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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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The English use the euphemism "French letter" for a condom. Their choice of "French" is easily understandable, as anything "sexy" is attributed to the French by the English, e.g. "French postcards" are assumed to be naughty. But why "letter"? Wouldn't "envelope" have made more sense?
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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the British prolly believed it was invented there; at least it was first imported from France. and yes, envelope would have made more sense.
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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I've also heard the expression "French purse" used for the same object, which makes the kind of sense that "envelope" makes.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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anything "sexy" is attributed to the French
Hence, French horn, French leave, French toast and French fries.
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Joined: May 2003
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stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4 |
French Sex continued:
French curve, French doors, French blue, French Congo...
J. Potter
J. Potter
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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Faldage ~
You omitted the French kiss!
Father Steve
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
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Welcome habrotrocha (hope you feel like explaining that one some time!). Truth is, we just attribute to the French the things that they invented. The French invented sex in Paris in the 1890s and introduced it to the wealthy and louche English and American people who spent time there over the next 40 years. Up until then we only had procreation so we didn't need condoms  . Condom is, of course, a town in south-west France on the banks of the Balse.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
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Oh, you forgot the French Curse - VD.
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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The origins of syphilis are not known, though it does not appear to have been known in Europe in Classical times. One school of thought has it that syphilis was brought back to Europe from the New World by the crew of Christopher Columbus's first voyage. The evidence is circumstantial, and based on the fact that the first recognized outbreak was at Naples in 1494 where a number of Spaniards from the Columbus crew participated in the army of Charles VIII of France. By 1498 the Portuguese explorers had lovingly introduced the disease to India.
Because of the outbreak in the French army, it was first called morbus gallicus, or the French disease. In that time it is noteworthy that the Italians also called it the "Spanish disase", the French called it the "Italian" or "Neapolitan disease", the Russians called it the "Polish disease", and the Arabs called it the "Disease of the Christians". The name "syphilis" was first applied by Girolamo Fracastro in 1530 from the name of a shepherd in a poem by Leonardo da Vinci.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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My guess is that the phrase arose before the invention of envelopes, when it was routine to fold up a piece of paper and write the address on the outside.
TEd
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