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Beware translating idioms

My father offered a drink to a very formal elderly lady at a French spa, encouraging her by saying (he thought) that the drink would 'put hairs on her chest' - pour mettre mes cheveux sur votre poitrine. The lady rushed away looking horrified. Later he asked a French speaker what she could have thought he said. The friend laughed and said the only meaning he could think of was that apparently my father wanted to lay his head on her chest.

Sent by: Fiona

Comments

Kaylee 2011-09-11

Haha...that's funny. As I'm just beginning to learn French, I'm staying well away from words that could potentially embarrass.

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