For Sweet 17 and other word-lovers

[Frecossais]

One of the members of my French group asked me if I'd ever heard of the expression "s'appelait popette" (my interpretation of what she said).

Since I hadn't, I asked a French friend. The word is actually "saperlipopette", a very old word that was used to express surprise or amazement.

Maybe it's the equivalent of the English "Well, I never!" (Not that you hear that a lot nowadays.)

Anyway I bring it to your attention since I know you enjoy learning and using French expressions.

[mint]

Frecossais, thank you so much.  Yes, such a very lovely word!

What can I give you in exchange that sounds a little like it except saloperie?

That means something like rubbish or things of no worth.  I first came across it when I was reading Marcel Pagnol's La Gloire de mon Père.  He was in a brocante with his father and they were negotiating to buy something or other (I forget what) and the father said the thing was a mere saloperie.

However, I don't recommend that you try that when you next bargain for something because the vendeur could very well be thoroughly offended [:P]

[YCCMB]

I seem to remember captain Haddock said saperlipopette a few times in the Tintin books. Now there's a rich source of unusual vocabulary, mille sabords!

[Chancer]

I like the word cochonnerie!

[Frecossais]

Alors saperlipopette! I like saloperie SW17, I suppose I could use it on my next visit to Emmaus. It could come from the same root as salopette, which means overalls

Cochonnerie is good too Chancer. It sounds very insulting. I looked it up and found "Il ne mange que des cochonneries." (He only eats junk food.)

Better be careful about calling anyone a cochon though, one of its meanings is sex maniac!

Betty you are well read. Can't find sabords even in my Larousse. When would you use mille sabords?

[YCCMB]

Sorry, Frecossais, I'm not well read at all, just playing! Mille Sabords is Captain Haddock's staple exclamation in Tintin. It has many variations:

Mille sabords!

Mille milliers de mille sabords!

Mille milliers de mille sabords de tonnerre de Brest!

and many others in similar vein. It probably only exists in Tintin and I think in English it becomes "blistering barnacles" although that's not a literal translation!

There's a neat exchange also in one of the Tintin books where Dupont and Dupond (the Thompson Twins, if you're more familiar with the English version) find a gold nugget - une pepite. Their exchanges in the books often involve spoonerisms or similar, and one of them gets a bit tongue tied and says "saperlipepite, une popette!"

[Patf]

I heard cochonnerie for the first time recently - our neighbour's dog comes for walks with us and often finds some disgusting skeleton or skull to chew, carries it all over. I usually tell his owner as sometimes he's sick afterwards. So she said that word, I thought it meant parts of the pig or sanglier which it usually is. But now I know - just rubbish food.

[Frenchie]

 You could also hear one say " Rien d'interessant ; que des cochonneries dans ce vide grenier " .( So it is just like saloperie) .

Both can be considered as offending , so , beware !

[suein56]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"] Mille sabords!

It probably only exists in Tintin and I think in English it becomes "blistering barnacles" although that's not a literal translation! [/quote]

The 'mille sabords'  is an annual event which takes place not far from us every autumn where second hand boats are on sale. It is quite an occasion usually lasting 3 or 4 days and thousands of people arrive en masse.

http://www.lemillesabords.com/actualite-96-le-mille-sabords.html

Sue

[nomoss]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]Sorry, Frecossais, I'm not well read at all, just playing! Mille Sabords is Captain Haddock's staple exclamation in Tintin. It has many variations:
Mille sabords!
Mille milliers de mille sabords!
Mille milliers de mille sabords de tonnerre de Brest!

and many others in similar vein. It probably only exists in Tintin and I think in English it becomes "blistering barnacles" although that's not a literal translation!

There's a neat exchange also in one of the Tintin books where Dupont and Dupond (the Thompson Twins, if you're more familiar with the English version) find a gold nugget - une pepite. Their exchanges in the books often involve spoonerisms or similar, and one of them gets a bit tongue tied and says "saperlipepite, une popette!"
[/quote]

My dictionary gives sabord as "port(hole)", mille sabords! as "shiver my timbers!"

 

[YCCMB]

It's also a bookshop (and a restaurant) in La Rochelle, another goodness knows how many restaurants and seaside shops all over France[:D] The Mille Sabords boat salon started in the 80's, IIRC, so I guess it took its name from Tintin, too.[;-)]