English Excuse My French

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karenlee Wednesday 09th of November 2005 12:16:58 AM
Excuse my french - Today, I just learn a new english phrase from my american friends "Excuse my french".
he was actually swearing, i asked him why u used that phrase, he couln't tell the reason. How come like that????? French really gonna be pissed off!

joziboy Wednesday 09th of November 2005 01:18:56 AM
- Hey karenlee, that expression comes from the Napoleonic wars I think - where England and France were at war. It's an excellent idiom ;)
There's a page on English idioms on here somewhere...

cesar Wednesday 09th of November 2005 02:26:53 AM
- Even though "Excuse my French" might sound OK and it may be totally acceptable (I have nothing against it), the idiom is "Pardon my French", and it means "Pardon me for saying bad words."

Another idiom that mentions a language is "You're talking Greek to me" or "That's Greek to me", and it is used when you do not undestand anything of what is being communicated (spoken or written, for instance). You use it to let the other person know that you're totally lost.

I hope it helps.

Cheers!

Osman Wednesday 09th of November 2005 03:56:58 PM
- [quote][i]Originally posted by cesar[/i]

Even though "Excuse my French" might sound OK and it may be totally acceptable (I have nothing against it), the idiom is "Pardon my French", and it means "Pardon me for saying bad words."

Another idiom that mentions a language is "You're talking Greek to me" or "That's Greek to me", and it is used when you do not undestand anything of what is being communicated (spoken or written, for instance). You use it to let the other person know that you're totally lost.
[/quote]

hey it is quite interesting :)

we also have same idiom in Turkish.
we say "Fransız kalmak" (to be like a French)
for example if we are together with friends and talk about a specific topic,football lets say, and one of our friends dont understand what we say...
we say to him " Fransız kaldın"
it means you have no idea about the subject"
it contains a bit mocking ;)
so it is not a kind way to use for person whom you have met yet. it is used for the friends whom you know for a long time.

have fun with words & idioms & languages!

Ciraric Thursday 10th of November 2005 01:30:17 AM
- I believe the proper version of the idiom is 'It's all Greek to me'.

Although I have no idea where that comes from.

cesar Thursday 10th of November 2005 01:48:07 AM
- That another way of saying it, and it is OK as well. I have heard all those.

Cheers!

lexicon Friday 18th of November 2005 09:43:39 AM
- "Excuse my French" is kind of a way to jokingly apologize for swearing. I don't know how it got started, but it's definitely not to be translated literally.

Phrasebase Archive
	karenlee	Wednesday 09th of November 2005 12:16:58 AM
	Excuse my french - Today, I just learn a new english phrase from my american friends "Excuse my french". he was actually swearing, i asked him why u used that phrase, he couln't tell the reason. How come like that????? French really gonna be pissed off!
	joziboy	Wednesday 09th of November 2005 01:18:56 AM
	- Hey karenlee, that expression comes from the Napoleonic wars I think - where England and France were at war. It's an excellent idiom ;) There's a page on English idioms on here somewhere...
	cesar	Wednesday 09th of November 2005 02:26:53 AM
	- Even though "Excuse my French" might sound OK and it may be totally acceptable (I have nothing against it), the idiom is "Pardon my French", and it means "Pardon me for saying bad words." Another idiom that mentions a language is "You're talking Greek to me" or "That's Greek to me", and it is used when you do not undestand anything of what is being communicated (spoken or written, for instance). You use it to let the other person know that you're totally lost. I hope it helps. Cheers!
	Osman	Wednesday 09th of November 2005 03:56:58 PM
	- [quote][i]Originally posted by cesar[/i] Even though "Excuse my French" might sound OK and it may be totally acceptable (I have nothing against it), the idiom is "Pardon my French", and it means "Pardon me for saying bad words." Another idiom that mentions a language is "You're talking Greek to me" or "That's Greek to me", and it is used when you do not undestand anything of what is being communicated (spoken or written, for instance). You use it to let the other person know that you're totally lost. [/quote] hey it is quite interesting :) we also have same idiom in Turkish. we say "Fransız kalmak" (to be like a French) for example if we are together with friends and talk about a specific topic,football lets say, and one of our friends dont understand what we say... we say to him " Fransız kaldın" it means you have no idea about the subject" it contains a bit mocking ;) so it is not a kind way to use for person whom you have met yet. it is used for the friends whom you know for a long time. have fun with words & idioms & languages!
	Ciraric	Thursday 10th of November 2005 01:30:17 AM
	- I believe the proper version of the idiom is 'It's all Greek to me'. Although I have no idea where that comes from.
	cesar	Thursday 10th of November 2005 01:48:07 AM
	- That another way of saying it, and it is OK as well. I have heard all those. Cheers!
	lexicon	Friday 18th of November 2005 09:43:39 AM
	- "Excuse my French" is kind of a way to jokingly apologize for swearing. I don't know how it got started, but it's definitely not to be translated literally.