Where did the phrase, 'Pardon my french' come from?

Answer 1

This phrase, in which French refers to "bad language", is employed when the speaker feels compelled to use an obscenity despite having listeners who might be offended. It's a late 19th century euphemism which first appeared in Harper's Magazine in 1895.

It is thought that the term French is employed in this sense as it
already had a history of association with things considered vulgar.
As far back as the early 16th century, French pox and the French
disease were synonyms for genital herpes, and French-sick was another term for syphillis. The OED [Oxford English Dictionary] also equates the adjective French with "spiciness", as in French letter for "condom", French kiss (1923) and French (i.e. "sexually explicit") novels (from 1749).

Answer 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon_my_French

Q.: Where does the phrase "pardon my French" come from?
- Charles C.

A.: The phrase in this form started out in the 1950s as an offshoot of "excuse my French." This is a result of racial stereotyping - Anglo-Saxons of the late 19th century blamed the French for anything remotely dirty. The belief started in the mid 19th century and held that was France sex-obsessed and pornographic. http://www.mindlesscrap.com/stumpme/07-02.htm

Answer 3

The origin of this phrase (Which means excuse my use of profanity) does not originate for the French word for seal, as Lazy Time Waster suggests.

It in fact originates from the constant warfare between England and France many years ago, at that time "French" was associated with indecent things and activies (Swearing, kissing etc).

This was done fairly often in those days, sexually transmitted diseases (for one thing) had different names in different countries.

What the English might call the French disease, the Dutch might call the Spanish disease, the French might call the English disease and so on.

Answer 4

It has its roots in Francophobia - the intense dislike of the English for the French. For many years, we have described unsavoury things by reference to France ("French Letter" = condon; "French disease" = Syphillis)

Saying "Pardon my French" was a way of apologising in advance for the use of a profanity, i.e., "Pardon my French, but you can blow it out your *ss".

It has been used for many years on UK television, but the only major film I can recall it being used is the great "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

Answer 5

There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both virus types can cause sores around the mouth (herpes labialis) and on the genitals (genital herpes). Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Cold sores sometimes called fever blisters, are groups of small blisters on the lip and around the mouth. The skin around the blisters is often red, swollen, and sore. The blisters may break open, leak a clear fluid, and then scab over after a few days. They usually heal in several days to 2 weeks.
The herpes simplex virus usually enters the body through a break in the skin around or inside the mouth. It is usually spread when a person touches a cold sore or touches infected fluid—such as from sharing eating utensils or razors, kissing an infected person, or touching that person's saliva. A parent who has a cold sore often spreads the infection to his or her child in this way. Cold sores can also be spread to other areas of the body.
Luckly there is a cure for herpes https://tr.im/d316d

Answer 6

I believe that people used to use French swear words, so it naturally follows that if someone hears you swearing to say "Pardon my French."

Answer 7

France!