woolybanana Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 when he used the expression 'francais de souche' in a speech the other day? It has caused quite a polemique becaue it was used by the extreme right to describe 'pure bred Frenchmen', as opposed to others such as those of non- French origin, even if born in France. He was talking about the adolescents who smashed up a Jewish graveyard the other night.As President of the Republic he should perhaps be more careful in his choice of words, in a time of rising inter-racial tensions.But, what expression would used in English now to describe the group of youths? I suspect that saying something like 'pure bred British' might go down a storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 I might add that I had only ever heard this expression with reference to animal breeding - ie pure bred animals, but it does have the suggestion of inbreeding in some contexts, so perhaps Mr H. was being more subtle than we give him credit for, though it is very doubtful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Well I have heard of people being "vendéen, pure souche", and not referring to animals. "Born and bred", I suppose. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 In the press they were described as "youths who vandalised" and no mention of their colour, religion etc. was made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I think Angela has summed it up well."pure souche", and not referring to animals. "Born and bred", I suppose"It's all to do with roots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I have heard myself described several times as "Anglais pur souche" when being introduced to other people, better make that presented before Wooly gets too excited.Actually I was uncomfortable to hear it as the people know nothing of my upbringing and parentage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I tried to reply to this last night, three times, and realised that you had thrown me with mentioning 'british'. Personally I don't know anyone who says that about themselves. I say, I am english, and other friends who are irish, welsh and scottish, say that too. I am wondering who would say 'british' about themselves, and what it says about their personal sense of identity.I know the expression de souche, no idea where I heard it first, from people or tv. And Hollande, what a pillock and a waffler....... and a great disappointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFB Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I think if i remember correctly that the term was very much tied to the french in Algeria, pieds noires, at the time of the war. they would describe themselves as francais de pur souche. Hence why the term is now tied to the FN>JFB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 We knew three families who were pied noirs and one family were not only pied noir, but jewish too, none were FN'ers at all. Where as I do know other french people, who were/are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFB Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I was not making a link between pied noire and the FN. But at the time of the Algerian war of independance the pied noir and the french right were against independance each for their own reason. However the right liked the term francais de pur souche so much, for obvious reasons, they adopted it as their own. Hence the discomfort in Mr Holland using it.JFB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 What he actually said , ironically referring to the yobs who had desecrated a Jewish cemetery....."Français de souche, comme on dit"ie The so called born and bred Frenchto underline that it was not Muslims who had done the damage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Would he not have used "soi disant" if he wanted to convey "so called"?I took it to mean "as we say" but then I only have a superficial knowledge of the language and miss many nuances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 "comme on dit" I think is used a lot in everyday French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxie Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 soi-disant=self-styled, ie what they call themselvescomme on dit=as people say, as we say so-calledI feel there is a difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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