The Amazing Enlightening Clarification Of The Term 'Beau Pere'.
For a long time I was very,very confused concerning the term 'beau pere'.I always took it to mean father-in-law.Now,from time to time,in conversation someone would say 'mon beau pere'when I didnt even know they were dating anyone.Even more confusing was a coworker taking a day off from work to go to his 'beau peres'funeral and me serving his father-in-law a poutine while the ceremony was in progress.When Jesus came back,they found the cave empty because he had stepped out for a felafel.
It came to be known to me that most quebecoise use the term Beau Pere to refrence 1)the father-in-law,2)the step-father,3)their mothers boyfriend,4)their god father and ..wait for it...really nice breasts.Now while in conversation the correct meaning of person being talked about is 100% evident to everybody present except the Anglo.At this point we keep interupting the story to try and clarify the identity of the subject.Which after three or four times starts to annoy all listening.
So far in my quest to learn french,this is one of the hardest things i've come up against.A close second is hearing something totally different than what is being said.An invitation to go skinny dipping makes alot more sense than a conversation about a 'hairy doughnut'.Or telling the difference between Jesus and 'je sus'.Wow.Thats when you really know you need to learn more french.Or hire an interpreter.Maybe my father- in-law would be interested in the position.
1 comment:
Uh, yeah. Every time I speak in French about the past, or have to explain why the name Landry is branded on my ass and all my legal documents, it has always been a thorn to have to say I was legally adopted by my...my...beau...nah, fuck that - nothing beau about it bitch, just plain ugly! I usually settle for saying "the guy who married my mother," and when they start to say "oooh, tu veut dire ton beau-pe..." I cut them off with a cannonball-elbow thrust to the larynx. You know what I mean, Marty-man?
Post a Comment