The fabulous foot-in-mouth mishaps that French Husband, the children and I have had tripping over the English and French language has been in the time past (and present) enough fun to poke at each other for years to come
I thought French Husband's classic *pubic transportation would be the number one record holder in our pokes at one another, until I told the priest at our French church that his sermon was: "Vachement bien!"French Husband who never uses slang let alone swear nearly choked, then politely tried to correct me... I wouldn't have it, so I shook my head and I went on to say "What?Vachement isn't slang, everyone says it!"
Though this summer as Sacha has been working with older men out at the ranch he has picked up quite a few choice words...vachement cool if you are a French teen in America and in need of a few good ole swear words to throw around town.
The other day one of the guys at the ranch hollered to Sacha, "Hey when you're done with the "son-bee" you can throw it in the pick-up." Sacha looked at the man, shrugged his shoulders and asked, "What the heck is a son-bee?"
Somethings are better left not translated.
* Pubic Transportation Story:
When I first met French Husband in San Francisco he soon there after took a bus to meet me at St Gabriel's Catholic Church, (where I worked at the time.) The secretaries at the church, Patsy and Peggy, asked French Husband how he got to the church that day? He replied in his extra heavy French accent,
"I tuke de pubic transportation."
I thought Patsy and Peggy would pee their pants they laughed so hard. The jokes never stopped at St. Gabriel's about my romance to the Frenchman, and his pubic transportation! They had a field day with that remark.
Priceless! :-)
Posted by: Hasmin | 15 July 2008 at 07:53 AM
"Pubic Transportation??" Now I'm wondering what BART really stands for. And those Cable Cars- well don't get me started.
D.
Posted by: Donna O. | 15 July 2008 at 08:44 AM
My dear Burgundian husband gave a talk to members of the New Zealand government and various representatives of the agricultural and viticutural world in Christchurch, New Zealand and spoke at length of the rise and fall of "consummation", thinking he was talking about "consumption ". We've had a few laughs about that one. ( I hesitate to say "pokes".....)xxxx C
Posted by: christine | 15 July 2008 at 10:21 AM
still laughing ..
so that I can hardly type..=P
Posted by: pinar | 15 July 2008 at 11:21 AM
Love and laughter are the magic in our lives.
Thanks for adding both to mine.
Love you
Jeanne
Posted by: Jeanne | 15 July 2008 at 12:33 PM
hahahahaha! this is hilarious Corey!
have stories like this one as wel, and yes, we sill laugh!!!!
a hug!
Posted by: caty | 15 July 2008 at 01:43 PM
Corey,
That story of French Husband with his faux-pas, especially being at church might possibly be the funniest thing I have read on your blog :) Thanks for the laugh.
xox
Posted by: My Mélange | 15 July 2008 at 01:49 PM
SOooooooooooooooo L-O-L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Suzanne | 15 July 2008 at 02:09 PM
But what does "vachement" mean??
Posted by: tut-tut | 15 July 2008 at 02:24 PM
Such sweet sweet stories! I'm glad that your family is all together again...
I need to get to the French/English dictionary online to check out your "goof"...but I'm not sure I'll find it!
Posted by: Beverly | 15 July 2008 at 02:47 PM
Oh my goodness!! That is hilarious! Poor thing to have to suffer through that. And vachement? Corey! To the priest? lol
Posted by: Karin | 15 July 2008 at 02:57 PM
I believe Yann invented a euphemism for s-e-x!!
So, what does vachement mean? You can whisper it to me.....
Posted by: Shannon | 15 July 2008 at 03:18 PM
Nice to know you are smiling, Corey.
Posted by: Paula | 15 July 2008 at 03:51 PM
Ahhh, I never swore in English until I learned to swear in German first.
When I was 15, I wouldn't even read the, ahem, B-word off a Trival Pursuit card about the first female dog in space!
Then I moved overseas and all, uh, heck broke loose. Now I swear far worse than the sailor I am married to.
