a stutter

Placez le pointeur de la souris sur les mots soulignés, sans cliquer.

A hugeénorme, muscular bloketype (familier) with a terrible stutterbégaiement walks up to a counter in a department store and asks, "W-w-w-where's the m-m-m-men's dep-p-p-partment?"

The assistant behind the counter simply looks at him, points in a general direction, and stays completely silent. The man, a bit frustrated, tries again: "Ju-ju-just te-tell me, w-w-w-where's the m-m-m-men's dep-p-p-partment?"

Again, the assistant offers no replyréponse. The bloke asks several more times, growing increasingly agitated with each ignored attempttentative: "W-w-w-where's the m-m-m-men's dep-p-p-partment?" The clerkemployé continues to act as if he hasn't heard him.

Finally, after being completely blankedignoré, the man storms offpart en trombe in a rage. Another customerclient who had been waiting in the queuedans la file steps up to the counter and says, "Blimeyzut alors, he's absolutely furious. Why on earthmais pourquoi donc wouldn't you answer him?"

The clerk finally speaks, replying, "D-d-d-do you th-th-th-think I w-w-w-want to get a b-b-b-bashingune r-r-r-raclée?!!"

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Vocabulary

stutter: speech difficulty with repeated sounds

storms off: leaves angrily

in the queue: waiting in line

a bashing: a physical beating

He has a slight stutterbégaiement when nervous.

She storms offpart en trombe whenever we argue.

We waited in the queuedans la file for hours.

He feared a bashingune raclée from the angry man.

Grammar

This anecdote uses direct speech and the past continuous tense.

Direct speech: "Why on earth wouldn't you answer him?"

Past continuous: The customer was waiting in the queue.

Synonyms & Alternatives

Bloke: chap, fellow, guy

Reply: response, answer, retort

Customer: client, buyer, patron

Mini Dialogue

Alice (HR): Did the customerclient ever send a replyréponse to our offer?

Brian (Accounting): Not yet — we’re still waiting in the queuedans la file for approvals.

Alice: If he storms offpart en trombe, we’ll lose the deal.

Brian: Exactly. That’s why I’m chasing him for feedback.

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