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lundi 30 avril 2012

Z is for...

Zut alors!

There's a classic image of the stereotypical Frenchman - stripey T-shirt, beret, bicycle, a baguette and some wine, maybe a Gauloise hanging out of his mouth - and the stereotypical Frenchwoman - outrageously chic, poodle on a lead, high heels clickety-clacking. And then there are those expressions we're always vaguely led to believe the French use but that we're all pretty sure they don't.



"Zut alors!" is one of those expressions, along with "Sacré bleu!" and "Comme çi, comme ça".

None of that's particularly interesting. But what I do find interesting is that, whilst I have never heard any French person ever say "Sacré bleu!", the other two are totally in use. The latter, "comme çi, comme ça", means "so-so" and is actually pretty standard.

The other, however, may seem utterly improbable but is in fact amazingly common. "Zut" is an interjection used by anyone wanting to make an interjection but without offending anyone (in the presence of small children, for example). I would never have imagined that people actually used it.

But they do.

So. This has been a pretty crappy day, in a pretty crappy week, in a pretty crappy month and in a pretty crappy year. The A to Z Challenge is now at an end (unless there are more letters in the alphabet that no one told me about), I'm really tired, my back aches from sleeping on the sofa while my dad's here, I'm hopelessly behind in my work and my financial situation - which everyone keeps promising me will improve - persists in absolutely not doing so.

All of which means there's really only one thing to say.

Zut, alors!

2 commentaires:

Mina Lobo a dit…

Here's some mojo, from a divorced mom in New York. You can do this. It sucks having to go through it, but you can do this. "If you're going through hell, keep going," was famously said by your fellow countryman, Winston Churchill. Many, many times I've gritted my molars and said this to myself. Many times. There are some moments, of course, when I can't see the point. But I think of my son and my parents, my sister, and know that they're the reason I have to keep going. You keep going, too.

Wishing peace, prosperity, and wellness, for you and your family,
~Mina

Some Dark Romantic

Jadzia@Toddlerisms a dit…

I have never, ever heard a French person say zut alors! Maybe give it another year. I'm sure I will be hearing some... stronger expressions of dismay from the in-laws, who are Not Happy about the election results.