Monday, October 24, 2011

Talk of Angels


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.