One of the channels here is having a MASH marathon. In one of the episodes Frank says something that sounds like “AVECT PLAYZERE Miss Snake-in-the-grass.” I am assuming it is latin. Anyone know what the quote is and what it means?
“Avec Plaisir”. Translates to “with pleasure”. He’s being snide of course.
I think the “AVECT” is meant to be the French “avec”. It means “with”. I presume he meant “With Pleasure” and was trying to be crafty about it.
“Avec plaisir” is French, and it means “You’re welcome.”
I think he was saying “Rio.”
“You’re welcome” is “De rien”.
Tell that to my French/English dictionary.
Avec plaisir most literally means “with pleasure”
De rien most literally means “of nothing” (it was nothing)
Both of which can be used as a “you’re welcome” type response to an expression of thanks and can also be used with other connotations in different contexts.
In case anyone is interested, it’s on the Hallmark Channel. The shows are running about 35-40 minutes, so dare we hope they’re showing the unedited, original broadcast episodes?
Was this a common phrase during the Korean war? Frank doesn’t usually speak French, so it seems odd that he uses it here.
Perhaps the French influence in Indo-China filtered all the way up to the Korean peninsula?
It’s simply a common phrase in American English. I hear it all the time, and use it quite often.
Really? Wow, I have never heard it outside of MASH.
It’s an exaggeration to say that it’s a common phrase, but I can certainly imagine an American saying “avec plaisir” to mean “O.K., I can do that,” either sounding slightly pretentious or (more likely) snide because they were saying it in an ironic fashion.
Sure, it’s a commonly-heard phrase. Or, has been since MAS*H popularized it in the early 1970’s. 
Avec is with
Plaisir is pleasure. I’m a bit confused as to the debate here.
And all kidding aside, the phrase was used when my parents were in college, cause they said that’s where they picked it up- and that was City College of NY in the mid 1950’s. Well before the t.v. show.
Cartooniverse
Wow, I’m surprised people aren’t familiar with the phrase. I’m quite certain I’ve seen it on an episode of the Simpsons but I can’t quite remember which one. I’ve certainly heard people use it in real life, though.
That’s what I was thinking. I saw the “Adam’s Rib” episode and there was a scene where Hawkeye mentioned that the ribs are so good that he thinks they come from virgin pigs. I don’t remember seeing that line before (about the virgin pigs), so it must have been snipped for syndication, either because someone thought it was too risque or just for brevity (it was right at the end of a scene).
He said “Oil can.”
You’re right, that was a bit of an exaggeration to call it common. But I’ve heard it steadily for decades, and I’m hope most people watching the show would have understood the phrase in context. It really is very basic French and has been used in American English as Cartooniverse and WW described.
Well, all three of my French teachers were from France, and they only used “de rien”, which means one of two things:
(1) “De rien” is more common for “you’re welcome” OR
(2) They thought we were all stupid and would get confused if they contradicted the textbook*
*This is most likely for Monsieur K, who once asked the class how we managed to remember to bring our heads to class.
