Fractured Foreign Phrases
These are from the New York magazine competition where they asked
competitors to change one letter in a familiar non-English phrase
and redefine it.
- Harlez-vous francais?
(Can you drive a French motorcycle?)
- Ex post fucto
(Lost in the mail)
- Idios amigos
(We're wild and crazy guys!)
- Veni, VIPi, Vici
(I came; I'm a very important person; I conquered)
- J'y suis, J'y pestes
(I can stay for the weekend)
- Cogito Eggo sum
(I think; therefore, I am a waffle)
- Rigor Morris
(The cat is dead)
- Respondez s'il vous plaid
(Honk if you're Scots)
- Que sera, serf
(Life is feudal)
- Le roi est mort. Jive le roi
(The King is dead. No kidding.)
- Posh mortem
(Death styles of the rich and famous)
- Pro Bozo publico
(Support your local clown)
- Monage a trois
(I am three years old)
- Felix navidad
(Our cat has a boat)
- Haste cuisine
(Fast French food)
- Veni, vidi, vice
(I came, I saw, I partied)
- Quip pro quo
(A fast retort)
- Aloha oy!
(Love; greetings; farewell; from such a pain you should never
know)
- Mazel ton!
(Lots of luck)
- Apres Moe, le deluge
(Larry and Curly get wet)
- Porte-Kochere
(Sacramental wine)
- Iic liebe rich
(I'm really crazy about having dough)
- Fui generis
(What's mine is mine)
- VISA la France
(Don't leave chateau without it)
- Ca va sans dirt
(And that's not gossip)
- Merci rien
(Thanks for nothin')
- Amicus puriae
(Platonic friend)
- L'etat, c'est moo
(I'm bossy around here)
- L'etat, c'est Moe
(All the world's a stooge)
Back to my home page
Ari Rapkin
Last modified: Thu Oct 17 20:36:31 EDT 1996