The French idiom-du-jour illustrates how languages represent so much of a culture and how challenging translation can be.

* Irony is frequent in the French language and the French excell in this domain (I notice when I go back)

* There is not always an American expression that will carry the French ironic connotation

INCESSAMMENT SOUS PEU

PRESENTLY SHORTLY

IN NEXT TO NO TIME

This idiom is built on a pleonasm since “Sous Peu” is almost a repetition of “Incessamment.” Both mean “In a short while.”

The addition of “Sous Peu” to “Incessamment” strengthens the idea of time without any specification in terms of duration.

In fact under some circumstances if one says, “I will come back “Incessamment Sous Peu,”” this can imply that one won’t come back at all.

Do you think of an American expresssion that can match this French expression?

P.S. I owe my husband the idea of the iWatch. Idiom and photo starting both with the letter I. Clever. Merci.

See you tomorrow!