On Friday, in "Historically yours", Stéphane Bern returned to the origins of two well-known expressions, which both date back to the 17th century: "to have other fish to fry", and "to call a spade a spade". 

Every day, in 

Historically yours

, Stéphane Bern suggests discovering the origins of expressions that we use every day.

On Friday, the host returns exceptionally to two expressions, each containing the word "cat": "to have other fish to fry", and "to call a spade a spade".

Both formulas find their origins in the 17th century. 

The first expression, "to have other fish to fry", appears in the 17th century.

Strangely in England, we say "to have other fish to fry", that is to say: "to have other fish to fry". 

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According to the great linguist Alain Rey, whipping was not at the time to be taken in the sense of whipping with a whip.

Whipping was to be understood as a slang way of designating the sexual act.

This explains the presence of the whip cat, a cat that evokes feminine intimacy.

In Greece, "call figs, figs"

It is the same logic which prevails in the formula "to call a spade a spade".

This expression is also used for the first time in the 17th century, and already, at that time, people complained that they could not always call things by their name.

Here, the cat here once again evokes what goes on under the petticoat.

Boileau popularized the expression by saying: "I call a spade a spade, and Rollet a rogue."

Charles Rollet being a dishonest prosecutor.

Note that in Greece, we say: "call the figs, the figs and the basin the basin".

While with our Dutch friends, we prefer: "call the little beast by its name".

An entire program.