• ELECTIONS and SURNAMES

    I hear very strange things over here about the meaning of presidential candidates' and the winner's surnames. Remember "trump", whether a name or a surname, has nothing to do with the French "trompe". So, let's make a clear list:

    - a trump is "un atout", in a game of cards ("a trump card"); the word has become a verb (to trump = couper), so that "she'll trump them all" could be translated into "elle les surpassera tous". Note that today it sounds more correct in the masculine. In American slang, it is also an unwanted sound (French, "un pet / péter")

    - Clinton in standard English is either a place name or a family name. In U.S. American slang it refers to an improper behaviour with women. Johnson, McMullin, are also family names (Gary Johnson, Evan McMullin); In Irish Gaelic, mullain means "downs (collines)", in Scottish Gaelic  it refers to a stack ("meule", "empilement" )

    - stein (Jill Stein), is originally a German word; in Britain it corresponds to a beer mug ("une chope (de bière)".

    - sanders are tools used in woodwork (French "ponceuses")

    - castle (Darrell Castle) is of course "un château".

    By the way, "une trompe (d'éléphant)" is a trunk -- a word which also translates into "tronc / malle / maillot de bain"; une défense (d'éléphant)" is a tusk (also the name of the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk ..)

    Last but not least : first names do not always suit the person like, for President Trump, Pluto would have been better than Donald. Indeed "Pluto" in US.American slang is somebody who's been fast promoted at work, but has soon been demoted (Fr.: rétrogradé) because he's not up to the standard of his new job, (like the planet, Pluto - not a planet any more !)

     

     


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  • Comments

    1
    Friday 3rd March 2017 at 08:18

    This is surely a very good blog, thanks a lot for sharing such nice information here.

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