Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Today's French


Cornue: 1. adj. Horned, Preposterous.

2. noun. Retort (This refers to the object. In chemistry, a retort is used for distilling substances. One is pictured here.)
In response to Taine's hopes that science could solve the question of the mortality or immortality of the soul, Pasteur replied:
"ah! Monseur, a cette question vous ne trouverez pas une solution dans nos cornues.'' (Sir, you will not find a solution to this question in our retorts.)

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