Why “Frogs”? Our pet name for the French. (I HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER CHOICE NAMES FOR THE FRENCH.

National Review Online ^ | 1-12-05 | John J. Miller

[BMC1]

Is it really so bad to refer to an entire nation of people as frogs?

Last summer, when I was giving a speech on Franco-American relations — shortly before the publication of Our Oldest Enemy: A History of America's Disastrous Relationship with France — I made a frog joke. It involved a stuffed pig, a barbeque, and, well, you sort of had to be there. But it was definitely a quip about the French. The audience snickered, though a few people exchanged nervous glances. They clearly wondered if it was appropriate to laugh when somebody referred to the French as frogs.

Lighten up, I thought. Think about it: If we aimed to insult, truly and deeply and venomously, then we could skip right over cute green amphibians and compare the French to the frogs' warty cousins, the toads. Or, in honor of Pepe LePew (as well as international perceptions about French bathing habits), we could call them skunks. Or we might allude to something else entirely and call them chickens. Or maybe even cheese-eating surrender monkeys.

Given this range of name-calling options, what's so bad about frogs as a national nickname? The good people at Texas Christian University don't consider frogs a derisive word. Their sports teams are called the Horned Frogs. Go Frogs!

As it happens, frogs have thin skins — and so do the French.

[drt1]

I believe the moniker refers to their eyes. If you have ever seen a true ethnic Frenchman you'll see that the eyes are quite large and frog like.

[kingattax]

ribbit

[Tanniker Smith]

This was posted within the last couple of hours.

[Mad Mammoth]

Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys has to be one of my all time favorites, and I understand that Jacques ChIraq takes great offense to that expression.

[Mr. Lucky]

Not often enough.

[William of Orange]

perhaps we should call them liberals, or democrats, or Barbara Boxers....

or: Les Hillarys!

[MinstrelBoy]

Go easy on the stereotyping.

[Doctor Stochastic]

If this limey author would spend some time with the bosch, he'd learn about political correctness and frogs.

[yarddog]

How do you say "The Weasels" in French? No offense intended to Weasels.

[Dazedcat]

"Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys has to be one of my all time favorites"...........

Yup that works for me too on all levels.

[snapperjk]

...or: Les Hillarys!

or we could do a reverse, like 'Kermit, the Frenchman' !

[Nachum]

Whatever happenned to: Smelly, Jew-hating, backstabbers?

[ken5050]

Now tell us where the term "limey" comes from...

[drt1]

It is true! Many years ago I asked my Grandfather this very question and that is what he said. Since then I've observed it. Stereotyping the French? Come on.

[Yo-Yo]

British sailors would load up on limes and other citrus fruit at tropical ports so they could avoid scurvy.

[LoneSome Journey]

wern't we informed, something that we all were just dying to know, clinton wears "boxers".

[DManA]

Why is it ok to call the British Brits but bad to call the Japanese Japs?