Audiard/Gabin style).
etc… etc…

On the many ways of saying a same thing, read “Exercices de style” of Quenaud, or the famous “Tirade des Nez” in Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac.

 

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What is the capital of Tunisia?