Ye Olde Rustic Plastering

[Penners]

I always find it incredible that we are so laissez faire about the encroachment of French words into our language.

A propos of that, in my memoirs I recount someone saying those same bons mots to me in an avant-garde restaurant. It was just after the aperitifs, while we were choosing our dinner a la carte (we were both rather bons viveurs). If I recall, he was sitting on a chic chaise longue, eyeing up a decidedly decollete blonde divorcee - but he was a bit of an enfant terrible.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I can envisage the scene now - a jolly tete a tete, no doubt.

 

[Keithj]

Tout m'afflige et me nuit et conspire à me nuire.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Mange tout. Apres moi la deluge.

As Delboy would say. :lol:

 

[Penners]

Tout m'afflige et me nuit et conspire à me nuire.

Quoi?! Ce que vous dites ne veut rien dire!

 

[Keithj]

Mais si!

Corneille, Phèdre. One of my A-Level set books more years ago than I admit to.

 

[Penners]

But for it to make sense, "nuit" must surely be part of a verb. If it is, I confess that I don't recognise it as such.

I bet I did French A-level (also read Phèdre) longer ago than you did!

 

[Keithj]

But for it to make sense, "nuit" must surely be part of a verb. If it is, I confess that I don't recognise it as such.

Yep. 3rd person present singular of "nuire".

I bet I did French A-level (also read Phèdre) longer ago than you did!

French A-level in 1961. I'm but a lad. It still seems a long time ago, though.

 

[Penners]

I had to look up "nuire"! That's how rusty my French has got!

What a fresh-faced youth you are! I did A-level in 1959 (for the benefit of our younger readers, that was shortly after the Battle of Waterloo).

 

[Keithj]

Tu veux dire: La Guerre d'Eautoilette?

 

[Penners]

Oui, c’est ça exactement!

 

[Zebra]

Tu veux dire: La Guerre d'Eautoilette?

:lol: