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Honi soit qui......


Patf
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" honi soit qui mal y pense" - for some reason this phrase jumped into my mind today and I can't get rid of it! I don't know if I've spelt it right. Can anyone tell me what it means and where it comes from. I think it's a sort of motto. Pat.
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Its a medeival form of french.

the verb "honnir" - to hold in contempt

so kind of "contempt on him who evil of it thinks"

my 1066 and all that brings to mind a Henry plantagenet who in court, when a garter fell from the leg of a lady in court, picked it up and strapped it on himself (first recorded incident of cross-dressing?) and to stop all the sniggering said - "Honi soit qui mal y pence" being thta the court was french and spoke french.

Since then - the order of the garter and its motto

Stew

(a long time fan of women in garters)
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Those middle ages fellows had one or two eccentric ideas in the clothing department but also one or two real winners. Cod pieces under tights might be a trifle inconvenient, but that garter business could be a certain hit even now with some intelligent marketing.
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  • 2 months later...

"Honni soit qui mal y pense" is the correct spelling. "Honni" comes from the verb "honnir" (not used anymore) which means "cover someone with shame" (not sure about my english). Does it makes sense to you ?

Here is the link to the serious Bescherelle site that explains it ->

 http://www.bescherelle.com/verbes_fiche.php?id_verbe=91

 

French Kat in England

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[quote]Its a medeival form of french.the verb "honnir" - to hold in contemptso kind of "contempt on him who evil of it thinks"my 1066 and all that brings to mind a Henry plantagenet who in court, when a gart...[/quote]

I think it was Edward iii and the lady concerned was Joan of Kent? There are some links to the order of the garter on the st george's chapel in Windsor website. Aren't I a speccy anorak?
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