# How bad is this French note I jacked up from Le Robert?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-this-french-note-i-jacked-up-from-le-robert/680786>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 7, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-this-french-note-i-jacked-up-from-le-robert/680786 "2014-02-07T20:49:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-this-french-note-i-jacked-up-from-le-robert/680786/1 "2014-02-07T20:49:28Z")

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Remember, only an asshole uses slang from a language he’s iffy with, and an even bigger one uses it writing in a language where the elementary grammar is something of a mystery…  
Pierre,  
Merde alors! Mais bon sang qu’est-ce qui se passe?

Qu’y a-t-il au menu? Eh bien, quand je suis rentré à la maison je découvris un mets nouveau (bonheur, étoile, etc):

_[INDENT]Cahier de Exercices Orthographique et Chiffres de La Langue des Signes Américaine marinée au Sauternes saupoudré de flocons de tabac et poussières en cartable_

Qui a oublié le bouchon?  
Votre pote,

Leo, et Buddy le Superchien[/INDENT]

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-this-french-note-i-jacked-up-from-le-robert/680786/2 "2014-02-07T21:08:25Z")

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What I had in mind, goofing around purposely, is:

Pierre,

Shit! What the hell happened? When I got home I discovered a new recipe (happiness, star, etc.):

Exercise book for fingerspelling and numbering in American Sign Language marinated in Sauternes, powdered with flecks of tobacco and random dust _en cartable._

Who forgot the cork?  
Your Pal, [if archaic, it’s ok.]

Leo, and Buddy the Wonder Dog [that’s his full name, but I switched it to Superdog thinking that Superman is understood as a loan word.]  
The last part of the recette should stay in French, as in _en croustade_ (in a crust), but here it was in my messenger bag/book bag/satchel.

If there’s a word for “random crud/lint you find at the bottom of a briefcase/pocket/whatever,” which won’t mess up the punch line of en cartable, it would be all the better. I think.

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**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-this-french-note-i-jacked-up-from-le-robert/680786/3 "2014-02-07T23:40:43Z")

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Pretty good. My suggestions (underlined):

(…)

Qu’y a-t-il au menu? Eh bien, quand je suis rentré à la maison, j’ai découvert un mets nouveau (bonheur, étoile, etc):

```
Cahier d'exercices orthographiques et numériques en Langue des signes américaine, mariné au Sauternes, saupoudré de flocons de tabac et résidus divers, en cartable

```

(…)

Votre pote, \<== This is singular (only one pal) and presents an odd mix of formal and casual. “Vos potes” is plural, “Tes potes” is plural and familiar.

Leo, et Buddy le Superchien