Clarkson green (well for today, anyway).

[jean]

Sorry, I thought the 'Mme' referred to the forum member to whom you were responding.

I clearly got that wrong ...

Not even the most glacial of forum members would think it the ultimate put-down to address a poster known to be male as though they were female.

Remermber that, and you won't get things wrong so often in future.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

You don't trip over them as such. You stand on one lace and totter as you vainly try to lift the other foot. Being serious for a second, wasn't this how Fritz Wunderlich met his end when he did precisely this when coming down stairs one night only to fall to his death?

In that case, I stand corrected.

[Nick Armstrong]

I stand corrected.

How are your orthotic insoles?

[Alain Maréchal]

Oh dear, I seem to appear glacial and disdainful. It was late and I honestly did not understand what the emoticon meant. I think we all try to abide by Parliamentary rules of behaviour here, do we not? Unfortunately in print the tone is not evident.

Afterthought - "in print"- is there a better expression for the form in which our words appear on a forum? In print they are not. I am frequently corrected using outdated terms; I still "dial" telephone numbers, for want of anything better.

[jean]

Oh dear, I seem to appear glacial and disdainful...

Afraid so, but not particularly sexist, so you couldn't be expected to understand Tipps's toe-curlingly dreadful post.

[Ferretfancy]

Oh dear, I seem to appear glacial and disdainful. It was late and I honestly did not understand what the emoticon meant. I think we all try to abide by Parliamentary rules of behaviour here, do we not? Unfortunately in print the tone is not evident.

Afterthought - "in print"- is there a better expression for the form in which our words appear on a forum? In print they are not. I am frequently corrected using outdated terms; I still "dial" telephone numbers, for want of anything better.

If we all abide by Parliamentary rules of behaviour, then surely anything goes!

[ahinton]

If we all abide by Parliamentary rules of behaviour, then surely anything goes!

And wouldn't it also mean that we'd have to have FrenchFrank's Questions every Wednesday?

[Flosshilde]

By the number of posts I have held in order that I might pass it on to others.

Were the others grateful recipients, did they have your 'experience' foisted on them, and how often did they hope that you might be taken away?

What was your response if they had the temerity to suggest that their experience was different from, contrary to, and as valid as, yours?

[Flosshilde]

Oh dear, I seem to appear glacial and disdainful. It was late and I honestly did not understand what the emoticon meant.

I think the glaciality & disdain was established in your first post, well before Tipps' inexplicable one.

[vinteuil]

Oh dear, I seem to appear glacial and disdainful.

... o, I relish glacial. Disdain ain't bad neither. Embrace it!

"Roi ne puis
Prince ne daigne
Vinteuil suis... "

[Nick Armstrong]

... o, I relish glacial. Disdain ain't bad neither. Embrace it!

"Roi ne puis
Prince ne daigne
Vinteuil suis... "

Yes... my "magnificently disdainful" was intended as a compliment!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

bot the middle kingdom is in peril - or at least was so yesterday ...

[P. G. Tipps]

Not even the most glacial of forum members would think it the ultimate put-down to address a poster known to be male as though they were female.

Remermber that, and you won't get things wrong so often in future.

Okay, Ms ... though I wasn't particularly aware you had any involvement whatsoever in the said exchange.

Furthermore, I would point out that the true gender of any member is not always disclosed by his or her screen-name.

I suspect (though I could be hopelessly wrong yet again) that even Flosshilde may well be forced to agree with me on that ...

Still, whether one is right or wrong, it is surely much, much more important for one to retain one's sense of humour, don't you think?

So, if I don't take myself too seriously it's a safe bet I'll feel much the same about you!

[Alain Maréchal]

"Roi ne puis
Prince ne daigne
Vinteuil suis... "

"Roi ne suis, ne prince, ne duc, ne comte aussi, je suis le sire de Coucy!" if we're thinking of the same quote.

[vinteuil]

"Roi ne suis, ne prince, ne duc, ne comte aussi, je suis le sire de Coucy!" if we're thinking of the same quote.

... well, no : Rohan rather than Coucy -

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_II_de_Rohan