Pardon my French?

[Grok]

What is the origin of saying, “Pardon my French” after cursing?

(Apologies if this has been covered before, I did search in GQ and came up empty)

[jonfromdenver]

i don’t know, but it insults the french, and that always makes me happy.

[SpoilerVirgin]

Apparently it derives from the English-French rivalry, particularly the English idea that the French are sexually promiscuous, as in “French kiss” or “French letter” (condom).

A few references:

http://www.wordorigins.org/wordorf.htm

http://www.brocku.ca/press/issues/v.34.26/focus/wacky.html

http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#PardonMyFrench

[detop]

*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin *
Apparently it derives from the English-French rivalry, particularly the English idea that the French are sexually promiscuous, as in “French kiss” or “French letter” (condom).

(italic mine)

Which in a sense is funny, because in French, we often refer to a condom as a "capote anglaise (English coat).

[MonkeyMensch]

And in a similar vein, you can bet the folks in Amsterdam don’t refer to a cheap date as a Dutch Treat.

[TheThill]

Î guess “excuse my Yoruba” was already taken…

[SpoilerVirgin]

*Originally posted by detop *
**

*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin *
Apparently it derives from the English-French rivalry, particularly the English idea that the French are sexually promiscuous, as in “French kiss” or “French letter” (condom).

(italic mine)

Which in a sense is funny, because in French, we often refer to a condom as a "capote anglaise (English coat). **

According to one of the sites I linked above, syphilis is referred to as “French pox” by the English, and as “the English disease” by the French.

[Stella_Fantasia]

Aaaand let’s not forget that the French expression for going AWOL translates to “English leave”…

[detop]

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin *
**

According to one of the sites I linked above, syphilis is referred to as “French pox” by the English, and as “the English disease” by the French. **

I remember reading (sorry no cite, it was a long time ago) that the term French pox for syphilis originated in the 16[sup]th[/sup] century, during the Italian wars. At the time syphilis was unknown in France and the French armies that warred in Italy, especially in the Kingdom Of Naples (which was under the domination of Spain) were the ones that brought it back.

[Azazel]

Originally posted by StellaFantasia *
**Aaaand let’s not forget that the French expression for going AWOL translates to “English leave”… **

    and in English, the term "taking French Leave" means the same thing.

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…hmm, I think we have a pattern here.

[eunoia]

Similarly, “torcheurs de mangeoires aux têtes vides” in English becomes “empty-headed animal food-trough wipers”.

[Sofa_King]

I swear that I’ve asked this before and been told the answer, but dang if I can find it.

Is it true that the French nickname for a staple remover is a “grenouille”?