Re: Overheard on the scanner

In article <K06xJM.F8w@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, djheydt@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

> >I live in a cul-de-sac.  I'm told it's a term that causes hilarity 
> >when French people visiting this country see it on signs, as it
> >literally means "arse of a bag".
> 
> Yes.  Or "Bag End."  I understand the real French for such a
> structure is _impasse.-

Curiously, I've just looked up "cul" in a French dictionary, and it
does give cul-de-sac meaning a dead end, although it does translate
"cul" on its own as a familiar term for "backside".

I remember many years ago seeing in a bookshop a dictionary of
historical slang.  The book was called "Boozmanico" or some spelling
like that and I was curious so I looked the word up in the book.
Turned out to be a mediæval corruption of the French "baisez mon cul"
or "kiss my arse".