french letters...

[Bill Nolan]

First, Bradley O'Neill asked, "What is the origin of the term 'french letters' 
for condom?"  Then Peter Trachtenberg <tberg at echonyc.com> wrote:

  > I'm not sure, but would guess that the term has some relation to the 
  xenophobic (or maybe just Francophobic) name for syphilis: "the French 
  disease."

And unless I'm mistaken, there's a French term for syphilis that characterizes it 
as an English malady -- don't remember the exact expression. Also, isn't French 
slang term for a condom "une capote anglaise" (an English hat)? And as I seem to 
recall reading, British military slang for retreat (or desertion?) is "taking 
French leave," whereas the French analogue is "filer a l'anglais."

How'd we get on to this topic, anyway? What's it got to do with Pynchon? 
Discussion drift, eh?

--Bill
___________________________________________________________________________
Bill Nolan, Writer/Editor/Wiseguy            http://www.halcyon.com/bnolan/
Amid slender firs in the green and gray Northwest        bnolan at halcyon.com