Pardon my French!

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I find it annoying when people say this after having uttered some swear word. If 'fuck' is the word you want to say, then say it. If you think it might offend people, and you don't want to offend them, DON'T SAY IT! (unless you have Tourette's, I s'pose) I was with a friend this weekend who kept saying 'pardon my French' after using certain words. Sheesh!

― Skottie, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:05 (twenty-two years ago)

this just in: ILX bans all colloquialisms!

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Pardon my portuguese is better, even though I don't approve of litter.

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Or, pardon my Thai. Pardon Mai Tai.

http://www.cointreau.at/images/cocktails/c32.jpg

Trader Vic's Original Mai Tai recipe.
The Original Formula - 1944

2 ounces of 17-year old J. Wray & Nephew Rum over shaved ice.
Add juice from one fresh lime.
1/2 ounce Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao.
1/4 ounce Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup.
1/2 ounce French Garier Orgeat Syrup
Shake vigorously.
Add a sprig of fresh mint

― Skottie, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:12 (twenty-two years ago)

It's just that saying "pardon my French" doesn't excuse anything. And if you say it repeatedly, it means you meant to say whatever you're apologizing for. So unless you have no control over what you're saying, you meant to keep saying something that must be apologized for. It's maddening.

(Can't you see it's driving me mad?)

― Skottie, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate it when people say "driving me mad." Why don't they just go mad or shut up about it? Are they ashamed of their insanity?

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Trader Vic's Captain's Table, 1946

He: You have to be the loveliest creature I've seen since before the war.
She: Yeah? I bet you say that to all the girls.
He: No, those whores in Singapore were pretty skanky, eh, pardon my French.

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate it when people (you know, Americans) say "Europe" when they actually mean "Italy" or "Austria" or "Denmark".

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Bu that's my burden.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

And why do people park in the driveway and drive on the parkway? I mean, what's up with that?

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Just tell them you'll break your foot off in their ass if they say it again. "I'll pardon your French, buddy. Say it one more time."

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate it when people (you know, Americans) say "Europe" when they actually mean "Italy" or "Austria" or "Denmark".

Still that's better than when they say "Europe" and they mean "Ecuador".

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

NA in making lame 1980s Night-at-the-Improv standup comic jokes non-shocker!

― QUOTATIONS FROM JERRY SEINFELD (hstencil), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

The preferred phrase is, "French my hard-on."

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I was with a friend this weekend who kept saying 'pardon my French' after using certain words. Sheesh!

Bonjour! T'as une tête a faire sauter les plaques d'egouts!

Pardon my french.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Whole for the part. Synecdoche. Respectable figure of speech. Or aren't "Italy" or "Austria" or "Denmark" in "Europe?"

Come to think of it maybe "Italy" is at Epcot Center and Italy is in Europe.

― Skottie, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Hstencil, did you really think I was asking that question seriously? Or are you still pissed about the flying thing? Was your mom a pilot or something?

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:26 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.wvah.com/programs/thirdrock/frenchstewart.jpg
PARDON MY FRENCH!!!!!!!!!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

NA did you really think I've not been deliberately getting your goat all day? You can have him back now, btw.

― QUESTIONS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY (hstencil), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

But, this thread sucks. Gone with ye. I say.

― Pardon me, sir(s), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks, h, my dick has been getting cold without it.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

pardon my zinger

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

― ZUNG (hstencil), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

They're the heaviest, hairiest fistfuls fo muscle ever!

That's their first selling point? What is this, marketing to the acutely self-aware ten year old chickenhawk?

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

oh stence, that is just too awesome

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Do people actually say "Pardon my French" in real life?? I was just about to tell a playwright friend of mine to eighty-six it from his new play, on the grounds that it seemed too movie-dialogue cliche!

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

YES! It drives me nuts!

― Skottie, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

― PARDON MY FREEDOM FRIES (hstencil), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

"Pardon my French" sounds kind of cutely archaic, like something granny would say after getting so caught up the moment that she accidentally let an f-bomb fly.

For non-grannies, though: resounding dud.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic: Granny catching herself just about to swear, then veering off into "Oh, SSSSHUGAR!" or (even better), "Oh, FFFFAIRIES!" I love that.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I want to be friends with playwrights! (or do I?)

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

"Pardon my fucking french." -- David Mamet

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

My favorite use is in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, when Cameron is talking to the principal on the phone as the girlfriend's dad, and says "Pardon my French, but you're an asshole!" It's even funnier in the edited for TV version.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

what about people who say things like "He is a right S H 1 T" or "He is a complete Bar Steward"?

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Funking Barstewards to thread.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Ever seen it when in edited movies the two angry men yell:
"Forget you!"
"No, forget you!"

― paulhw (paulhw), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)

"Forget all you monkeyfaces!"

Eddie Murphy movies on BBC1 to thread.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I say it occasionally if I swear in company where I don't think it's appropriate, like friends' parents, or at work in certain circumstances. i.e. when the usual foul-mouthed stuff springs forth from my lips, but I don't mean it to.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

The best Ferris Bueller is changing the "up his ass" in "Cameron is so uptight, if you stuck a lump of coal up his ass, in five weeks you'd have a diamond" to "in his fist."

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Which basically just implies that he's Superman.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Note to Dan P - "fist" less rude than "ass". Use it wisely.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:56 (twenty-two years ago)

The "up his ass" to "in his fist" change is further made brilliant by the fact that the overdub doesn't sound a damn thing like matthew broderick.

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:56 (twenty-two years ago)

This is what I don't understand. If it's so bad that it's going to do some kind of damage, saying "Pardon my French" isn't going to help. And if it's not such a big deal, it's not a big deal.

Seems to me it calls attention to the offending remark more than excusing it. But I really don't get it when it's said repeatedly in the same conversation.

But that's just me, goddammit.

― Skottie, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Asking anyone to "pardon" anything seems like a waste of time really. It already happened, get over it! Pardon me for pointing that out.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Its like saying "no offence" after you've just flamed the shite out of someone, pardon my wotsits.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Too true, Trayce. That's another one.

― Skottie, Thursday, 20 May 2004 05:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Or in a similar vein saying "No offence but..." and then proceeding to say something offensive. One of my personal favourites.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Thursday, 20 May 2004 05:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Or worse, 'not being funny, but...'

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Thursday, 20 May 2004 11:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Another analogue is beginning a question with "I'm just curious..." and then asking something rather personal. "Well, nosy, your curiousity is neither a justification for your asking, nor an incentive for my answering. SO step off."

― Skottie, Thursday, 20 May 2004 13:02 (twenty-two years ago)

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