Welcome to the A to Z Challenge

When I had the idea of a series , based on these little French and American words that have a different meaning, whether they’re used in France or in the USA, I knew it would be more challenging than my 2015 French Idioms Series.

Although my French blogger friend Lectrice en Campagne, an expert in American fiction and also in language, forwarded me several valuable sources of information, we both couldn’t find a French or American word for a few letters.

As of today I still miss five words for the letters K, Q, U, X and Z.

Unless I find one or you jump to the rescue, I’ve decided to offer a French and American Idiom in place of a word for these letters.

So today one French and one American Idioms for the letter J 

JEUX DE MAINS, JEUX DE VILAINS

This French expression would take its origins in the Middle Ages when people from the lower conditions were called ‘vilains.’

Some believed that the expression is related to the fact that the vilains poked each other around for fun, triggering sometimes more violent fights.

Others say that the expression simply means that the vilains, unlike those from the higher society, used their hands and fists instead of weapons when they had to fight.

Lastly, the expression would go back to the jeu de paume, the ancestor of tennis. The vilains didn’t have money to buy a racket to play the game and used their hands. Thanks to Wikipedia, you can read here about this old French game.

In any case, Jeux de mains had a distinct connection to the vilains.

Nowadays this expression is used to warn children who start games that have the potential to switch to violence. It is fairly frequent in France to address children as vilain or vilaine when they misbehave.

In addition this expression carries an erotic meaning when used between adults where jeux de mains imply caresses. The rest remains private…

JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME

Si vous faites quelque chose just in the nick of time, vous vous êtes débrouillés pour le faire juste à temps, à la dernière limite. In  extremis, si vous voulez.

If you know of a French or English word starting with the letter J that has a different meaning whether it’s used in France or the USA, please go ahead.

Si vous connaissez un mot français ou anglais commençant par la lettre H ayant un sens différent selon qu’il soit utilisé en France ou aux Etats Unis, faites le savoir, s’il vous plait.

See you tomorrow with two idiomatic expressions for the letter K, unless you have a suggestion.