# Please interpet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821 "2011-07-21T07:06:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rebeccasrevenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@rebeccasrevenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rebeccasrevenge)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/1 "2011-07-21T07:06:55Z")
:dubious:What does the administrator mean by “this is not a pipe”? ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/2 "2011-07-21T07:15:08Z")
[Ceci n’est pas une pipe.](http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Ceci+n%27est+pas+une+pipe) ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/3 "2011-07-21T10:42:18Z")
> [@rebeccasrevenge](#): > > :dubious:What does the administrator mean by “this is not a pipe”? The administrator of what? What is not a pipe? Could you tell us the context where this happened? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/4 "2011-07-21T10:59:15Z")
In the “duck” thread, one of the Admins., IIRC **GFactor** , posting strictly as a member, used the classic _“Ceci n’est pas une pipe.”_ drawing, which is what the OP is referring to. It’s not itself a pope; it’s a _drawing_ of a pipe. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/5 "2011-07-21T10:59:29Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > [Ceci n’est pas une pipe.](http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Ceci+n%27est+pas+une+pipe) If you have to google it in another language, I don’t think it really qualifies for that site. Fortunately it works [in English](http://www.google.com/search?q=this+is+not+a+pipe). And, rebeccasrevenge: that is good advice. If you wonder about a title, try googling it. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/6 "2011-07-21T11:04:20Z")
Please interpet > [@rebeccasrevenge](#): > > :dubious:What does the administrator mean by “this is not a pipe”? Will give my interpettattion when all interpetters have interpetted. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/7 "2011-07-21T12:31:05Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > It’s not itself a pope No argument on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/8 "2011-07-21T12:47:31Z")
Cecil n’est pas une pope? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/9 "2011-07-21T14:10:23Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Cecil n’est pas une pope? Heretic! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/10 "2011-07-21T14:13:41Z")
The painting (by Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte) is actually called [The Treachery of Images](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treachery_of_Images). It’s a commentary on the fact that the map is not the land…an image is not the object it represents. The painting of a pipe is not a pipe. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/11 "2011-07-21T14:13:51Z")
That’s not a pipe; _this_ is a pipe! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/12 "2011-07-21T14:15:10Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > In the “duck” thread, one of the Admins., IIRC **GFactor** , posting strictly as a member, used the classic _“Ceci n’est pas une pipe.”_ drawing, which is what the OP is referring to. > > It’s not itself a pope; it’s a _drawing_ of a pipe. It’s also neither a penis nor a potato, before you get any funny ideas. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/13 "2011-07-21T14:15:27Z")
| CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/14 "2011-07-21T18:15:00Z")
It was a typo, of cour4se. But… Good thing I wasn’t actually talking about a duck! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/15 "2011-07-21T18:17:18Z")
Isn’t there a board rule about posting comments in other languages than english…and not providing the translation? ETA: Found it: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7697021&postcount=8](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7697021&postcount=8) ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/16 "2011-07-21T18:35:18Z")
Nitpick: the French should be “Ceci n’est pas un pape,” unless, of course, you mean, “Ceci n’est pas une papesse.” (For fairly obvious reasons, the French word for “pope” is masculine, even though it has an “e” on the end.) ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/17 "2011-07-21T18:49:51Z")
…but a request for clarification. > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Isn’t there a board rule about posting comments in other languages than english…and not providing the translation?..[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7697021&postcount=8](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7697021&postcount=8) Excerpted from link, emphasis is mine: _Exceptions include requests for help with translation, explanation of foreign language words or expressions, foreign words or phrases that have come into English, etc._ Does that mean that the non-English titles of well-known (or even lesser-known) works of art must be translated, or would that be considered pedantry/condescension? E.g., La Pietà, Un Ballo in Maschera, A la recherche du temps perdu? What about “old/middle English” titles, such as, Auld Lang Syne? Regards, ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/18 "2011-07-22T01:09:02Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Nitpick: the French should be “Ceci n’est pas un pape,” unless, of course, you mean, “Ceci n’est pas une papesse.” (For fairly obvious reasons, the French word for “pope” is masculine, even though it has an “e” on the end.) Well, is he or isn’t she? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/19 "2011-07-22T01:10:16Z")
This is not a pipe; I’m just happy to see you. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821/20 "2011-07-22T01:20:02Z")
Hey! My dad smoked a pipe! :mad: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-interpet/589821.md?page=2)