{"id":8373,"date":"2018-04-01T06:50:40","date_gmt":"2018-04-01T06:50:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/xislblogs.xtreamlab.net\/slwoods\/?p=8373"},"modified":"2018-04-12T10:42:37","modified_gmt":"2018-04-12T10:42:37","slug":"mad-dogs-an-englishman-speaks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slwoods.co.uk\/?p=8373","title":{"rendered":"Mad dogs – an Englishman speaks"},"content":{"rendered":"

During my first visits to France in my teens one frequently saw blue-enamelled signs mounted on gates and walls and bearing the words “Chien m\u00e9chant<\/em>“, the French equivalent of “Beware of the dog<\/em>“. However, we used to translate it literally and, as the only other creature we’d come across which could also be described as “m\u00e9chant<\/em>” (= naughty*) was children, we settled on “naughty dog<\/em>” as the accepted definition or translation and had a good chuckle. However, as time progressed and language studies reached higher levels, one gradually came to realise that literal translation is often unreliable, as exemplified by our French four-legged friends.<\/p>\n

\"The
The classic French “Chien m\u00e9chant” sign from yesteryear<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yesterday afternoon in Sainte Marine<\/a> when out walking with my sister we came across the sign below.<\/p>\n

\"sign<\/p>\n

The alleged four-legged friend to which the sign refers is clearly a canine which has strayed well beyond being merely “m\u00e9chant<\/em>“, is clearly mentally unstable and would – if human and resident in England and Wales – be admitted to hospital against its will under the Mental Health Act.<\/p>\n

However, for we open source enthusiasts, “mad dog<\/em>” – or in this case “maddog<\/em>” – has other connotations. “Maddog” is the nickname of programmer Jon Hall<\/a>, the Executive Director of Linux International, a non-profit organisation established by computer professionals with the aim of supporting and promoting Linux-based operating systems.<\/p>\n

Finally, any mention of mad dogs by an Englishman would be incomplete without a passing nod to Noel Coward, so here it is. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n