# Why call it "French Kissing" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555 "2003-01-23T22:43:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squid)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/1 "2003-01-23T22:43:37Z")
Surely the French did not invent it! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/2 "2003-01-23T22:52:44Z")
No, but they didn’t invent syphilis either- and yet, the English referred to that malady as “The French Disease” for a long time. Fair or not, accurate or not, there’s long been a perception that the French are more prone to debaucherie and lewd behavior than the (supposedly) prim, upright English. So, just as the English were inclined to blame the French for a sex-related disease, they were inclined to associate the more passionate, erotic brand of kissing with thos randy Frogs. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/3 "2003-01-23T23:18:28Z")
Similarly “French letter” for condom. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/4 "2003-01-23T23:22:49Z")
Well, I have it on reliable authority that in French, it’s called “Italian kissing,” and in Italian, it’s called “lemonade.” Maybe we should start a thread on various romance- and sex-related slang terms and how they translate into different languages… ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/5 "2003-01-23T23:36:40Z")
Apparently, ‘French’ was a code word for anything sexual that was considered dirty. Disease, condom, oral sex, etc. were all described as French \*\*\* around 1900 give or take. I don’t know many specifics, but this was specifically called out in an exhibit at the Museum of Sex in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/6 "2003-01-23T23:45:29Z")
But then the French called syphilis the “Italian Disease,” so it seems the buck can be readily passed. Also, related to **Colibri’s** post, _Pariser_ (ie, Parisian) is slang German for condom. So it seems they’ve developed quite a reputation over time. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/7 "2003-01-25T03:05:37Z")
The English definitely started _dissing_ the Frogs, er, French as far back as the 18th century. The “French letter=condom” appears in print from 1856, usually in cites which were informational, scientific, but not usually titillating. It wasn’t exactly the “risque, sexy” usage of the 20th century terms such as French -_postcard(1922), kiss(1918), fuck(1938), tickler(1916), and bath(1935)._ ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/8 "2003-01-25T04:06:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cheesesteak \* > \*\*Apparently, ‘French’ was a code word for anything sexual that was considered dirty. \*\* Makes you wonder what they were doing with the toast. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/9 "2003-01-25T05:09:44Z")
I’m waiting for an Aussie to respond in this thread. That’s because an Aussie French Kiss is different. It’s down under. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/10 "2003-01-25T05:46:09Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Cheesesteak_ > \*\*Apparently, ‘French’ was a code word for anything sexual that was considered dirty. \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RM Mentock \* > \*\*Makes you wonder what they were doing with the toast. \*\* And I _really_ don’t want to know what’s in the dressing… ---
**Author:** ![DRomm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@DRomm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRomm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/11 "2003-01-25T06:22:38Z")
And let’s not even think about the fries or the mustard or the butler in _Family Affair_. On the other hand, a French tickler is… never mind. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/12 "2003-01-25T07:26:01Z")
It is a wonder that nobody has made something dirty out of **“The French Connection”**. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![DLurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecd19e/32.png) [@DLurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DLurker)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/13 "2003-01-25T07:30:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* \* kniz \* \*\* It is a wonder that nobody has made something dirty out of “The French Connection”. And we come full circle back the French Kissing… ---
**Author:** ![headchecked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/258eb7/32.png) [@headchecked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/headchecked)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/14 "2003-01-25T09:16:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cheesesteak \* > \*\*Apparently, ‘French’ was a code word for anything sexual that was considered dirty. Disease, condom, oral sex, etc. were all described as French . \*\* If this info were discovered any other law suits against Mcdonald’s because their french fries are making people fat would be more convincing. ---
**Author:** ![Nishroch\_Order](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Nishroch\_Order](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nishroch_Order)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/15 "2003-01-25T11:51:57Z")
hmm… > [@](#): > > Makes you wonder what they were doing with the toast. And wad could you possibly do wif fries? french-fries… ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/16 "2003-01-25T12:05:48Z")
Because the French do it best? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/17 "2003-01-25T14:59:33Z")
In the U.K., a baguette is a “French stick.” Gives new meaning to the idea of whather man can live on bread alone… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/18 "2003-01-25T15:03:20Z")
And for that matter what the hell is the phrase “The French Mistake” the gay chorus in Blazing Saddles is singing all about? What is the “French Mistake”? ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/19 "2003-01-25T16:58:43Z")
I second astro’s question on the French Mistake. “Five, six, seven, eight, watch me…” ---
**Author:** ![DRomm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@DRomm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRomm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555/20 "2003-01-25T17:28:42Z")
“The French Mistake” was a pun on “The French Mystique”. Oh, that Mel Brooks. Blazing Saddles remains one of the best commentaries on racism in the US ever filmed. Only Brooks could use the N-word (no, not “noo-kew-lar”), have Indians speaking Yiddish and have a Western saloon dancer be related to the baron in the Great Race… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-call-it-french-kissing/150555.md?page=2)