Literal translation
to make an error, a mistake
Meaning
to place a boule badly, in pétanque
Explanation
Àrri and nàrri, two forms of the same word with or without the initial consonant depending on liaison, mean an error, an aberration, or a lapse in behavior; faire un àrri or faire un nàrri thus literally means making a mistake, with no figurative detour. The meaning has become specialized in the vocabulary of pétanque, where the expression precisely denotes placing one's boule badly when aiming, that is, missing one's shot at the target. From this technical use, the meaning broadened to describe, more generally, doing something poorly or botching a task in any field. The stress falls on the initial a, and the n of nàrri appears or drops according to the liaison rules of local speech. The register is familiar, deeply rooted in southern French boules culture, and applies as much on a pétanque court as, by extension, to commenting on a botched job.