I think I should have already commented on El Reg. "Cul-de-sac" is a very common way to call an "impasse" in spoken French. It may not be written on the signs, but it is being used by people of every walk of life. In that expression, "cul" means bottom, not arse. Like "cul-de-bouteille".
Thanks piee, you are correct of course. It was only after moving to France that I found that people use the expression verbally; kids still giggle at the British signposts but that's a sort of Beavis & Butthead thing. "Huh huh huh, they said "arse"..."
Re: Shampoo, I'm reminded of a story told by Arthur Smith where he had seen on a blackboard outside a hair dressers: "Shampoo and cut £10, Proper-poo and cut £20"
What does it say about my age that I remembered this column the moment you mentioned "cul-de-sac" in last week's column but thought it had been maybe some time last year?
A year after it was published by the Reg, obviously I had forgotten about it. Then I went to a piss-up in London, where I met a young journalist who, on learning my name, shouted: "Bag-arse!"
Fragilized hair? What kind of bastardised English is that (on the bottle pic)? I’m very used to the French using mid 14th century French words loaned to English so they could misuse it 700 years later, but really?
I think I should have already commented on El Reg. "Cul-de-sac" is a very common way to call an "impasse" in spoken French. It may not be written on the signs, but it is being used by people of every walk of life. In that expression, "cul" means bottom, not arse. Like "cul-de-bouteille".
Thanks piee, you are correct of course. It was only after moving to France that I found that people use the expression verbally; kids still giggle at the British signposts but that's a sort of Beavis & Butthead thing. "Huh huh huh, they said "arse"..."
Funny how none of the fascist fantasies of the Remainers came about. Enjoy Madame Président Le Pen!
Re: Shampoo, I'm reminded of a story told by Arthur Smith where he had seen on a blackboard outside a hair dressers: "Shampoo and cut £10, Proper-poo and cut £20"
Glad I was alerted to this bonus post via courriel.
What does it say about my age that I remembered this column the moment you mentioned "cul-de-sac" in last week's column but thought it had been maybe some time last year?
A year after it was published by the Reg, obviously I had forgotten about it. Then I went to a piss-up in London, where I met a young journalist who, on learning my name, shouted: "Bag-arse!"
Fragilized hair? What kind of bastardised English is that (on the bottle pic)? I’m very used to the French using mid 14th century French words loaned to English so they could misuse it 700 years later, but really?