The pen of my aunt is on the gardener's postillion...
We've just had a discussion at work about about various linguistic abilities following a colleague being overheard having a conversation in impeccable French. Highlights included "I speak Hebrew with an Essex accent" and my world-shattering announcement that I speak Irish with an, um, Irish accent.
Then we moved onto the old clichés - the pen of my aunt is indeed on the bureau of my uncle and, alas, my postillion has been struck by lightning and he has broken his arm, his head and his leg and must be carried home gently.
First of all - does anyone know the origin of La Plume De Ma Tante? It was already a cliché back in the 1940s and probably much earlier - I think I've seen references in much older school stories.
Secondly, what other clichés are there? I know that my tailor is rich, but the cliche in Irish is actually useful - well, it's useful if you're six years old and bursting for a pee at school.
Any thoughts?
Edit: And for more laughs, what phrases *should* there be in guidebooks? Clearly m31andy will need "excuse me, but your cat is raping my meerkat".
Then we moved onto the old clichés - the pen of my aunt is indeed on the bureau of my uncle and, alas, my postillion has been struck by lightning and he has broken his arm, his head and his leg and must be carried home gently.
First of all - does anyone know the origin of La Plume De Ma Tante? It was already a cliché back in the 1940s and probably much earlier - I think I've seen references in much older school stories.
Secondly, what other clichés are there? I know that my tailor is rich, but the cliche in Irish is actually useful - well, it's useful if you're six years old and bursting for a pee at school.
Any thoughts?
Edit: And for more laughs, what phrases *should* there be in guidebooks? Clearly m31andy will need "excuse me, but your cat is raping my meerkat".