THE FRENCHMAN AND HIS STUDIES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue VIII, 14 August 1897, Page 230

THE FRENCHMAN AND HIS STUDIES.

Frenchman : • Ha, my good friend, I have met with one difficulty, one very stroug word, how do you call h-o-u-g-h ?’ Tutor: ‘ Huff.’ F. : ‘ Tris bien, huff; and snuff you spell, s-n-o-u-g-h, ha ?’ T. : * Oh, no, no ; s-n-u double f; the fact is, words ending in o-u-g-h are a little irregular.’ F. : ‘ Ha, ver’ good. ’Tis beautiful language. H-o-u-g-h is huff and c-o u-g-h is cuff. I have one very bad cuff, ha ?’ T. : • No, we say kof, not cuff.’ F. : ‘ Kof, eh bien. Huff and kauf, and, pardonnez moi, how you call d-o-u-g-h, duff, ha ?’ T. : ' No, not duff.’ F. : ‘Not duff? ah! oui; I understand—it is dof, hey ?’ T. : ‘ No ! d-o-u-g-h spells doe.’ F. : • Doe ! It is very fine ; wonderful language. It is doe; and t o-u-g-h is toe.’ T. : ‘ Oh, no, no; you should say tuff.’ F. : ‘ Tuff ! And thing a farmer uses ; how you call him, p l-o-u-g-h, pluff? Ha, you smile: I see lam wrong—is it plot ? No, it is ploe, like doe ; it is beautiful language, ver’ fine ploe !’ T. : ‘You are still wrong, my friend. It is plow.’ F. : ‘ Plow ! wonderful language. I shall understand it ver’ soon. Plow, doe, kof, and one more r-o-u-g-h, what you call General Taylor; rauf and ready ? No, certainement, it is row and ready ?’ T. : ‘ No ; r-o-u-g-h spells ruff.’ P. : ‘ Ruff, ha ! Let me not forget. R-o-u-g-h is ruff and b-o-u-g-h is buff, ha ? ’ T. : ‘ No ; bow.’ F.: ‘Ah ! ’tis very simple, wonderful language ; and I have had what you call e-n-o-u-g-h ; ha ! Wnat you call him ?’