Boris Johnson’s Franglais dig at Emmanuel Macron showed an entente pas très cordiale

Addressing the press during his visit to Washington, Boris Johnson took a swipe at France for the diplomatic row over the Aukus agreement, which saw France lose out on a multi-billion euro sale of submarines to Australia, in favour of a purchase from the UK.

Without naming names, he told reporters –

“I just think it’s time for some of our dearest friends around the world to ‘prenez un grip’ about all this and ‘donnez-moi un break’, because this is fundamentally a great step forward for global security.”

Less Aukus than Auk-ward. It’s even more cringeworthy dans le flesh.

Boris Johnson, speaking outside the Capitol, says it’s time for the French to “prenez un grip” and “donnez-moi un break” after the spat over a U.K. submarine deal with the U.S. and Australia pic.twitter.com/FpVywohTjK

— Kitty Donaldson (@kitty_donaldson) September 22, 2021

Tweeters had some thoughts on this latest piece of Johnsonian diplomacy – and they weren’t flattering.

1.

This from the leader of the country that chose to set itself on fire because it hated burgundy passports, non-bendy bananas, and immigrants. https://t.co/IIxJQsRhSL

— ç (@gonzwitter) September 22, 2021

2.

Prenez un grip and Donnez moi un break are not even close to grammatically correct https://t.co/z9tzZGXElD

— Agathe Boulous (@agathe_boulous) September 22, 2021

3.

We’ve had weak or failing or politically extreme Prime Ministers before. But never one who just talks shit all the time, to the extent every utterance is insincere, meaningless balls. A very strange scenario https://t.co/B6WjqKSgpj

— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) September 22, 2021

4.

The Prime Minister here conducting international diplomacy with the same language and tact you'd use on a friend texting their ex. https://t.co/WnPwIQAa9E

— Alexander Brown (@AlexofBrown) September 22, 2021

5.

"Donnez-moi un break" says Boris Johnson, taunting France.

…in the same week he says that global politicians need to grow up. That's Boriswang for you… randomly torpedoing European relations for a giggle.

— Dr Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) September 22, 2021

6.

[Macron pacing around the Elysee, so angry he is bright red like a little cartoon man]

Boris: ah I know what will help

Boris:

— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) September 22, 2021

7.

In case you’re struggling with the precise meaning of the latest UK diplomatic nuances of “prennez un grip” and “donnez-moi un break” from Monsieur Johnson : Learning French with Monsieur Del Boy! https://t.co/0zaTMACsnv

— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) September 22, 2021

8.

Prends ton franglais de merde et enfonce-le dans ta pipe à merde sans lubrifiant Monsieur Le Bumblecunt https://t.co/r12RU2wMKA

— Malcolm V Tucker 🏴‍☠️ (@Tucker5law) September 22, 2021

9.

Mange tout, Rodney. Mange tout https://t.co/oFnMk1XRpn

— Graeme Demianyk (@GraemeDemianyk) September 22, 2021

If the PM were fluent in French – as he reportedly is – he’d know that ‘grip’ was a poor choice of words because the word ‘grippe’ is French for ‘flu.

"Prenez un grip" – in French sounds like "get a flu" – so they think he wants them to get covid. https://t.co/CIQXNZxxM9

— Frtl Englbrt (@fartelengelbert) September 22, 2021

We patiently await the ‘Fermez votre cake-hole!’ message from France.

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Everything about this French newspaper’s Boris Johnson cartoon is perfect

Source Kitty Donaldson Image Screengrab, Anthony Choren on Unsplash