This is infotainment at its best, Remy! We have an Italian similar expression for Tenir la chandelle=Reggere il moccolo, with the same meaning. From my days at school, I remember the above mentioned "poser le lapin", besides "le coup de cafard" and "avoir de la gueule", if I recall them correctly. I also wrote a post about misheard French expressions in the Piedmontese dialect, on my Substack.
Each one of these offers me a writing prompt during the week. The twists and turns of these expressions play around in my mind and unlock some inventive new phrasings. Thanks for each one.
Remy, are you familiar with 1920s-1930s Parisian slang? I've been researching into Maurice Chevalier's songs for novel writing purposes. There are some curious expressions there.
Just the person I've been looking for. I collect American idioms and feel that the most experssive, visually compelling and utterly descriptive is: "When the Shit Hits the Fan."
Certainly this idiom was embraced and raced around the world, translated into thousands of different languages.
Is there a French equivalent for something that goes horribly wrong?
No need to worry about what you'll do when you exhaust all the bizarre expressions -- that will never happen!
This is infotainment at its best, Remy! We have an Italian similar expression for Tenir la chandelle=Reggere il moccolo, with the same meaning. From my days at school, I remember the above mentioned "poser le lapin", besides "le coup de cafard" and "avoir de la gueule", if I recall them correctly. I also wrote a post about misheard French expressions in the Piedmontese dialect, on my Substack.
Grazie Portia :)
Each one of these offers me a writing prompt during the week. The twists and turns of these expressions play around in my mind and unlock some inventive new phrasings. Thanks for each one.
OMG. Brilliant!
Être médusé -- this has to be my favourite! Works in any language and such a evocative image. Thanks for these, as always. 🙏
Hahaha, I think my favourites are "Tenir la chandelle" and the two fishy ones 🤣
i love this. my partner's daughter is french and she has shared a few items of modern vernacular with me... my favourite being
Balec
which comes from "je m'en bat les cuilles" i think... youll know what that means!
Remy, are you familiar with 1920s-1930s Parisian slang? I've been researching into Maurice Chevalier's songs for novel writing purposes. There are some curious expressions there.
Just the person I've been looking for. I collect American idioms and feel that the most experssive, visually compelling and utterly descriptive is: "When the Shit Hits the Fan."
Certainly this idiom was embraced and raced around the world, translated into thousands of different languages.
Is there a French equivalent for something that goes horribly wrong?
Eagerly awaiting versions in any language.
I don't think you'll run out of material anytime soon.
I for one find «avoir un appétit d’oiseau» weird. In reality, birds don't have «bird's appetite» at all – they eat (and crap) all the damn time.
Grammar is perfect, although in the context of your sentence 'la fleur au fusil' might come across as a bit osé :)