say bad things about

[bieasy]

Hi,

When someone says bad things about another person who is not there, there is a term in French: "casser diu sucre sur son dos" = "break sugar over his back".

Do you have a similar term in English?

 

[Buddhaheart]

Back stabbing?

 

[bieasy]

Back stabbing?

So can I say: "They are back stabbing me"

 

[Shakespeare's brother]

You can say back-stabbing (I think it needs the hyphen), but the sugar breaking is much nicer! Does anyone know the origin?

 

[bieasy]

You can say back-stabbing (I think it needs the hyphen), but the sugar breaking is much nicer! Does anyone know the origin?

This term comes from the 19th century. "casser" in French means destruct or break. "se sucrer" (= to sugar oneself) used to mean "to treat someone as an idiot".

"Dos" means back in French, but in the 19th century it also used to mean "responsibility".

So it also mean to gossip about someone. I wanted to know if a similar expression exists in the language of your so-beloved brother. ;-)

 

[Shakespeare's brother]

Thank you for enlightening me. SB

 

[bieasy]

Thank you for enlightening me. SB

It's a pleasure!

 

[apex2000]

Hi,

When someone says bad things about another person who is not there, there is a term in French: "casser diu sucre sur son dos" = "break sugar over his back".

Do you have a similar term in English?

The meaning behind the French is to gossip, and as we all know gossiping can be harmless or spiteful, or anything in between. I would not include back stabbing which indicates a much more 'violent' intention. The use of sucre is an indication that this is more word than deed.