Posted by: Alison Whittington | 15 July 2008 at 04:00 PM
Poor French Husband. That story is so funny. Hey - the Farmer does things like that with English - his first language. You cannot imagine how he butchers Spanish.
- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife
Posted by: Suzanne | 15 July 2008 at 04:27 PM
Oh, my! And they say that immersion is the best way to learn a new language...I guess it is. It's good that we all come with a sense of humor as well ;-)
Posted by: Star | 15 July 2008 at 04:33 PM
I'm smiling and lauging with that post today Corey!!!
Your stories are magical!!
Love,
Rosemary
Posted by: Rosemary | 15 July 2008 at 04:37 PM
Oh my! Hilarious way to start my day. Thanks for sharing. (Does he still blush when you tell that story?) : )
Posted by: Debbie in CA : ) | 15 July 2008 at 05:19 PM
When my eldest daughter Sara was asked by a Frenchman if she spoke any French she replied - oui petit pois.
I just wish I could speak more that a few words of it but luckily have Charlotte to do it all for me :)
Sounds like you are having fun at last.
Hugs to you
Di
xo
Posted by: Di Overton | 15 July 2008 at 07:17 PM
Fun post today! The stat-counters at Google are probably wondering why there has been a sudden increase in the translation request for 'vachement'.
Posted by: Nancy | 15 July 2008 at 07:53 PM
OK, Corey....you got me wondering....Vachement???? What IS it? I think it may have something to do with SEX?? Ha! You said this to a priest???? HA HA!!! Oh my...very funny indeed. As for Donna O wondering about BART...Bay Area Rapid Transit...very boring!!! Maybe we should invent a new meaning????
Fun post today Corey...thanks!
Posted by: Robi from Willows | 15 July 2008 at 08:23 PM
Terrific story Corey. But it was Sasha's Gaelic shrug and "what's a Sun-bee", that really got me laughing. Ah, innocence.
Posted by: annieelf | 15 July 2008 at 11:54 PM
My nephew and his French wife were going to buy a car, a Ford Focus, but when she said Focus it had no o, just u's, which was more than he could take.
It was funny.
Posted by: Mahala | 16 July 2008 at 01:40 AM
So funny! Loved these!
And I'll share one of my own...
I joined a club cinema when we lived in France, thinking it was just for women. Then a husband showed up and said in English, "No Becky. In France, everything we do is bisexual!"
Becky
Posted by: Wonders Never Cease | 16 July 2008 at 03:58 AM
Ohhhhh, funny!! Poor French Husband.
Posted by: susanna | 16 July 2008 at 04:20 PM
Une histoire vachement rigolo! With apologies to French Husband...
Posted by: Colette | 16 July 2008 at 06:11 PM
LOL - my kids do it, too. They say something they have heard someone else say (in Spanish), nearly giving us a stroke as we hurry to yell "Never say that in front of your grandparents!!!" hee hee hee....
Posted by: Amy | 16 July 2008 at 06:46 PM
can't make this stuff up- that is a great story! Everytime I take public transportation I will think of this...lol
eBeth
Posted by: Elizabeth Parsons | 17 July 2008 at 04:52 PM
My dad's native tongue was Spanish. After he had been dating my mom for awhile, he was invited to have dinner with the family. Somehow, conversation turned to the Hoover Dam. Only, my dad got it mixed up and said it the other way around! Anyway, everyone at the table gasped. It took a moment before they realized what he had meant to say. My family still talks about it some thirty plus years later :)
Posted by: Joy | 17 July 2008 at 10:22 PM
Corey - Oh how funny! Thanks for the laugh! I've missed you! :) Marva
Posted by: Marva Plummer-Bruno | 19 July 2008 at 05:02 PM
rotfling =)
definately a keeper of one liners!
xo
Posted by: marybeth | 21 July 2008 at 09:55 AM