I find the different onomatopoeias used for the same sound in different languages entertaining, not least for the ensuing hilarity when you mispronounce them as English words. When I was in Paris with two of my housemates in December, we found a postcard which serves as a perfect illustration of why I enjoy mispronunciation. According to the back of the card, it depicts “Le coming-out du cochon”.

In the same shop, we found another card featuring a painting of a startled-looking boy playing his accordion, with a monkey dancing on his shoulder. I can’t decide how best to interpret the monkey’s expression.