Patf Posted October 18, 2004 Share Posted October 18, 2004 " 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted October 18, 2004 Share Posted October 18, 2004 Evil be to he who evil thinks - it's the motto of the Order of the Garter and the royal coat of arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted October 18, 2004 Share Posted October 18, 2004 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 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 mottoStew(a long time fan of women in garters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted October 18, 2004 Author Share Posted October 18, 2004 Thanks both for interesting replies. I couldn't find a translation for "honi". It's a very moral sentiment and a useful retort to cynics. Still don't know how it came to me . Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jirac18 Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 It can be found in every English courtroom on the coat of arms - highly appropriate I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprob Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixietoadstool Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 I think the correct term is "Hon y soit qui mal y pense" - and I think it used to be (still is?) on UK coins - old pennies spring to mind.Valerie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Kat in England Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freyjabear Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 [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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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