pinkfluff<P>Big Wet Drops and Lots of Them, Are a Sure Sign of Rain!<P> Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 When we came her in december last year my mothers sister and her new husband came to visit and went on there own to the local bar when they left the other customers started shouting "cuckoo" to them and when they told me I jumped to the conclusion that cuckoos kick other birds eggs out of the nest and lay their own in .So it seemed natural to me this was a reference to English buying houses from the french in order for them to have their own children at the detriment of the french . this being a serious insult in order for me know who was insulting my guests , Paul and I went back to the bar but luckily for me the group had left because I was boiling .Going to the estate agent were we bought the house I asked her about this antibritish cuckoo behavior and she told me the french use "cuckoo" as a friendly gesture and indeed their French colleagues use it to them all the time What a disaster that would have been I still feel guilty thinking of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantine<br><br><br><br>Susie Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 "Cou Cou" is probably what was said. It's used with children to say Peek-a-boo, but is also a general phrase to catch someones attention etc. Were they being called back having left something, or the person who said it maybe wanted to wish an 'au revoir'/'bon journee' to them? - maybe they forgot to pay!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Do you know I never really thought of the word cuckoo. I get this a lot when I leave the door open and am in the kitchen and a neighbour or friend drops by but it always sounds like coocoo to me so I suppose I am losing my english language a little more each day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 It's funny, but I never thought of the cuckoo clock either poking his head out and saying "cuckoo", maybe it's the origin of the French "coucou", a quick hello (often through a doorway)when you don't have time for the handshakings, bises, etc.Perhaps they were walking out past people they hadn't seen, so they just did them "un petit coucou". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llantony Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 [quote]When we came her in december last year my mothers sister and her new husband came to visit and went on there own to the local bar when they left the other customers started shouting "cuckoo" to them a...[/quote]A French friend's emails start 'coucou' and I assumed this to mean an affectionat 'hi', a bit like cooee! when you pop into someone's house.Just goes to warn us all to check we know what was meant before we take offence at something said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 [quote]When we came her in december last year my mothers sister and her new husband came to visit and went on there own to the local bar when they left the other customers started shouting "cuckoo" to them a...[/quote]Coucou! is the same as 'cooey!' 'hello anybody there!??'and also if someone is told 'T'es coucou! toi..' if the context of some barmy idea is being emitted...it means that the person is slightly off his/her trolley ... sort of a bit mad in a kind way...Not to confuse with 'Cocu!' and I leave that to you all to be very careful with your pronunciation when you reply to French people who have addressed a 'Coucou!' to you..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 but how do we know they weren't shouting cocu at pinkfluff's visitors??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Now wouldn't that have been awful if they had shouted that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 [quote]Now wouldn't that have been awful if they had shouted that.[/quote]They could shout anything they like at me at the moment - without a dictionary and/or babelfish (the uselessness of which for translating slang has been aptly demonstrated on another thread!) to hand I wouldn't have a clue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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