French Idioms and Proverbs 1

French Idioms and Proverbs 1

French Idioms and Proverbs

A Companion to Deshumbert's "Dictionary of Difficulties"

: de Vinchelés Payen-Payne

 

FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS

 

 

“_Omne epigramma sit instar apis; sit aculeus illi,

Sint sua mella, sit et corporis exigui._”

MARTIAL.

 

[Thus Englished by Archbishop Trench:

 

“_Three things must epigrams, like bees, have all;

Its sting, its honey, and its body small._”]

 

[And thus by my friend, Mr. F. Storr:

 

“_An epigram’s a bee: ’tis small, has wings

Of wit, a heavy bag of humour, and it stings._”]

 

“_Celebre dictum, scita quapiam novitate insigne._”

ERASMUS.

 

“_The genius, wit, and spirit of a nation are discovered in its

proverbs._”--BACON.

 

“_The people’s voice the voice of God we call;

And what are proverbs but the people’s voice?_”

JAMES HOWELL.

 

“_What oft was thought, but ne’er so well expressed._”

POPE, _Essay on Criticism_.

 

“_The wit of one man, the wisdom of many._”--Lord JOHN RUSSELL

(_Quarterly Review_, Sept. 1850).

 

 

 

 

FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS

 

A COMPANION TO DESHUMBERT’S

 

“DICTIONARY OF DIFFICULTIES”

 

BY

 

DE V. PAYEN-PAYNE

 

PRINCIPAL OF KENSINGTON COACHING COLLEGE

ASSISTANT EXAMINER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

 

_FOURTH REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION_

 

[Fifth Thousand]

 

LONDON

DAVID NUTT, 57-59 LONG ACRE

1905

 

 

 

 

“_Tant ayme on chien qu’on le nourrist,

Tant court chanson qu’elle est aprise,

Tant garde on fruit qu’il se pourrist,

Tant bat on place qu’elle est prise.

Tant tarde on que faut entreprise,

Tant se haste on que mal advient,

Tant embrasse on que chet la prise,

Tant crie l’on Noel qu’il vient._”

VILLON, _Ballade des Proverbes_.

 

 

 

 

PREFACE

 

 

In this edition I have endeavoured to keep down additions as much

as possible, so as not to overload the book; but I have not been

sparing in adding cross-references (especially in the Index) and

quotations from standard authors. These quotations seldom give

the first occasion on which a proverb has been used, as in most

cases it is impossible to find it.

 

I have placed an asterisk before all recognised proverbs; these

will serve as a first course for those students who do not wish

to read through the whole book at once. In a few cases I have

added explanations of English proverbs; during the eleven years

I have been using the book I have frequently found that pupils

were, for instance, as ignorant of “to bell the cat” as they were

of “attacher le grelot.”

 

I must add a warning to students who use the book when

translating into French. They must not use __EXPRESSION__s marked

“familiar” or “popular” except when writing in a familiar or

low-class style. I have included these forms, because they are

often heard in conversation, but they are seldom met with in

serious French literature. A few blank pages have been added at

the end for additions. Accents have been placed on capitals to

aid the student; they are usually omitted in French printing.

 

In conclusion, I have to thank Mr. W. G. Lipscomb, M.A.,

Headmaster of Bolton Grammar School, Mr. E. Latham, and

especially M. Georges Jamin of the École Lavoisier, Paris, for

valuable suggestions; while M. Marius Deshumbert, and Professor

Walter Rippmann, in reading through the proof sheets, have made

many corrections and additions of the greatest value, for which I

owe them my sincere gratitude.

 

DE V. PAYEN-PAYNE.

 

 

 

 

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED

 

 

BELCHER, H., and DUPUIS, A., “Manuel aux examens.” London, 1885.

 

BELCOUR, G., “English Proverbs.” London, 1888.

 

BOHN, H. G., “Handbook of Proverbs.” London, 1855.

 

CATS, JACOB, and FAIRLIE, R., “Moral Emblems.” London, 1860.

 

DUPLESSIS, M. GRATET, “La fleur des Proverbes français.” Paris,

1851.

 

FURETIÈRE, A., “Dictionnaire universel.” La Haye, 1727.

 

GÉNIN, F., “Récréations philologiques.” Paris, 1856.

 

HOWELL, JAMES, “Lexicon Tetraglotton.” London, 1660.

 

KARCHER, T., “Questionnaire français.” Seventh Edition. London,

1886.

 

LACURNE DE STE. PALAYE, “Dictionnaire historique de l’ancien

langage françois.” Paris, 1875-82.

 

LARCHEY, LORÉDAN, “Nos vieux Proverbes.” Paris, 1886.

 

LAROUSSE, P., “Grand Dictionnaire universel du xix^e siècle.”

1865-76.

 

LE ROUX DE LINCY, A. J., “Livre des Proverbes français.” 2^e

édition. Paris, 1859.

 

LITTRÉ, E., “Dictionnaire de la langue française.” Paris,

1863-72.

 

LOUBENS, D., “Proverbes de la langue française.” Paris, 1889.

 

MARTIN, ÉMAN, “Le Courrier de Vaugelas.” Paris, 1868.

 

QUITARD, P. M., “Dictionnaire étymologique des Proverbes.” Paris,

1842.

 

QUITARD, P. M., “Études sur les Proverbes français.” Paris, 1860.

 

RIGAUD, LUCIEN, “Argot moderne.” Paris, 1881.

 

TARVER, J. C., “Phraseological Dictionary.” London, 1854.

 

TRENCH, R. C., “Proverbs and their Lessons.” Sixth Edition.

London, 1869.

 

_Quarterly Review._ July 1868.

 

_Notes and Queries._ _Passim._

 

 

 

 

FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS

 

 

___EXPRESSION__s to which an Asterisk is prefixed are Proverbs._

 

 

A.

 

 

A

 

_Il ne sait ni A ni B_ = He does not know B from a bull’s foot;

He cannot read; He is a perfect ignoramus.

 

_Être marqué à l’A_ = To stand high in the estimation of others.

 

[This __EXPRESSION__ is supposed to have originated in the custom of

stamping French coin with different letters of the alphabet. The

mark of the Paris Mint was an “A,” and its coins were supposed

to be of a better quality than those stamped at provincial

towns. But as this custom only began in 1418 by command of the

Dauphin, son of Charles VI., and as the saying was known long

previous, it is more probable that its origin is to be sought in

the pre-eminence that A has always held in all Aryan languages,

and that the French have borrowed it from the Romans. Compare

MARTIAL, ii. 57, and our A i, at Lloyd’s.]