fun with language
Here in Montreal, French and English coexist peacefully, but I’ve noticed that, elsewhere, the two languages like to snipe at each other. For instance, in Britain, to leave without paying a bill is called “making a French exit.” In France, the very same practice is known as “filer a l’anglaise.” Similarly, in the U.S., a noxious salad dressing made by combining mayonnaise and ketchup is called “French dressing.” In France, this culinary monstrosity is known (probably more accurately) as “sauce americaine.”
Any other examples you can think of?
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I used to work in the fashion design industry and something I learned was that there is a particular sewing construction called a “french seam” in english but in french it’s called “couture anglaise”. Go figure.