We all like to think we’re really witty. But sometimes we’re just not witty in a punctual way – somebody trash talks us, and a good comeback only comes to us after everybody’s already laughed and the insulter is already off on his next mission.The English language has not yet managed to come up with a term for this (probably got something to do with that stiff upper lip thing, and the fact that they used to be able to use this as a comeback: “Well, Britain rules the world, so you just sit back and shut up”).
Anyway, French has it covered with this lovely phrase: Espirit d’escalier. Literally, it means 'the wit of the staircase' – because you only came up with the comeback while you were leaving the party, by the stairs.
So the next time someone turns to you and says something like “Is that your face, or is a monkey crawling down your shirt face first?” you’ll at least be able to put a name to that feeling you get ten minutes later when you come up with the perfect retort…
Actually, what would the perfect retort be in that situation? Let us know by Tuesday 11 August and you could win a HIP Bass on Tap set. But try to keep it clean, okay?
