The French name for undertaker is “croque-mort” which literally means “deceased-cruncher”.
The name derives from the ancient custom of crunching the toes of the deceased with the teeth to make certain that they were really dead.
Strange but true.
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Well spotted
There's a more modern expression for undertakers called "pompes-funebre".
pompe= pump (also pomp as in ceremonious).
funebre=funeral.
This link provides a somewhat doubtful explanation of how this expression came about.
http://www.niouzes.org/sci-linguistique ... ebres.html
A loose translation follows,
QUOTE
In olden times, to make sure that somebody was quite deceased, the custom required that a person charged with this undertaking violently bite one of the toes of the victim (generally the big toe). If nothing occurred, the person was declared dead. It is thus from this that the name croque-mort (deceased-cruncher) comes. This office of undertaker, like that of the executioner, was passed down from father to son since time immemorial.
However, one day, there came a catastrophe: the last undertaker, although having had many children, had no son. His elder daughter therefore took up the office. But the first victim whom she had to treat was a man who had had a serious disease. Gangrene had partly consumed him and he had amputated both legs up to the thighs. The girl examined the situation and thus bit, with tenderness and precaution, the first lower member she could find.
It was at that time, and precisely in these circumstances, that we passed from the expression of croque-mort to that of funeral-pumpers.
UNQUOTE
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
There's a more modern expression for undertakers called "pompes-funebre".
pompe= pump (also pomp as in ceremonious).
funebre=funeral.
This link provides a somewhat doubtful explanation of how this expression came about.
http://www.niouzes.org/sci-linguistique ... ebres.html
A loose translation follows,
QUOTE
In olden times, to make sure that somebody was quite deceased, the custom required that a person charged with this undertaking violently bite one of the toes of the victim (generally the big toe). If nothing occurred, the person was declared dead. It is thus from this that the name croque-mort (deceased-cruncher) comes. This office of undertaker, like that of the executioner, was passed down from father to son since time immemorial.
However, one day, there came a catastrophe: the last undertaker, although having had many children, had no son. His elder daughter therefore took up the office. But the first victim whom she had to treat was a man who had had a serious disease. Gangrene had partly consumed him and he had amputated both legs up to the thighs. The girl examined the situation and thus bit, with tenderness and precaution, the first lower member she could find.
It was at that time, and precisely in these circumstances, that we passed from the expression of croque-mort to that of funeral-pumpers.
UNQUOTE
David
BX19TRS 118K E Reg 1992-2008
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BX19TRS 118K E Reg 1992-2008
BX19TRS auto abs 96k F Reg
BX19TXD 150k K Reg
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Nice work dude!
You'll have yours finished before mine at this rate....
If you need owt else for it then after this weekends car scrapping party I shall be having another one in the coming weeks featuring the remains of a 16v.
Oh, have another Flexi clip in stock now aswell!
You'll have yours finished before mine at this rate....
If you need owt else for it then after this weekends car scrapping party I shall be having another one in the coming weeks featuring the remains of a 16v.
Oh, have another Flexi clip in stock now aswell!
Smokes lots, because enough's enough already!
Far too many BX's, a bus, an ambulance a few trucks, not enough time and never enough cash...
Far too many BX's, a bus, an ambulance a few trucks, not enough time and never enough cash...
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That's looking good Jon. Maybe stick all the bits together to present them to the rabble in a field near Huntingdon in July
Darth Vadar wrote
I find myself contemplating the leccy situation in my area too. Fusebox is 1950s kwality. Part of the 'German Economic Miracle' of the post -war era.
Complete re-wiring is coming. I hope I can make my 'wiring game strong'![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Darth Vadar wrote
Your wiring game is strong.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Complete re-wiring is coming. I hope I can make my 'wiring game strong'
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Todd
this yellow writing is really hard to read
this yellow writing is really hard to read
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