Gary came in the the room just now and said, “I’m watching Jennifer’s Body and I’m going to start saying ‘Random’ – evidently it’s what all the kids say.”
He turned to the dog. “That poop you did in front of me when I was watching the movie? Random.”
I volunteered, “‘Random, much?’ The kids say that too.”
Next time the dog poops or pees directly in front of Gary I might hear, “Dude, random much?” instead of an inarticulate roar.
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So then, Gary challenged me to write a blog post en Francais.
“Mais oui,” je parlez.
Je et Gary ecoutez Francais etoiler en Universite.
Je parlez ‘Pidgin” Francais.
Alors! Ecoutez ou dites vous.
Mais certainment, Je parlez Francais et Latinam, et combien.
Cherchez: je petit parve puella.
And then he challenged me to run that through Babelfish.
” Yes, ” I speak.
I and Gary listen to French etoiler in University.
I speak ‘ Pidgin” French.
Then! Listen to or known as you.
But certainment, I speak French and Latinam, and how much.
Seek: I small parve puella.
Let’s see how far off I really was. It should have been:
“Mais naturellement,” J’ai dit.
Gary et moi avons écouté dans notre classe française à l’école à l’université.
Je parle ‘ Pidgeon’ Français.
Écoutez la façon dont je te parle.
Naturellement, je parle français et latin, tous les deux.
Regardez : Je suis une petite fille.
13 responses to “Lingo”
It doesn’t matter. It’s a totally different language anyway when you get over there. Watch some French TV or a movie like “The Closet” and you’ll see what you’re up against.
Besides, all they’re really hoping for is an attempt to speak French.
Important etiquette note: Whenever entering the French version of a bodega, always say hello to the proprietor. “Bonjour, monsieur.” Bonne matin, etc. And when leaving, the same. In reverse.
Il y avait une fois quand je parlais francais, mais maintenant ce n’est plus vrai.
Il me faut dire des choses comme “J’ai une stylo” ou peut-etre, “j’ai un crayon bleu”.
Je voudrais voyager a Paris avec vous.
Eight years of study perhaps a bit more and that is about all that is left.
All I could really manage was questions like “Where’s the bathroom?” and “how much does this cost?”. I have no idea if my grammar was horrendous or not, but when I said, “Combien de francs pour un pain du chocolat?” The answer always came back as a number, and we worked it out from there.
Took French until Master’s level in University. When in Morocco I said to the people carrying our bags at one point ‘next time we’ll have to wear our husbands so they can carry the bags’. I can say pillow and egg in six languages.
I wandered around Paris saying, “Ou est la gare?” Where is the station? Well that’s what I meant to say, actually I was saying, “Ou est la guerre?” Unfortunately that means where is the war?
Becs – I have read that! So matin = morning, jour = day, nuit = night? Since I plan to wear my nicest ensemble, not jeans, I assume they’ll know me by my accent? I picked up a good English accent after a week in England, what if they think I’m French? Oh, right, there are no fat women in Paris.Zayrina – Vous devriez voyager avec Gary aussi bien. Pouvez-vous prendre les cris ?(You would have to travel with Gary as well. Can you take the screaming?)Tami – The phrase I want to learn is “I’m sorry” since that phrase made my stay in England much more pleasant, but Gary flies into a rage when I suggest that. Quelle domage!Allison – Ouef (French), Ovum (Latin), Egg (English – it counts) uhh .. huevos ? Spanish? and I can do a chicken imitation, that should cover the other languages for me.(I am so competitive. It’s sad.)Zayrina – We had a little war visit Paris today: Reuters reported an embassy claimed they’d been mail-poisoned, but they had not.
It’s like those French have a different word for everything. Oh but hey, listen to me; I can speak French: I want to move back to Creve Coeur.
I’m sorry = je regrets.
There are all kinds of refinements about “pardonnez moi”, “pardon”, and “excusez moi”. Z can probably give you the full rundown.
Also, there used to be a book called “Paris: Culture Shock”.
But I think you’ll be surprised that French people aren’t mean.
But the Algerians are crazy.
Mershy – I’m from Florissant! HOw French is that? Becs – I have the London version of Culture Shock! And yeah, Gary’s seen Taken twice now, he knows about Algerians.
Well, seeing as how I’m writing this in a place where they actually speak French, I reckon you needn’t worry about niceties like conditional and subjunctive tenses. What you need is numbers. Nouns and numbers. And a friendly smile. Unless you’re wanting to have actual conversations, that is. Then you’re into a whole new can of worms.
Mershy, I thought you were moving for the Yiddish, not the French.
Caroline – French, Yiddish, same difference. 😉
Big Dot – I keep thinking pantomime and drawing will work Caroline / Mershy – Comme ce, comme ca