# French speakers: does this pun work in French? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 21, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-speakers-does-this-pun-work-in-french/718159 "2015-04-21T03:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-speakers-does-this-pun-work-in-french/718159/1 "2015-04-21T03:38:08Z")
Australia presented to the survivors of the Charlie Hebdo attack a signed version of a cartoon by an Australian cartoonist which apparently went viral in the aftermath. The story is [here](http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/charlie-hebdo-attack-julie-bishop-presents-french-cartoonists-with-david-popes-famous-work-20150421-1mpem4.html). The cartoon relies on a pun, which I will spoiler for those not familiar with the cartoon: namely that “drew” can mean both produced one’s weapon and created a picture. Does this pun work in French? ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-speakers-does-this-pun-work-in-french/718159/2 "2015-04-21T04:09:19Z")
No. In French, the word for “to draw,” as in a picture, is _dessiner_. The word for “to draw,” as in a weapon is _dégainer_. As far as I know, no one would mix one of them up with the other. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-speakers-does-this-pun-work-in-french/718159/3 "2015-04-21T04:32:25Z")
Thanks