Laura Lawless' translation of this Anglo-Norman maxim ("Honi soit qui mal y pense") from about.com, cited on the relevant Wikipedia page, is, "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it" or, more usually, "Shame on anyone who thinks evil of it".
How might one say in Anglo-Norman, "Shame on anyone who thinks no evil of it"? Add "ne" after "mal", perhaps?
Hi Gregory,
I haven't been able to get an answer from Laura so it would be best if you contact her directly via her own website -
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/honi-soit-qui-mal-y-pense/
If I hear in the meantime, will let you know.
This is how Collins translates it -
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/honi-soit-qui-mal-y-pense
Hi Gregory,
Can you let us know which page you are referring to as this is too vague.
Sure thing. The Wikipedia page is en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honi_soit_qui_mal_y_pense, and the very first reference links to an about.com page archived in 2015, in which Ms Lawless translates the expression, web.archive.org/web/20150722174009/http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/honi-soit-qui-mal-y-pense.htm . Thank you.
Bonjour Gregory, as far as I know, no one here speaks Anglo Norman, so we can't answer that question. But as a guess, I'd say you're right: Honi soit qui mal n'y pense.
Btw, as you can see my old work is archived and has been inaccessible since I left in 2014. Please visit my new site instead: https://www.lawlessfrench.com
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