French phrase of the Day: Taxe lapin
You won't be able to pay this in carrots.
Why do I need to know taxe lapin?
Because periodically someone will suggest introducing one, but it's got nothing to do with Peter Rabbit and the Flopsy Bunnies.
What does it mean?
The literal translation of une taxe lapin - pronounced oon-tax la-pahn - is exactly what you would expect - 'rabbit tax'. However, this is not a tax on rabbits, or even on rabbit owners - it is in fact a 'no-show fee' or charge levied on people who make appointments and don't turn up.
To understand this one, you need to know the phrase poser un lapin - which means to stand someone up. You can use it if a date stood you up, or if your friend was a no-show, but it's also used in more formal contexts to indicate people who make a reservation or book an appointment and then don't show up.
French phrase of the day: Poser un lapin
This is a particular problem for doctors, and at a time when it's hard to get a doctor's appointment in some areas due to a shortage of médecins généralistes some people have suggested charging patients for appointments that they don't show up for.
The phrase is a more casual usage, and in most newspaper reports you will probably see it used in quote marks or inverted commas, the formal name for a 'no-show charge' is the somewhat less catchy Amende pour les rendez-vous médicaux non-honorés (fine for medical appointments that are not honoured).
Use it like this
L'instauration d'une « taxe lapin » est en débat au Parlement pour sanctionner financièrement les personnes qui n'honorent pas leur rendez-vous - The introduction of a 'no-show fee' to financially sanction people who do not keep appointments is being debated in parliament
Une « taxe lapin » semble être une bonne idée, mais elle pénaliserait les pauvres et les malades chroniques - A 'no-show fee' seems like a good idea, but it would disproportionately affect the poor and those with chronic illnesses
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Why do I need to know taxe lapin?
Because periodically someone will suggest introducing one, but it's got nothing to do with Peter Rabbit and the Flopsy Bunnies.
What does it mean?
The literal translation of une taxe lapin - pronounced oon-tax la-pahn - is exactly what you would expect - 'rabbit tax'. However, this is not a tax on rabbits, or even on rabbit owners - it is in fact a 'no-show fee' or charge levied on people who make appointments and don't turn up.
To understand this one, you need to know the phrase poser un lapin - which means to stand someone up. You can use it if a date stood you up, or if your friend was a no-show, but it's also used in more formal contexts to indicate people who make a reservation or book an appointment and then don't show up.
French phrase of the day: Poser un lapin
This is a particular problem for doctors, and at a time when it's hard to get a doctor's appointment in some areas due to a shortage of médecins généralistes some people have suggested charging patients for appointments that they don't show up for.
The phrase is a more casual usage, and in most newspaper reports you will probably see it used in quote marks or inverted commas, the formal name for a 'no-show charge' is the somewhat less catchy Amende pour les rendez-vous médicaux non-honorés (fine for medical appointments that are not honoured).
Use it like this
L'instauration d'une « taxe lapin » est en débat au Parlement pour sanctionner financièrement les personnes qui n'honorent pas leur rendez-vous - The introduction of a 'no-show fee' to financially sanction people who do not keep appointments is being debated in parliament
Une « taxe lapin » semble être une bonne idée, mais elle pénaliserait les pauvres et les malades chroniques - A 'no-show fee' seems like a good idea, but it would disproportionately affect the poor and those with chronic illnesses
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