Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Barking up the Right Tree

Antique-locket

The TGV was running late, and my French Husband waited for me at midnight.

Greeting him, I said, "Hi, Doll Face!"

Looking bewildered with his tail between his legs, French Husband said, "Why do you call me Doug Face?"

"Doug Face?" I repeated, trying to figure out what he was saying in English. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, "OH! You think I am calling you Dog Face?!"

He shook his head yes.

"Noooooooooo, I am saying "Doll Face!"

All these years, my husband thought I was calling him Dog Face.

Communication does help you bark up the right tree.

 

Comments

38 responses to “Barking up the Right Tree”

  1. The Little Red Shop

    I’m just smiling…how sweet! That itty bitty frame is quite precious too!
    : )
    Julie M.

    Reply
  2. Laura

    hahahahah…..that just hit my funnybone! Great way to start my day! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Miss Robyn

    that reminds me of a pet name that my husband has always called me ‘babe’… until our daughter Sophie asked him why I thought I was a fat pig.. we didn’t know what she meant until we realised that the only babe she knew was of movie ‘Babe’ fame the story of a pig!!
    by the way, normally, do you & French husband converse in English or French?

    Reply
  4. jend’isère

    I was amused because my husband is named Dag. The correct prononciation has led to confused responses.

    Reply
  5. meredith

    That’s funny and it happens to us, too.

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth Harper

    I’m laughing out loud … my British husband and I frequently have similar exchanges. I can’t imagine how confusing it might be if we didn’t both speak English. It’s difficult enough sometimes to translate American English in to a language a Brit can understand.
    It’s even more complicated by my southern roots and a tendency to slur it all together.

    Reply
  7. Jeanne

    Love and hugs

    Reply
  8. Jojo

    The exchange you describe sounds sooooo familiar! My dear Lebanese husband sometimes hears/understands in the same way. I describe this as our Lucy and Ricky moments.

    Reply
  9. bramble

    We both speak English and have that problem!
    A few years ago I told dh that the kids music for marching band was from Grease and he said uh huh and the conversation changed. Several months later he is at the 1st performance and looks at me confused and says “I thought you said this was the music of GREECE?!!!! All that time the man thought..well, I frequenly do not know WHAT he is thinking and we have NO language barrier other than comprehension!
    Keeps life interesting and me laughing, for sure!

    Reply
  10. Rhonda

    I am laughing, that is so cute. xxx

    Reply
  11. 1eyedmonkee

    now with that cleared up you can count on many more anniversaries! HA!

    Reply
  12. Katiebell

    Oh that is sooooooooooooooooooooooo funny and tragic and lovely that he (the handsome devil) put up with you calling him dog face all these years Corey1 What a gem he must be. 🙂 Big big laughs at our house though, thank you.

    Reply
  13. Vicki

    That was hysterical!!!!

    Reply
  14. Lee

    so funny, thanks for the laugh!

    Reply
  15. Annie

    I love this story. It explains why a French friend of mine would see a puppy and say, “Hi Dolly!” I think she had heard me say “Doggie.”

    Reply
  16. Cheryl at Casual Cottage Chic

    Love the tiny frame/pendant!!
    Isn’t it funny…the nicknames we give to those we love so dearly? Does French Husband have an affectionate nickname for you? Or is that just an “American” thing 🙂

    Reply
  17. Carol

    So funny, but now you absolutely MUST sing the song Beautiful Doll to him!
    Like others we frequently have miscommunications that are quite comedic, when they don’t make us pull our hair out.

    Reply
  18. Jenny N

    Yes, I agree with Cheryl, I would be interested to read a post about y’all’s misadventures in language differences. Corey you are such a doug face!

    Reply
  19. Allison

    aw, so sweet…

    Reply
  20. Kimberly C.

    Oh no! and to think he waited so long to ask you!!

    Reply
  21. Annie Grosvenor

    SO true!
    Lately it seems that every conversation around here includes the word , “WHAT????”
    Oh, my gosh, I think we’re becoming our parents!
    annie

    Reply
  22. christine

    Oh God, tell me about it. Feeling a bit tired on that very subject at the moment.

    Reply
  23. Erin

    made me chuckle….

    Reply
  24. Delores

    Too funny, although a little sad….All this time he thought you were insulting him? My husband is hard of hearing, so I’m always finding out that he misunderstood me. Communication! –Delores

    Reply
  25. tina-skincare

    How sweet;)

    Reply
  26. Diane

    Oh what a hoot, you have made me laugh for the rest of the day.

    Reply
  27. Lieselotte

    Don´t you worry, Corey ! Although my husband and I speak the same language, things like that happen at least once a day – so sometimes you wonder whether we really speak the same language , men and women ?

    Reply
  28. Maria

    Judging from the photos he’s the last person anybody would call dog face..;)

    Reply
  29. Mahala

    Oh dear! For years I called my sweet baby girl “Peanut” then one day when she was about four, she looked at me real serious and said, “Mom why do you tall me a boys pwivate sing?”
    AW! I felt so terrible and explained I wasn’t calling her a boys private thing…oh man…

    Reply
  30. Marilyn

    Funny, but not funny! Even speaking clear English, my husband and I still can misunderstand. I can only imagine it even more crazy when you are coming from two different languages.

    Reply
  31. Rhonda P

    We Americans have so many nick names, pet names and just funny sayings, no wonder no one can understand us! Poor French Husband, for he is NOT a dog face by no means!

    Reply
  32. Kathy

    I married a yankee and half of what I say gets lost in translation. Sometimes I just look at him and say “damn your pretty”…..Translation “Damn your a dumb ass.”..lol

    Reply
  33. Mary Ellen

    Ha Ha Ha I just love it that he thought dog face was a term of endearment all this time by the way you said it…!!!!!!! Woof!

    Reply
  34. Cherie

    Haaaaaaaaa and after all these years … men 😉

    Reply
  35. Patt

    Reminds me of when my French boyfriend in High School only had been speaking English for a year and one half. We went to London shopping and I bought a “suede belt”. When we came home my mother asked what I had bought. Patrick piped up so proud and said “A Chastity belt” You should have seen the look on my mothers face. Mind you I was 17 at the time. We still laugh about it today. Sometimes the language barrier made conversation a little more interesting. I ended up marrying an all American Boy and we to sometimes even after 37 years hava a language barrier. Dear FH no Dog face there. A good chuckle for a rain soaked day. Thank you.

    Reply
  36. joanny

    Corey
    I can hardly write this comment to you I am laughing so hard tears are coming down my cheeks…. it sort of reminds me of a scene from Under The Tuscan Sun
    Amore, I didn’t say, “Assassino. ”
    I said, “I’m going to ask Nino” for money to help us
    get married.
    -Oh !-“Ask Nino.”
    Oh !I didn’t understand.
    Married? You barely understand
    what the other is saying.
    Now Corey I can close my computer up for the night and savor the “Best for the Last”
    Joanny
    the Dowsers Daughter

    Reply
  37. AmyKortuem

    Funny! The French have all these little endearments for women “my little hen, my rabbit, my sweet butterfly.” You could start a new trend with “endearments” for men!

    Reply
  38. Heather

    Oh you’re story is so funny it just made me laugh out loud! Thank you.

    Reply

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