French President Emmanuel Macron is known for his prolonged handshakes and awkward touching (especially with Trump), but news broke overnight that Macron took things from strange to really strange. During a visit with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Macron called the politician’s wife, Lucy Turnbull, “delicious.”
Towards the end of a joint news conference with the Australian Prime Minister, Macron said, “I want to thank you for your welcome, thank you and your delicious wife for your warm welcome.” Watch below:
Was it a Freudian slip? “Thank you and your delicious wife for your warm welcome,” said French President @EmmanuelMacron during a joint press conference with Australian PM @TurnbullMalcolm. pic.twitter.com/MBxFxSUhoW
— DW | Europe (@dw_europe) May 2, 2018
Some thought he could have been joking with the Australian Prime Minister and his wife. Others thought it was probably a translation mishap. As Mashable pointed out, French and English share many words that sound similar but have different meanings. Take, for instance, “entrée” in French, which translates to “entrance,” and “entree” in English, which refers to a main dinner course.
TIME also pointed out that the French word for delicious, “délicieux,” can also mean “delightful.” So, perhaps Macron thought he was complimenting Turnbull’s wife on how pleasant her presence was as opposed to making a sexual innuendo.
Twitter reacts to wife of Australian Prime Minister being called ‘delicious’
Sky News New Zealand Bureau Chief James O’Doherty tweeted, “Not sure if this was something lost in translation or just something very ~French~.”
“I want to thank you and your delicious wife for your warm welcome” – French President to Malcolm Turnbull.
Not sure if this was something lost in translation or just something very ~French~ pic.twitter.com/OuzAG82Wwm
— James O’Doherty (@jmodoh) May 2, 2018
A reporter for the Australian Associated Press also pointed to a possible translation mishap:
This might help explain the awkward mistranslation of the French President describing Malcolm Turnbull’s wife as “delicious”. pic.twitter.com/CTDE7ANunY
— Jamie McKinnell (@jamie86) May 2, 2018
Others just couldn’t contain themselves:
“thank you and your delicious wife” – Macron pic.twitter.com/4v3lCHOsH1
— Jason Cutler (@JaseCutler) May 2, 2018
During a July 2017 meeting with Macron, Trump reportedly said that the French President’s wife, First Lady Brigitte Macron, was in “such great shape.”
At least Trump didn’t try to say she had “belle forme,” meaning “nice shape.” But hey, it wouldn’t be the first time.
