"Pardon my French" or "Excuse my French" is a commonEnglish language phrase for asking for excuse for one'sprofanity by the humorous assertion that the swear words were from theFrench language. It plays on the stereotype of Gallic sophistication, but can be used ironically.
At least one source[1] suggests that the phrase "derives from a literal usage of the exclamation. In the 19th century, when English people used French expressions in conversation they often apologized for it – presumably because many of their listeners (then as now) wouldn't be familiar with the language". The definition cites an example fromThe Lady's Magazine, 1830:[2]
Bless me, how fat you are grown! – absolutely as round as a ball: – you will soon be asembonpoint[note 1][1] (excuse my French) as your poor dear father, the major.
"Excuse my French" appears an 1895 edition ofHarper's Weekly, where an American tourist asked about the architecture of Europe says "Palaces be durned! Excuse my French."[3][4] The phrase "pardon my French" is recorded in the 1930s and may be a result of English-speaking troops returning from the First World War.[4]
The phrase has been used inbroadcast television and family films where less offensive words are preceded by "pardon my French" to intensify their effect without violatingcensorship orrating guidelines. An example is in the movieFerris Bueller's Day Off; Cameron Frye says, "Pardon my French, but you’re an asshole" on a phone call with Edward Rooney.[5]
Poster for the 1921 moviePardon My French; the character on the left uses the French profanity "Diable!"
Severaleuphemisms expressions exist in both English and French which ascribe culturally unacceptable or sensitive matters to another culture.
"to take a French leave" (to depart a party or other gathering without taking polite leave of one's host) is referenced in French asfiler à l'anglaise (lit. "leave English-style").[6]
"French letter" (a now somewhat archaic reference to acondom) is rendered in French ascapote anglaise ("English hood" or "English cap").[7][8]
During the 16th century in England,genital herpes was called the "French disease" and "French-sick" was a term forsyphilis, while in France, it was calledle Mal de Naples (theNapoli disease), after the syphilis outbreak in 1494/1495 while French troops were besieging Naples (History of syphilis,Syphilis).
"French kiss" (A kiss with the tongue is referred to in French asun baiser orune pelle (a colloquialism which literally means "a shovel").
