helmintholog: Correct Form

Correct Form

Monday September 20, 2004; part of: Travel notes

Too late, alas, to write to the Empereor Jean Bedel Bokassa, but now I know how I should have signed off my letter, thanks to the Amnesty International guide to composing letters in French.

Pour les souverains, la formule d'appel est Sire

[Blurb here: Mindful of the grand democratic traditions of your empire, and its global reputation for the preservation and honour of human rights, don't you think that eating people is wrong?]

Je prie Votre Majesté d'agréer l'assurance de mon profond respect

It reminds one what a historical aberration it is to regard our rulers as people much like us.

Posted by andrewb at September 20, 2004 02:44 PM

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I went to his palace once. The one in the south west where he killed people and kept them in the fridge. And allegedly ate them. Luckily he was dead himself so I didn't have to formulate a greeting, or blurb. Very very strange place. Very.

Posted by: qB on September 20, 2004 10:04 PM

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