In a teaser for the new series of Doctor Who the Doctor asks Clara :
Clara, be my pal and tell me… am I a good man ?
My problem is that in French it simply doesn't have any other sense than the fact that he wants Clara to be his friend, which doesn't make that much sense in this sentence.
So what does "be my pal" mean in this context? Is it an idiom ?
Best Answer
Be my pal and tell me....
It is an idiom or expression, meaning Be a true friend and tell me... or Prove that you are my friend by telling me...
As an idiom, the meaning is not so literal. When we are saying it, we are not asking for a legal proof of friendship.It is, rather, an informal way of goading (prodding) our friend into giving us the information.
editing my answer as the question gets edited :)