Thursday, October 29, 2015

CHERCHEZ LA FEMME

"Châtaigne:  femelle du marron" -- Gustave Flaubert, Dictionnaire des Idées Reçues

An unfinished work that Gustave Flaubert began in 1850 and continued til the end of his life in 1880 was a collection of sometimes silly French aphorisms, Dictionniare des Idées Reçus. A must.

Know that in France when the edible sweet chestnut, la chataigne, is transformed into culinary delights, it is most often called "un marron." The common, non-edible horse chestnut, is also called un marron. 

Expressions
une idée reçue:  a preconceived notion
cherchez la femme:  literally, look for the woman; the idea being that if a man's behavior is out of character or strange it is because he is either trying to hide an extra-marital affair, or trying to impress a woman. The term was coined by Alexandre Dumas.


©2015 P.B. Lecron



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