In Historically Vôtre, Stéphane Bern always has the last word and tells us the story of a word or an expression that we still use every day… or almost!

Today, "being Fanny" in a game, or losing having scored zero points.

Every day in "Historically yours", Stéphane Bern sets out to discover expressions that we use every day, without necessarily knowing them well.

On Monday, he explained the origin of the expression "to be Fanny".

A term that actually comes to us from the 19th century and more particularly from a young woman from Lyon.

"I don't know if you are a card game or boules lover, but in both cases there is an obsession: to finish the game by 'doing fanny'. Understand: do not score any points when your opponent has won.

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Fanny did exist

And as incredible as it may seem, Fanny did exist.

In the 1870s in the district of Croix Rousse, one of the high places of the ball of Lyon, a young girl of barely 20 years old, the daughter of a couple holding a herbalist shop, proposed to console those unhappy at gambling by Showing them her buttocks with a small coin.

In memory and honor of Fanny, in many sports and games the expression has remained.

And to join the action to the word, we often brought a poster or a postcard representing a naked callipyge woman called Fanny, which it was necessary in the event of heavy defeat to kiss on the posterior.

On the photo we could often read 'To have, clumsy player, lack of touch, you will have to put your mouth in the best place'.

A custom that comes to us from the 12th century

And what is surprising is that long before the real Fanny, we find the same custom in the Middle Ages.

In the 12th century, in a song, it is about Count Turgibus who having lost two battles in a row receives a humiliating pledge, I quote: 'kiss the old woman's ass'.

Last essential info concerning this expression: Fanny in American designates the buttocks.

Or when the culture and our French customs are exported beyond our borders!

Cock-a-doodle Doo !"