While Le bon usage of de Grévisse tells us how to use French correctly, here Le mauvais usage tells us how not to use it. Due to popular demand, here is the thread in which we can share findings of French that can offend, yet communicate very succinctly and conveniently. French that can get you slapped, yet get you honoured.
Just remember. Might be an idea to censor stuff in English, as well. While we 'need' to know what it is in the foreign language, the anglophone eye might still take offense. Maybe, in our quest for knowledge of the foul French, we should also develop a sensitivity to the new French words as well, so we will use it only when appropriate!!!. Remember in your written tasks and responses for French, it is a very good thing to show off your knowledge of French - particularly your knowledge of argot/juron, as it gives your written responses that little touch of Francophone authenticity - but it is also imperative that one composes a text 'appropriate to audience and context'. Modality is still alive,
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Prescribed text for study: Merde! The REAL French You Were Never Taught at School - Geneviève, illustrated by Michael Heath, published by Angus & Robertson Publishers.
I'll start off:
se branler - to jerk off/masturbate
se bouffer le nez - to get on each others nerves (Il faut arrêter de se bouffer le nez, vous deux!")
un blaireau - a loser
se foutre a` poil - to strip (apparently very strong)
un pet - a fart
péter - to fart
The Ever-Universal 'foutre/ficher'
Perhaps the most useful juron is this verb, foutre or ficher. It has so many meanings that meaning really depends on the construction and in what context it is used. In the 'Merde!' book there is a whole chapter dedicated to the ficher/foutre family. I shall scan this in and post for reference (not till tomorrow. Damn can't post attachments cos IE won't pop popups up ).
Just remember. Might be an idea to censor stuff in English, as well. While we 'need' to know what it is in the foreign language, the anglophone eye might still take offense. Maybe, in our quest for knowledge of the foul French, we should also develop a sensitivity to the new French words as well, so we will use it only when appropriate!!!. Remember in your written tasks and responses for French, it is a very good thing to show off your knowledge of French - particularly your knowledge of argot/juron, as it gives your written responses that little touch of Francophone authenticity - but it is also imperative that one composes a text 'appropriate to audience and context'. Modality is still alive,
.Prescribed text for study: Merde! The REAL French You Were Never Taught at School - Geneviève, illustrated by Michael Heath, published by Angus & Robertson Publishers.
I'll start off:
se branler - to jerk off/masturbate
se bouffer le nez - to get on each others nerves (Il faut arrêter de se bouffer le nez, vous deux!")
un blaireau - a loser
se foutre a` poil - to strip (apparently very strong)
un pet - a fart
péter - to fart
péter plus haut que son cul - to think too highly of oneself (lit. to fart higher than one's arse.)
péter le feu - to be full of energy
être maigre comme un clou - to be as thin as a rakepéter le feu - to be full of energy
The Ever-Universal 'foutre/ficher'
Perhaps the most useful juron is this verb, foutre or ficher. It has so many meanings that meaning really depends on the construction and in what context it is used. In the 'Merde!' book there is a whole chapter dedicated to the ficher/foutre family. I shall scan this in and post for reference (not till tomorrow. Damn can't post attachments cos IE won't pop popups up
).
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