Reader'd Digest 10月号に "COMPLETE GUIDE TO witticisms Quips RETORTS" と題された非常に面白い記事がありました。その記事からの抜粋です。
When a one-liner isn't enough, assemble bons mots and mix.
Your mother is a year older today and none the happier about it.
"Yeah, Mom, this is big, but you know, the secret is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie aout your age.
Don't listen to those who say you know you're getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It's like, 'See if you can blow this out.' Granted, age is a high price to pay for maturity, but how old would you be if didn't know how old you are? The way I see it, you should live every day like it's your birthday. You just have to have the right attitude. I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 ears older than I am."
(上記の例文は著名人の名言（？）を６つも引用して書かれたものだそうです。)
さて、"bons mots" はフラン語の響きがありますが、意味を辞書で確認します。
・Oxford English Dictionary: A witty remark.: It's 40 minutes of bons mots and good humour and, as one might expect, it's slightly old-fashioned.
・Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: a clever remark: She had a sparkling bon mot for every occasion.
Origin: French, literally, good word
"bons mots" の単数形はbon motで、発音は（調べたオンライン辞書では）複数形の "bons mots" も 単数形の "bon mot" と同じに、 "bon mots" と聞こえました。
When a one-liner isn't enough, assemble bons mots and mix.
Your mother is a year older today and none the happier about it.
"Yeah, Mom, this is big, but you know, the secret is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie aout your age.
Don't listen to those who say you know you're getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It's like, 'See if you can blow this out.' Granted, age is a high price to pay for maturity, but how old would you be if didn't know how old you are? The way I see it, you should live every day like it's your birthday. You just have to have the right attitude. I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 ears older than I am."
(上記の例文は著名人の名言（？）を６つも引用して書かれたものだそうです。)
さて、"bons mots" はフラン語の響きがありますが、意味を辞書で確認します。
・Oxford English Dictionary: A witty remark.: It's 40 minutes of bons mots and good humour and, as one might expect, it's slightly old-fashioned.
・Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: a clever remark: She had a sparkling bon mot for every occasion.
Origin: French, literally, good word
"bons mots" の単数形はbon motで、発音は（調べたオンライン辞書では）複数形の "bons mots" も 単数形の "bon mot" と同じに、 "bon mots" と聞こえました。
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