Sorry for
posting so late as I just got back from a European vacation. Here are more
curious French phrases which might not sound as playful as one might imagine as
in "Houp-là
!"or "Oh là là !" which are supposed to compare to our "Whoops-a-daisy."
However the French are more skilful in pulling petals off a daisy, as
their version of "He loves me, he loves me not"is really filled with
high drama "Il maime, un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie, pas du
tout." The French people like angels but some of their phrases
don't seem to give a pious impression as "Parler aux anges!"means
to "Talk
to your-self." "Etre aux anges!"(to be with the angels) is "To be in the seventh heaven" or
"To
be walking on air!"as you are so ecstatic that you feel as if you could
float. There is also a heavenly way to refer to the sexual climax,"Voir
les anges!"(to see angels).
The French inform us that goats cannot be left in a cabbage patch when they say
"Ménager
la chèvre et le chou." (to
save the goat and the cabbage) that corresponds to the English "To
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds". While our English
idiom "To pull the rug from under someone"is full of
surprise the French expression "Couper
l'herbe sous les pieds" (to cut
the grass under your feet) lacks
wit.
