Oh La La. The French meaning

[Saddler]

Well, we don't really, we know what it 'means'. It's used to show surprise or approval, or, humorously, to suggest that something is scandalous It literally just means "Oh, the, the!

 

I'd think the embarrassment and blushing would be caused by the use of the arm gesture rather than saying ooh la la. I mean how would any young girl feel if some random kid encouraged by his leering papa did something like that when she was serving them in a shop? How very chavvy!

 

Ruby,

I am so cross with you.

Pattricia, i think you might have got the size of it.

Ruby, this incident was a funny moment laughed at by all. A French girl, a little boy and me.

You can stick your self opinionated thought that I was "leering" where the sun does not shine as I only said that she was very good looking. (What is wrong with that? I am NOT LEERING)

I did not encourage him.

If you thought about this more, it was about the innocence of my boy and seeing and being aware of a beautiful girl.

(I am not sure of the fist and elbow movement as it certainly has not come from me!)

And I would like to mention that my son an I are not chavvy in any way at all.

I did not initially mention but we both went back to see this lady on our penultimate day and she gave him a flower which he has kept from Jacquouline.

[hard2miss]

never mind this, whats the french for de ja vu ?

[Saddler]

I don't think so ... a wolf whistle is innocuous, that gesture is, as PT says, just vulgar and embarrassing. No wonder the British abroad have such a bad reputation.

 

I always thought that oooh la, la! was a made-up English thing. Do the French really ever say it?

 

A Wolf Whistle innoculous !

About as subtle as a fart in a lift.

Obvious you do not get any.

[pattricia]

A Wolf Whistle innoculous !

About as subtle as a fart in a lift.

Obvious you do not get any.

 

When I was younger some builders wolf whistled at me as I walked along the street. I stuck my nose in the air, and walked straight into a lamp post.

[hard2miss]

never mind this, whats the french for de ja vu ?

[Plain Talker]

never mind this, whats the french for de ja vu ?

 

never mind this, whats the french for de ja vu ?

 

I want to book theatre tickets for a Parisian show, what's the French for matinee?

[rubydazzler]

Yes, like something from a Benny Hill tv show.

Did they do that in Benny Hill shows? I hardly ever watched tv in those days, I was always out It used to be regarded as one of those really indecent gestures that warranted a punch in the face?

 

Sorry to have upset you, Saddler, but I stand by my earlier comments. When you work in retail, customers often do or say things that they think are acceptable, but really aren't. Even at my advanced age I sometimes get (male) customers invading my personal space ... although they have usually just come out of Weatherspoons!

[shanes teeth]

oh lala is a "frenchism" which literally translated means "oh, the-the / there-there", but generally is taken to mean "oh my goodness!"

 

(In most of the different inflections as in "Oh my, I'm shocked!" "Oh my what a pleasant surprise...!" )

 

The French do say it but not as much as you will hear the phrase "Alors!" which is used as punctuation very much like we English speakers would pepper out sentences with "erm, er... um..."

 

In French, the exclamation "Sacre Bleu!" (Literally "Holy blue!") is almost offensive to the point of beyond the pale. - sort of like using a c-bomb *cough* in conversation with your maiden great aunt maude! The phrase "Tiens!" is a sort of "gosh!" or "blimey!"

 

I've just come back from France and heard "Oh La La" used for the first time in many years of visiting there. It was used in a shop by an elderly lady who had dropped an item she was considering buying. An equivalent may be "Oh crickey",just a mild expletive when used correctley without the obscene (in France) gesture.The child wasn't to know that in many parts of Europe that that gesture is particularly obscene but maybe the Father should have.It is always best to aquaint onesself with local customs and social niceties before travelling abroad. It makes travelling far more enjoyable. No wonder we get the reputation abroad that we do. Incidentally,"Merde" is a word that should always be avoided except in the company of like minded friends. English tend to think of it as fairly mild,but it is a very strong expletive not to be used in polite company!

[RosyRat]

My grandmother used to say "O la la la la la la" extremely quickly, with a slight pause after the first la. It was said with hands and eyes raised in supplication when one of her grandchildren had overstepped the fine line she had drawn for our behaviour. When in extremis, she would shout : "Ah non, merde alors. Nom de Dieu quelle vache!" A neighbour who had offended her by her poor dress sense was referred to as "Ce gros tas de fumier". I wish I'd listened more and picked up some of the riper insults she brought with her.

[Suffragette1]

In the context of the OP, it can be an expression of appreciation (as well as surprise), depending on the intonation and emphasis, in a similar way to one in which Leslie Phillips intones the infamous 'Helloooo'.

 

Saddler - how old is your son? How sexist, no wonder the poor girl blushed. If my son had behaved in such a lewd manner, I wouldn't have laughed.