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Bonjour mon canard


Hoddy
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I came across a postcard with this on. When I asked my French neighbour he looked rather sheepish and said it was a greeting that you would use with someone you are very familiar with.

“Hey up mi duck” is a widespread familiar greeting in my part of the UK.

Does anyone know if this greeting is in use in all parts of France or if it is a fairly local thing ?

Hoddy
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The neighbour is right, it is a direct equivalent to 'ay oop me dook' which was certainly very common when I lived in Derbyshire - in fact it was the use of that phrase that was said to characterise locals from the area near Belper where I was. Some sources suggest that the origin of the East Midland phrase is this same French term, although others suggest it comes from 'The Dukeries', the area around Worksop in North Notts. The phrase in French seems perfectly innocent, so I don't know why the neighbour may have felt sheepish.

I don't think it's purely local to your area - a quick Google showed it is also current in Belgium, and comes up frequently in lists of French terms of endearment.

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In my old region of France people say 'mon chou' most. But mon canard and mon chou are very familier as far as I am concerned.

In the NE of England we don't say 'me duck' as my mother would say, but 'pet', which used to amuse my young sons a lot.

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In the South West of England it is often 'my lover' which can lead to funny looks.

I don't often hear anything after Bonjour down here unless it is Ca va? Perhaps it is more common further North?

A canard is a sugar lump to soften rough brandy or a 'rag' in the sense of a poor quality newspaper hence the self mocking title le Canard enchaîné  of the satirical paper..

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My favorite Only fools and horses moment:

Del and Rodney are in France on their way to Uncle Albert's reunion.

Del One of my most favouritist meals is Duck à l'Orange, but I don't know how to say that in French.
Rodney It's canard. (the can sounded more like kin)
Del You can say that again bruv!
Rodney No the French word for duck is canard.
Del Is it? I thought that was something to do with the QE2?
Rodney No that's Cunard. They're the ones with the boats and what have you. The French for duck is canard.
Del Right lovely jubbly. Right, so how do the French say à l'Orange then?
Rodney A l'Orange!
Del What, the same as we do?
Rodney Yes
Del Oh dear, it's a pity they don't use more of our words innit eh?

Canard has now won its place in my Franglais vocabulaire, amongst mes proches I say "c'est canard!" instead of "c'est pas evident!"

I dont think that I have ever sucessfully explained the comedy sketch they just know what I mean now and I am waiting with impatience for one of them to slip up and say it [:D]

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Thanks for all these interesting replies.

Around these parts 'canard' is used for any after dinner drink with sugar. Half the time no-one seems to know exactly what it is. It rarely has a label on and is sometimes thought to be something granny made in the 1980s.

I am still intrigued by the expression 'mon canard' though. I wonder how it came into being in the first pace and why it persisted in a relatively limited area of England.

Hoddy
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[quote user="Hoddy"]Thanks for all these interesting replies.

Around these parts 'canard' is used for any after dinner drink with sugar. Half the time no-one seems to know exactly what it is. It rarely has a label on and is sometimes thought to be something granny made in the 1980s.

I am still intrigued by the expression 'mon canard' though. I wonder how it came into being in the first pace and why it persisted in a relatively limited area of England.

Hoddy[/quote]

The first time I had home made Calvados it was put on a sugar cube, eve n so I felt that all my teeth would fall out, it was so strong.....
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Merci de tout coeur aussi. Dad was "only" 75, and what saddened me a lot is that I couldn't see him alive one last time... I had planned to go when on hols for Easter, arriving on the 22nd. He died on the 17th.......  My mum says he wouldn't have liked me to see him so ill... He had lost 13 kg in 2 months, could hardly eat and walk any longer... Poor dad, I miss him.. The last time I talked to him on the phone he sounded so vulnerable.. He said "quoi qu'il arrive, occupez vous bien de votre mère ". That's what I try to do, even if we live 900 k from each other. She came to my place for a month this summer.

Was good to have her here.

Thanks for your nice words & understanding..  [kiss]

 

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