Your say - Lost for words 3l126w
Sick of me 432f5f
When working for an international organisation back in the seventies I wanted to demonstrate my knowledge of argot to a French colleague and told her that my head of department m'a bien dégueulé (instead of engueulé) for coming late. Her reaction made sure that I never again confused dégueuler - to vomit and engueuler - to give a loud ticking off.
Sent by: Gerry
Comments 682840
Dégueuler has lead to dégueulasse (vomit-inducing, or disgusting) as used by the French people tasting Marmite in Ester Rantzen's exercise in the programme "Excuse my French". And engueulade means a shouting-match or a stand-up row. They both come from gueule meaning an animal's mouth which also features in the favourite phrase of French teenagers Ta gueule!, shut your face.
Flag this comment