pardon my french

[jane]

What is the origin of the saying Pardon my French to excuse swearing?

[incitatus]

Im not sure...I think because it allows the person sworn in front of to pretend they have not understood.

[ravenhair]

No, that's not it. The etymology comes from the fact that the English and the French have traditionally been at loggerheads for centuries. The English tended to think of the French as a vulgar and impolite race, obsessed with sex. To say "Pardon my French" is to equate your behaviour with that of a French person, ie say something vulgar. This way of thinking has led to several other French- words, such as French letter, French kissing and so on.

[incitatus]

This is curious, because at the time of the highest popularity of the phrase (say 1870 to 1950...it is a little archaic) everything French was seen as stylish! I know the phrase is older than that, but still..... Incidentally French letters were referred to as such by Casanova, so its not just us! Add to the list French Pox (syphilis) which was latinised as Morbum Gallicum!

[artisan]

It may have something to do with the fact that the French consider everything vulgar "Ebglish"?

[jean1938]

I might be of some help here... as I am a FRENCH QU�B�COIS from MONTR�AL...:))))). First consider the question again: ".......saying Pardon my French to excuse swearing?......." "EXCUSE SWEARING"!...Do u know how we french Qu�b�cois are called by Mexicans?? LOS TABARNACOS!... :)))) Because we are used to swearing a lot...TABARNAK :)) Are we the only people to use all church objets and words when we swear??? TABARNAK is the swear formula of the word Tabernacle.... Less gross would be Tabarslak or Tabaslak.:))) And we have lots of others...:))) K�LISS, HOSTI. OSTI. 'STI...CIBO�RE ST-CHREMM etc...:))) I don't want to offend anyone here. It is just for the sake of EXPLANATION :))) But even just for the fun of it, after a few drinks, I know lots of people who will swear like this... including myself...:))) NO OFFENCE.... Any comments someone???

[kirsty1986]

I think that 'pardon my french' is not as in-depth or as complicated a saying as it may seem. The British attitude is somewhat reluctant to learning (or, indeed, tolerating) 'foreign' languages, so saying something as simple as 'pardon my French' is something with which to simulate that you have used vulgur or taboo language but you do not want to associate it directly with English. As French is found very bewlidering to many Brits, it is an easy 'scape-goat' to use when saying something that you do not want to connect to your own language...