The French expression that sticks in the throat!

You might use the phrase ‘ça me reste en travers de la gorge’ (it sticks in my throat) – when something or someone annoys you.

The expression dates back to medieval days, at a time when those suspected of being traitors or accused of blasphemy were condemned to agonising torture. They believed in the historical definition of ‘ordeal’, which is a test of guilt consisting of a severe painful/torturous experience.

If the person survived, it meant that God saved him/her and that was proof of innocence - that was the only way to know the truth.

One of the many types of torture was to fill in the accused person’s mouth with bread and cheese until a piece ‘sticks in his throat’. If he choked to death, it meant that he actually was guilty but if he survived it, he was set free.

Trial by ordeal like this was forbidden in 1258 by Louis IX, Saint Louis.

By then, this saying was used when someone was a victim of injustice or was falsely condemned. Today, it is simply used to refer to something irritating.