FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Abbott et Costello Aller Au Collège

One of the greatest comic routines of all time is the classic "Who's On First" by Abbott and Costello where the strange names of baseball players causing much confusion and frustration.

For today's FLASHBACK FRIDAY, here is a post I wrote back on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 where much confusion and frustration is caused by a misunderstanding... in French.

Abbott et Costello Aller Au Collège

Scene: Two college freshmen studying for French class.

Bud: "Excuse me, can you help with a question on this assignment?"

Lou: "I'll be happy to help if I can."

Bud: "Do you know what 'Je ne sais quois' means?

Lou: "'Je ne sais quois?"

Bud: "Yes, 'Je ne sais quois'."

Lou: "Oh, I know that means."

Bud: "Oh good! What does it mean?"

Lou: "I don't know."

Bud: "What?"

Lou: "I don't know."

Bud: "I thought you said you knew."

Lou: "Know what?"

Bud: "What 'Je ne sais quois' means?"

Lou: "But I do."

Bud: "So what does it mean?"

Lou: "I don't know."

Bud: "You don't know?"

Lou: "No! 'I don't know'."

Bud: "Look, I don't know either."

Lou: "Don't know what?"

Bud: "What 'je ne sais quois' means!"

Lou: "But I told you."

Bud: "No, you haven't told me nothin', buddy!"

Lou: "Yes, I have."

Bud: "No, you said you don't know."

Lou: "No! 'I don't know'."

Bud: "Great! So we BOTH don't know."

Lou: "No, that's 'Nous ne savons pas'."

Bud: "Don't bring another language into this!"

Lou: "That's still French!"

Bud: "So you know French, eh?"

Lou: "Yes, yes I do."

Bud: "And if I ask you do you know what 'Je ne sais quois' means, you would answer....?"

Lou: "I would answer, 'Yes, I know what 'Je ne sais quois' means?"

Bud: "Aaaaaand...what does 'Je ne sais quois' mean?"

Lou: "I don't know!"

Bud: "Arrgh! There you go again! I ask do you know what 'Je ne sais quois' means and you say yes!! And when I ask you what 'Je ne sais quois' means, you say I don't know!!!!"

Lou: "Ah ha! That's it!!"

Bud: "What? What's it?"

Lou: "You just said what 'Je ne sais quois' means!"

Bud: "What did I say?"

Lou: "I don't know!"

Bud: "What? You weren't listening?"

Lou: "Yes I was."

Bud: "And I said what 'Je ne sais quois' means?"

Lou: "Yes, you did!"

Bud: "So what did I say?"

Lou: "I don't know."

Bud: "Arrgh! You said you were listening."

Lou: "I was!"

Bud: "But you said you don't know!"

Lou: "No! 'I don't know'."

Bud: (sigh) "No, brother, you don't..."

Lou: "Yes, I do."

Bud: "So you keep telling me. But I gotta tell ya, this

conversation's lacking a certain...I don't know.."

Lou: "Je ne said qouis?"

Bud: "I give up!" (exits)

Lou: (calling after) " That's 'J'abandonne'."

----fin----