Here is a popular and cute French expression which takes us back right to our childhood : C’est mon dada ! 🎠
C’est mon dada Meaning in English
C’est mon dada is a very popular French expression but what is a dada ?
As depicted on the picture above, a ‘dada’ is in fact a hobby horse.
‘C’est mon dada’ hence means literally ‘it is my hobbyhorse’ in French.
But what does it mean? Let’s have a look at the origin of this very common French expression to find out !
C’est mon dada Origin
Interestingly, this expression comes from English. It was made fashionable in England by Sterne, a satirical writer, author of several famous works, the most famous of which in France is: Le Voyage sentimental.
The writer uses the term of: Hobby-Horse (dada), which refers to a fixed idea in the first chapters of his novel Tristam Shandy. A book highly philosophical and a witty novel mixed with absurd profanity.
Hobby-Horse is the name of the stick on which a child has fun riding, and by extension a wooden horse serving as a toy. Figuratively, to ride one’s hobby-horse should be translated as ‘enfourcher son dada’ in French, that is to say to pursue a favorite idea without respite or measure.
C’est mon dada Translation in English
A suitable translation of ‘c’est mon dada’ in English would be ‘it is my hobby’ !
C’est mon dada French example
La peinture c’est mon dada !
Painting is my hobby !
C’est mon dada French synonyms
C’est mon cheval de bataille !
It means that is is my battle horse or something that is so dear to me that I fight for it !
C’est mon violon d’Ingres !
‘It is my Ingres’ violin’. Ingres was a painter but he could also play violon ! This is to say that someone has a hobby.
Voilà, this was today’s French idiom in English, I hope you liked it. Click here to find out about the challenge of 50 French idioms in English.
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