![\"comme](\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/blog\/spanishcow.gif\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In French if you don’t speak a langauge very well, you are said to speak it “like a Spanish cow”<\/strong>, or “comme une vache espagnole”<\/strong> [source<\/a>]. For example:<\/p>\n This expression was first used in writing in the 17th century, and possibly referred to vasces<\/strong>, that is Gascons or Basques, rather than vaches<\/strong>, or cows. At the time, Basque people from Spain probably didn’t speak French very well. Or it might come from basse<\/strong> (servant, maid), or from the use of comme une vache<\/strong> as an insult. Also, calling people and things espagnole<\/strong> (Spanish) was also an insult at the time [source<\/a>].<\/p>\n\n
\nHe speaks English like a Spanish cow<\/em><\/li>\n
\nShe speaks French like a Spanish cow<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n