�BOFFIN� is of French origin! 

Lynne Cunliffe has, once again, so perceptively, revealed the answer.

The word was first used by that demented writer, Oliver Twist, our mutual friend, in his most English-of-English novels: �What the Dickens?�

�The vedette is Nicodemus Boffin, a parvenu, one of the nouveau riche: the aide de camp and b�te noire of the charg� d�affaires of Napoleon Bonaparte, after his communiqu� re. the coup d��tat of his amour and femme fatale, his very raison d��tre, Madame Bovary. She sends a billet doux to arrange a rendezvous with this enfant terrible, and goes, with a minaudi�re, and a boutonni�re, but deshabill�, in her coup�, to the maitre d�h�tel, for a soir�e at the ch�teau. It�s a clich�, but the aide memoire doesn�t arrive, because of the cordon sanitaire. There is no d�tente, nor rapprochement!

The d�nouement? �L��tat, c�est moi!�

Sacr� bleu! Cold millesfeuilles and warm p�t� de fois gras!�

(For those of you who wish to improve your English, this book is a MUST.)

 

Oh ! How can it be possible that this word has French roots ???

 

No ! Not at all ! BOFFIN is the acronym for (Official) Bulletin OF (the) FINest teachers on ESL !

 

Of course both Lynne and Les are in ;) ;) and many others of course !!!

@ maryse pey�

Or, even, (including you),

�Pas de THREE!�

Les Douglas 

Dear Les,

 

You are unique ! And you �re very close to the Finish Lynne with your lyrics

 

"Don �t Les (= laisse = let) her go - to be a femme moderne is not so easy - Don �t Les her go - she is so fragile (in French the spelling is exactly the same though the prononciation is different)"

 

This song was the souris (= mouse and the prononciation is -more or Les- the same of three) � favorite song in the 80s... Here SOURIS means woman. Et je souris (= smile) en l �entendant !

 

fjaraudo your word is really inspiring for three (pas de three, pas de two) of us and you are making our day... But where are the other funny daffinitions ??? Pleeeeeeeeeeeease !