In French, when some one says "Merci Beau-coup" does it mean "Thanks Pretty Hit"?

Question

Beau = Handsome

Coup = a blow or a strike

Beau-coup = Handsome Punch?

Answer 1

While "un coup" does mean "a knock or blow" it is not the case here. "Merci Beaucoup" means "Thanks a lot!"

>>BEAUCOUP adv. XIIIe siècle, 'biau cop', « grande et belle chose ». Composé de beau, au sens de « grand », et de coup, « partie coupée d'un tout ».

This is from the Acadamie Francaise. "Beau" has the meaning "Large" and "Coup"  is "part of a whole". Perhaps, the "coup" as it is being used here has no modern meaning and has only remained in use because "Beaucoup" is such a commonly used phrase.

Although, I'd rather give some of the customers at my job a "Handsome Punch" rather than a thank you.

Answer 2

Coup means more than just "hit." In this case beaucoup is a word that means "a lot." As such it's an idiom (it's not amenable to being picked apart and translated in pieces).

English has many examples where words cannot easily be picked apart (without knowing a lot more about their origins). It's how we get the joke, if con is the opposite of pro, would that make congress the opposite of progress?

Answer 3

I think it means "thanks, beautiful head"

Answer 4

Interesting question.

I think the accepted translation for Merci Beaucoup is "Thanks a lot."

But, you are right - the literal translation does break down to how you said - "Handsome Blow or Pretty Knock".

Another interesting thing - the magnificent hockey player Mario Lemieux?

His last name is Le Mieux (The Best).  And, he is!!!

Answer 5

Tu es trompé

Answer 6

it means thanks a lot

Answer 7

Thank you very much

Answer 8

It means

Thank you very much.

Answer 9

"Merci Beau-coup" means 'Thank you very much' in French. :)

Answer 10

Knowing how it's spelled would be helpful.  "Beaucoup" is, as I present it, one word.  In the phrase "Merci beaucoup", the second word begins with a capital letter ONLY if it's presented as a concluding remark in a formal manner, otherwise, it's "Merci beaucoup", since "Merci" is the beginning word in a declarative remark.  Translated, it means "Thank you very much".  "Merci" is the "Thank you", and "beaucoup" is the "very much".  God Bless you.

Answer 11

It's not beau-coup, it's beaucoup. Which means a lot or very much. It's the French version of a homograph (words that are spelled the same, but have different meanings, like "wind"--The wind blows. or Wind the clock.)