Pardon My French

New French Couture?
Originally uploaded by austinhk.

A common phrase in American English is, "Pardon my French," which is said as an apology after uttering a swear word, sometimes referred to as "potty language." You may be emotional or excited and speak using a profanity or "dirty" word, and so not to offend polite company, you can "back pedal", and excuse yourself with, "Pardon my French."

The foul mouthed American comedian Lenny Bruce wrote a book, How To Talk Dirty And Influence People. The title is a "take off" or a reference to a more famous book by people skills educator, Dale Carnegie, How To Win Friends And Influence People. During the editing and publication of President Nixon's internal tapes, indecent language was edited using the phrase, "Expletive Deleted."

Perhaps if you use some "blue language" with French company they will not appreciate the "pardon my French" excuse, so try a different tactic.

Cloud Nine

Camera in the Clouds2
Originally uploaded by [trevor].

To say you are "on cloud nine" or "walking on air" are expressions for feeling highly inspired, in love with life and existence. In an NPR radio interview with the Reverend William Sloane Coffin the chaplain of Yale University explains the expression as a spiritual state of grace. As human beings "our value is a gift, not an achievement, that love does not seek value, but creates it." He explains that we do not climb up to Cloud Nine ourselves, we are levitated there by the love of others, that somebody else did for you what you could not do for yourself.