Letters.

decky1

why were 'Condoms' called 'French Letters' in the old days:rolleyes: just something going through my head today, don't know why[may need to see a doctor]

Tell me how

decky1 wrote: »

why were 'Condoms' called 'French Letters' in the old days:rolleyes: just something going through my head today, don't know why[may need to see a doctor]

From Google. All 3 answers from same Quora site.

Believe me or not in French a condom is called a "capote anglaise" or "English hood"... The first modern condoms were "invented" by an English surgeon.

The first condoms were made with animal guts or even earlier with leather. In English or just in England everything associated with sex is labelled as French: French bed, French dressing, French way, French kiss, French...just everything...

And of course a condom would become a piece of French leather. The phonetic differences, esp. in AmEng, between "leather" and "letter" are not significant and therefore we can easily imagine that the French leather turned into a French letter!

Before the invention of latex rubber, condoms in the 19th century were typically made out of animal membranes, such as sheep intestine. This generally kept the condom paper thin and, if the membrane dried out, the condom might resemble a piece of folded paper. This may explain the "letter" part of "French letter." As Mr. Cawley correctly points out, the "French" part is due to how Englishmen associated the French with sexual promiscuity. The French would often return the favor. For example, the term "French kiss" in English is translated as "baise anglaise" or "English kiss" in French.

The answer is quite simple, during WWI & WWI I, condoms were packed in small paper envelopes and issued to English troops. A lot of the troops went to France, and the French were sexualy liberated compared to their English cousins, so the name French Letter was coined.

As you can see, I don't know.

Junkyard Tom

When ze seagulls folleau ze trawleur eet iz becauese zey theenk sardines will be thruen into ze sea.

Hammer89

decky1 wrote: »

why were 'Condoms' called 'French Letters' in the old days:rolleyes: just something going through my head today, don't know why[may need to see a doctor]

I think it stems from the Napoleonic wars.

They forgot to bring paper with them to Germania but, being a bit of a shagger, Napoleon brought crate after crate of condoms. So what did the soliders do when they wanted to write their beloved? They would cut condoms down the middle and stretch them out so that they looked sort of like see-through reciepts. Then they'd write on them, and stuff them inside un-cut condoms to use for envelopes I guess.

dxhound2005

Greek sex. Did the French invent that as well?

igCorcaigh

I thought it was from the war, British soldiers used to post them back home from France?

Were condoms illegal in UK back then?

up for anything

decky1 wrote: »

why were 'Condoms' called 'French Letters' in the old days:rolleyes: just something going through my head today, don't know why[may need to see a doctor]

Reminds me of an old 70s joke.


What do you call Russian condoms?

Little red riding hoods.


Still makes me snigger a little.

Poor Uncle Tom

In days of old,
when nights were cold,
and condoms weren't invented,
I'd wrap a sock around my c**k,
and work away contented.....

Vita nova

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

In days of old,
when nights were cold,
and condoms weren't invented,
I'd wrap a sock around my c**k,
and work away contented.....

Every school kid had a version of that, ours was:

In days of old
when knights were bold
and rubbers weren't invented
They'd wrap a sock around their c*cks
And babies were prevented.

igCorcaigh

After googling this, I still don't know if or when condoms were illegal in the UK.

I do remember illegally installing condom machines in pubs and nightclubs here in ROI back in the early 1990s, as a political act though.

Was too young to remember the condom train back in the 1970s.

I'm assuming that condoms were prohibited and then legalised in UK prior to the introduction of the contraceptive pill in the 1960s?

igCorcaigh

This seems like an interesting read, just wiki of course, and I have only scanned it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_condoms?wprov=sfla1

policarp

decky1 wrote: »

why were 'Condoms' called 'French Letters' in the old days:rolleyes: just something going through my head today, don't know why[may need to see a doctor]

Why are they called Johnnies?
Same conundrum.

kowloon

A leather condom sounds pretty ****.

decky1

some good answers their guys, that's that sorted. Now what about 'Johnnies'?

Bobblehats

Love letters straight to youuuuuur ****

decky1

Bobblehats wrote: »

Love letters straight to youuuuuur ****

Nice one Allison when are you coming bact to Ireland?:D

Bobblehats

decky1 wrote: »

Nice one Allison when are you coming bact to Ireland?:D

When I’ve dealt with these pesky peruvians

decky1

Bobblehats wrote: »

When I’ve dealt with these pesky peruvians

ok , i'll be waiting.If you see Spandau Ballet bring them with you.:rolleyes:

Bobblehats

Oh right Moyet. Real smooth