Nest Paws

El Capitan est fort et riche, n'est-ce pas?

Tips to avoid looking like a dorkish poseur, Pt. 34:

Using foreign language phrases in your writings and speech might add flavor, drama and just a soupçon of that certain je ne sais quoi.

Use the phrases incorrectly, and you look like a major tool.

Par exemple... I was following a link from Kevin Baker's site to the Harvard Crimson, where various Learned Harvard Men (and scurrilous imposters) were commenting on an essay published at the site.

One commenter (I suspect a Boston College saboteur) said:

Good piece and insightful commentary for those of us that continue to believe that words can overcome the sword. As a mediator I work to apply that belief to help resolve conflict and disputes. Despite this philosphy we are surrounded by violence and the law of the jungle. Humans are strange nes pa?

(Emphasis mine)

Well, obviously the commenter is a douchebag and a peacenik, but he can't even get his borrowed phrase written correctly.

Look, all you social-climbing Francophiles, even Liz Taylor sounded like a douchebag when she used the phrase n'est-ce pas? in one of her perfume commercials. If you're not a native speaker of la langue française, you just sound ridicule. I'm only getting away with this due to hours spent swotting away at Dumas in the original, and more hours spent listening to Eddie Izzard. ("Le singe a disparu...")

Say it in English. Otherwise I shall taunt you a second time...