Saturday, November 1, 2008

Harlez-vous Francais?

The challenge is to change one letter in a foreign loanword or phrase and provide a new definition. Here is a list of entries, taken from Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper:

Stout le monde: Is everyone getting fatter these days?
Tour de forcep: a long and difficult birth
Inter alias: among other false names
Smuchas gracias: thanks for the kisses
Chile con carnet: permission to emigrate
Armor vincit omnia: Tanks beat everything
Patter familias: I recognize your footsteps
Coupe d'état: government limo
Tubermensch: Mr. PotatoHead
In vino verbitas: Drunks talk too much
Souse-chef: cooking with alcohol
Squid pro quo - Who ordered the calamari?
Bad lib - Something you regret having improvised
Lad infinitum - Peter Pan
Sine qua neon - Nothing if not flashy
Semper fidelist - long-time Castro supporter

From a similar contest, in New York magazine:

HARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS? -- Can you drive a French motorcycle?
EX POST FUCTO -- Lost in the mail
IDIOS AMIGOS -- We're wild and crazy guys!
VENI, VIPI, VICI -- I came, I'm a very important person, I conquered.
COGITO EGGO SUM -- I think; therefore I am a waffle.
RIGOR MORRIS -- The cat is dead.
RESPONDEZ S'IL VOUS PLAID -- Honk if you're Scottish.
QUE SERA SERF -- Life is feudal.
LE ROI EST MORT. JIVE LE ROI -- The king is dead. No kidding.
POSH MORTEM -- Death styles of the rich and famous
PRO BOZO PUBLICO -- Support your local clown.
MONAGE A TROIS -- I am three years old.
FELIX NAVIDAD -- Our cat has a boat.
HASTE CUISINE -- Fast French food
VENI, VIDI, VICE -- I came, I saw, I partied.
QUIP PRO QUO -- A fast retort
ALOHA OY -- Love; greetings; farewell; from such a pain you should never know.
MAZEL TON -- tons of luck
APRES MOE LE DELUGE -- Larry and Curly got wet.
PORTE-KOCHERE -- Sacramental wine
ICH LIEBE RICH -- I'm really crazy about having dough.
FUI GENERIS -- What's mine is mine.
VISA LA FRANCE -- Don't leave your chateau without it.
CA VA SANS DIRT -- And that's not gossip.
MERCI RIEN -- Thanks for nothin'!
AMICUS PURIAE -- Platonic friend
L'ETAT, C'EST MOO -- I'm bossy around here.