A l'américaine

Américain (amayrikehn, nasal n = American and anything considered over-sized, excessive, a tad tacky, and otherwise likely to make you fat.)

Usage : Positive, Negative, Totally Absurd.

Positive : You went to see a concert by Johnny, the French Elvis, and you describe his concert to have been très à l'américaine. The double-edged compliment means that there were maybe just few too many lasers, the lights were just a little too bright and there were lots of special effects. It was over-the-top and it ROCKED! 


Negative : You're at a party. That lady was there. You know the one. She looked like she'd stepped off the set of Dallas (a big success here, btw). Her hair was a little too done, her lipstick a little too bright, her nails a little too red . . . she was done up à l'americaine.


Totally Absurd : You're at a wedding. You exchange pleasantries with your table-mates. The couple opposite you wants to ask you, l'americaine, a question:

Question : So what do you . . . eat?
Answer : *blink, blink . . . crickets*

Question :  Do you eat a lot of ketchup? Because our kids loove ketchup but we tell them not to eat so much because they'll get fat like the Americans. They want to know if the Indians eat a lot of ketchup because they like watching a lot of Westerns  . . . .

Answer :  I think your kids should start watching other kinds of movies.
Answer (hubs) :  My wife is a very good cook actually and, no, we don't eat a lot of ketchup.


P.S. That is a true story and still stands as the weirdest "Converse with the American" moment I've ever had here. I hope those children don't end up too messed up. Ha!

P.P.S. Some French actually eat their pasta with  . . .wait for it . . . ketchup. France is also ranked second in McDonald's food sales after the United States.