Can Anyone out there tell me the origin of the expression "Pardon my French" ?

Question

As you will no doubt know, (if you are English at least) the term is used when you utter a swear word unintentionaly in company. are we saying that "somethng" French is naughty,dirty, what?
Today at work the expression was uttered to a young French girl working in my department here in Eire & she was dumbfounded as she had never heard the expression before.
when she asked as to what it was supposed to mean they stated "it is an English thing!" and pointed her in my direction as to the answer...Me being English that is!
The only suggestion I can think of is that it is some sort of derogotary term associated with the long standing feud between our Countries & probably stems back to feudal times or the like? any suggestions anyone?

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

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/ca59a

Answer 3

On maximum grownup human hands, the area from the tip of the thumb to the 1st knuckle is approximately one inch, as is the area from the 1st knuckle to the backside of the thumb. Ergo, while you're bereft of a measuring enforce, you need to use your thumb as an impromptu ruler. i'm disgusted with persons who think of it has to do with the optimal acceptable stick for spouse-beating. I study some treatises on the subject rely while i replaced into in junior extreme, and everyone who endorsed corporal self-discipline on a recalcitrant spouse continuously endorsed whipping as against beating, and continuously below the neck. in spite of everything, in case you utilize a stick, you may desire to reason severe injury and shrink her utility whilst she recovered, and in case you beat or whip her in the face, it makes it obtrusive to the international that she's a bad spouse.

Answer 4

Perhaps that is the idea. What do French say in that case ?
Usually when I heard that I say: "Oh, you speak French ?"
But I have seen that my expression doesn't fit with theirs

Answer 5

The French are known for their vulgarity. For example, if you called someone a "whore" it would be pretty insulting, but to call someone a "French whore" seems to multiply the insult by 10.

Answer 6

I was thinking just this the other day, lets hope someone knows!

Answer 7

I know that it was NOT coined by Frank Costanza on 'Seinfeld.'