Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 21 to 22 of 22
  1. 27th February 2012, 08:16 PM #21
    Santa, Redditch's Avatar
    Santa, Redditch
     Santa, Redditch is offline Petty Officer Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    1,370
    That explains it - I know that toile translates as 'cloth' but I didn't see the connection. So what has a cow got to do with surprise?

    There have been several threads about Americans having different meanings for common words like fag (cigarette/gay man) or petrol/gas etc, but it seems French and English might actually be worse

    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
    T Pratchett.
    Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiTweet this Post!
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  2. 28th February 2012, 07:23 AM #22
    Cordelia, France
     Cordelia, France is offline Ship's Cat Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    8
    La "vache" is used for a cow but also for a bad/hard woman. At first it was used to express a negative surprise, something bad done by the "vache " (the hard woman). Then it was used for any kind of surprise.
    It's true that languages are sometimes surprising !

    "It's raining cats and dogs" is seen in a very astonishing way by French !!!

    Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiTweet this Post!
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
« Previous Topic | Next Topic »

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new topics
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Forum Rules