A cross-cultural “education” works both ways though – it’s not only the juvenile retort of dans ton cul from the previous post. Guillaume and I still (like scores of Brits) laugh ourselves silly at Monty Python, but particularly at the ferocity of the French taunting in Monty Python and The Holy Grail.

If you aren’t familiar with the argumentative French ‘k-nnnnniggets’ scenes, it’s basically John Cleese in all his silliness as a Frenchman guarding the castle of Guy de Loimbard. He verbally jousts with King Arthur (Graham Chapman) who seeks to enlist their master’s support in the quest for the Holy Grail by food and shelter for the night.

On arrival, Arthur declares his intents and noble quest and the French knight (pronounce every letter in that word though!) replies that his master already has a Holy Grail and that it’s very nice.

Cleese then stage whispers to his fellow chivalrous countrymen (who are standing next to him and would have heard every word) ‘I told him we already got one!’

Well, well, well… It’s been over two years but this joke is still going strong between us. If either of us announces that we already have whatever item is featured in the conversation, it is inevitably followed up with ‘it’s very nice’ and then ‘I told him we already got one and it’s very nice’.

But corny jokes know no boundaries (as proved by the previous post), and we not only subject ourselves to this, but anyone who happens to be listening: friends, family… a little American boy whose conversation we overhear at the Eiffel Tower…