" ON THE ORIGIN OF SOME POPULAR OATHS." 



A PAPER HEAD BEFORE THE AMERICAN FOLK - LORE 

 SOCIETY, MONTREAL BRANCH. 



On more than one occasion, the peculiar expletives 

 used in French Canada, ostensibly to give emphasis to 

 thoughts expressed, have seemed to me fit subjects for 

 study. 



Their close resemblance to similar expressions, 

 resorted to, in several departments in France, seemingly 

 point to a common, though distant origin. 



I purpose here submitting a few of the best known 

 common forms. 



Unquestionably many of these expletives or jurons, 

 conjure up ideas of lack of reverence for the name or 

 for the attributes of the Deity. 



A french writer of some note, Laredan Larchey, in 

 a learned disquisition on the subject, strives to show 

 that in reality no disrespect is meant to the Almighty, 

 whose name or divine attributes singularly distorted, 

 are thus taken in vain by persons, in some cases, of 

 strong religious proclivities. " Heaven, he says, has 

 been ever called on to witness occurrences, which 

 challenge astonishment or cause indignation." This 

 would also apply to Canada, as illustrated by the daily 

 exclamations heard in common parlance "Ah! mon 

 Bieu ! " BonU Divine ! &c, and similar terms used 

 by devout sons of the Church. In either case, no 

 disrespect is meant to the Almighty. Among French as 

 well as among English military men, swearing on every 

 trivial occasion was formerly so common, that it was 



