Why “Frogs”? Our pet name for the French. (I HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER CHOICE NAMES FOR THE FRENCH.

National Review Online ^ | 1-12-05 | John J. Miller

[BMC1]

Is it really so bad to refer to an entire nation of people as frogs?

Last summer, when I was giving a speech on Franco-American relations — shortly before the publication of Our Oldest Enemy: A History of America's Disastrous Relationship with France — I made a frog joke. It involved a stuffed pig, a barbeque, and, well, you sort of had to be there. But it was definitely a quip about the French. The audience snickered, though a few people exchanged nervous glances. They clearly wondered if it was appropriate to laugh when somebody referred to the French as frogs.

Lighten up, I thought. Think about it: If we aimed to insult, truly and deeply and venomously, then we could skip right over cute green amphibians and compare the French to the frogs' warty cousins, the toads. Or, in honor of Pepe LePew (as well as international perceptions about French bathing habits), we could call them skunks. Or we might allude to something else entirely and call them chickens. Or maybe even cheese-eating surrender monkeys.

Given this range of name-calling options, what's so bad about frogs as a national nickname? The good people at Texas Christian University don't consider frogs a derisive word. Their sports teams are called the Horned Frogs. Go Frogs!

As it happens, frogs have thin skins — and so do the French.

[William of Orange]

wern't we informed, something that we all were just dying to know, clinton wears "boxers".

now I'm trying to block a rather unpleasant mental image!

[Richard Kimball]

I'll bet Matt Groenig takes pleasure in knowing that he popularized a phrase that p!ssed off the President of France.

[Lion in Winter]

In March of 1756 the great English artist, WILLIAM HOGARTH did two engraving about the start of the Seven Years' War( French & Indian war to us Americans).

I wish I could post it for you but I do not have a scanner.

Anyway, it is satirical as are almost all of his works.

The scene shows a starving, ragged French Army getting ready to invade England.

Anyway, there is a group of hungry looking soldiers looking over at a young officer's sword on which, he is roasting several fat frogs on an open fire.

This print always makes me laugh. There are many interesting things depicted in the print, but the roasting frogs always gets me!! LOL!!

[ken5050]

very good.....I truut you didn't Google it..OK..for 10 points....where does "scuttlebutt" come from?

[Lion in Winter]

Scuttle... to flee from danger....

Butt..... backside, bu++, a$$.....

Scuttlebutt... save your A$$.

[quark]

Because "Les Grenouilles" like to eat frog's legs, along with snails & horse meat. Civilized bunch, no?

[ken5050]

Sorry...you lose..on 18th century men o'war...water "butts"..( kegs) were located for the crew's use back in the scuttles...the equivalent of today's watercooler, where, conversation, gossip and rumor were exchanged..hence.."scuttlebutt"

[chadwimc]

How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris? Nobody knows. Its never been tried...

[4everontheRight]

ok...what about the word "turd"...I like to think it comes from how we pronouce a certain word here in the South..."bass turd" but I could be wrong.

[Lion in Winter]

As in get the "news" first and cva.

[ken5050]

nah..it's baseball slang.."turd" base..

[VMI70]

"Because "turds" was taken....?"

LOL I was going to post this, which is along the same lines:

...because it's not polite to say a$$holes in public

[Sybeck1]

The Horatio Hornblower movies on A&E reference the franch as Frogs.

[MortMan]

"Frogs" is a socially acceptable shortened version of what many of us prefer to call them.

[Yo-Yo]

Sorry, I was in the Air Force, so I am disqualified because I did have to Google 'scuttlebutt.'

[TommyDale]

"The ancient Parisian herald had three frogs, or grenouilles. Grenouilles became french slang for Parisians and frogs became slang for Frenchmen."

I always thought the term was because during wartime, the French just sat around and croaked.

[Abigail Adams]

I believe the origin (perhaps in the 18th or 19th centuries?) of the name "frog" for the French was based on their tendency to jump from bed to bed.

[dog breath]

I had always guessed that they were called frogs because they ate frog legs. Except for their arrogance I have no problem with them. Sure the fact that they think their culture is better is annoying but I can live with that. OK, the socialism, of which they are so proud, that has destroyed their country is a problem. Their tendancy to continue to act like a big dog which they have no real muscle is another problem. Their butt kissing the Arabs is another problem along with that tendency to shelter terrorists. Their love of thumbing their nose at America in the UN to feel important is another problem. Then their is the collaboration with the Nazis and later denial of it which is a problem. Come to think of it any name they are called on this thread they have certainly earned.

[ken5050]

well, if you'd read the "Horatio Hornblower" novels as a kid....

[airborne]