Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Culture/Funny-idiomatic-expressions"
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*Example: Il élude toujours les questions pièges sur ses préférences politiques, mais c'est un secret de polichinelle. Source: Le Monde (2001) | *Example: Il élude toujours les questions pièges sur ses préférences politiques, mais c'est un secret de polichinelle. Source: Le Monde (2001) | ||
==Il a gagné la course "les doits dans le nez"== | ==Il a gagné la course "les doits dans le nez"== | ||
*Litteraly: He won | *Litteraly: He won the race with his fingers in the nose | ||
*Meaning: He won | *Meaning: He won the race very easily | ||
==C'est l'hôpital qui se fout de la charité== | ==C'est l'hôpital qui se fout de la charité== | ||
Revision as of 21:17, 14 December 2020
C'est un secret de polichinelle
- Meaning: it's an open secret
- Example: Il élude toujours les questions pièges sur ses préférences politiques, mais c'est un secret de polichinelle. Source: Le Monde (2001)
Il a gagné la course "les doits dans le nez"
- Litteraly: He won the race with his fingers in the nose
- Meaning: He won the race very easily
C'est l'hôpital qui se fout de la charité
- Meaning: Someone who doesn't give a damn about an individual's fault, which he himself has.
- Origin: Here, the word "hospital" refers to a medical establishment since the 17th century. This establishment was managed by a principal, who called himself "charity". The hospital, having nothing to envy of charity, therefore has no valid reason to mock it. This is where the fun side of the phrase lies, a certain irony. This therefore qualifies a person who makes fun of someone who has the same fault as her.
Faire l'autruche / pratiquer la politique de l'autruche
We use this expression to talk about someone who refuses to face reality and prefers to bury his head in the ground "like an ostrich".