French lessons, events & trips
FRENCH LESSONS EVENTS & GIFTS
If you’re a person of un certain âge* who did some rudimentary French at school, we could almost guarantee you remember the phrase “Fermez la bouche*!”
Now we’re grown up, though, it’s time to expand our repertoire*, not only with a few more applications of the word bouche*, but with the real way to tell someone to shut it: ta gueule!*
*a certain age | *Close your mouth | *repertoire | *mouth | *shut your face
On the very odd occasion Word Reference fails me (see Ultimate French Resources #3), I turn to Linguee.com as a last resort.
Established in Cologne, Germany in 2008, Linguee is what is called an online bilingual concordance. That turns out to be a very fancy way of saying that the site trawls the web to find authentic documents that have been written in both French and English and places them side-by-side on the webpage. This is très pratique* when you want to see words used in their true context, not just in isolation as they often are in a dictionary.
A website of parallel texts, showing authentic, real-world uses of words along with how they’re translated in that particular context.
It is the very best place to find new words or néologismes, as they are called in French.
The example of social distancing below is a good one. Though Word Reference has now caught up, when I wrote about it in last month’s newsletter, it did not yet have its own entry. It was only contained in the forum, where members of the public had asked about it. Linguee, on the other hand, had examples months ago, as they use web-crawlers to find examples of the phrase being used in real documents across the internet.
There are two main things to watch out for:
1) Linguee’s review process is less stringent than a traditional dictionary’s. A human-trained learning algorithm is used to assess the quality of the translations so don’t stake your life on their accuracy, though generally they are more than good enough for learners like us.
2) Many of the bilingual documents are sourced from EU protocol papers and other government documents, so the examples do not make for the most scintillating of reading, though I guess that very much depends on your intérêts*.
The top section of the website functions as a simple dictionary, but it’s further down that you get to le bon matos*.
Et voilà*! Seeing the phrase in context really helps you to see how it is used.
*very handy | *pros | *cons | *interests | *the good stuff | *And there you go!
Tout le monde en parle*, that’s for sure.
The new Netflix series, Emily in Paris, is causing a stir the world over.
“Emily in Paris Is Going to Seduce You” - New York Magazine
"Emily in Paris review – an excruciating exorcism of French cliches." - The Guardian
The debate reached Lingua Franca the day after the series dropped, with students either totally beguiled by the depiction of a young American (the titular Emily) who lands a dream transfer to Paris to work in a boutique marketing firm, or absolutely horrified by the unrealistic portrayal of expat life in La Ville Lumière*.
Intrigued, we decided to take a straw poll here au nid* among our six French team members to answer the question: Emily in Paris - info ou intox?
*fact or fiction? (intox is short for intoxication, which is a false friend. In French it means poisoning or brainwashing) | *Everyone’s talking about it | *The City of Light | *at the nest
If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.
La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, the second instalment of this new series, which is written to an Absolute Beginner 2 level.
*The Little Story | *The Prequel
Bonjour. Je m'appelle Jean-Louis. Je suis de Marrakech mais j'habite à Paris avec ma femme, Leïla. Nous avons un petit appartement dans le 18ème arrondissement. Je suis agent d'entretien* à l'hôtel en face du Musée du Louvre dans le premier arrondissement. Nous avons une petite fille et elle s'appelle Anouk. Elle est adorable. Je suis de taille moyenne avec les cheveux bruns et les yeux verts. Je suis fort, habile et déterminé.
Bonjour, je m'appelle Leïla et je suis mère au foyer*. J'ai 22 ans et j'ai une petite fille, Anouk. Elle a un an. Elle est jolie et contente mais je suis fatiguée! Nous avons un petit appartement près du métro Abbesses dans le 18ème arrondissement. J'ai un frère, Hervé, et une sœur, Amandine. Amandine a 17 ans et elle est étudiante à l'école. Mon frère a 24 ans et il est étudiant aussi, mais à l'université. Sa femme s'appelle Amina et elle est marocaine.
Salut ! Je suis Hervé. Je suis le frère de Leïla et l'oncle d'Anouk et j'ai 24 ans. Anouk est très petite et jolie aussi. Ma sœur est jolie mais en ce moment elle est très fatiguée. Jean-Louis travaille* beaucoup et Leïla est à l’appartement avec le bébé. C'est difficile, mais elle est contente. Anouk a les yeux verts et les cheveux noirs. Je suis marié. Ma femme s'appelle Amina et elle est marocaine. Nous habitons à Paris, près de la Seine, dans le sixième arrondissement.
Bonjour, je suis Simon et je suis professeur à l'université de la Sorbonne à Paris. Je suis anglais et je parle français, anglais et un peu d'arabe. J'habite dans un appartement près du Jardin du Luxembourg dans le sixième arrondissement. J'ai deux enfants, Sophie et Timothy. Ils habitent à Londres mais en ce moment ils sont avec moi ici à Paris pour les vacances. Sophie et grande et blonde et Timothy et petit et brun. Ils sont très différents mais très gentils aussi.
Salut ! Je m'appelle Roger et je suis étudiant à l'université de la Sorbonne. J'ai 30 ans et je ne suis pas marié. Je suis fils unique et je suis de Honfleur, en Normandie, mais j'habite à Paris. Je suis grand avec les cheveux blonds et les yeux marrons. J'aime les langues, les films et les femmes. Je suis beau et je ne suis pas timide. J'ai une copine...ou deux. Bon, j'ai trois copines mais c'est tout!
Bonjour tout le monde. Je m'appelle Noëlle et je suis australienne mais j'habite à Paris. Je suis étudiante à l'Université de la Sorbonne. J'habite dans un petit appartement dans le 10ème arrondissement. Je n'ai pas de copain en ce moment mais j'adore les hommes, particulièrement les hommes français. Ils sont très sexy. Je suis grande et jolie avec les cheveux roux et les yeux verts. J'ai un petit accent australien et les hommes français adorent ça, donc je suis très contente!
*a cleaner | *stay at home mother | *works
Hello. My name is Jean-Louis. I am from Marrakech but I live in Paris with my wife, Leïla. We have a small apartment in the 18th arrondissement. I am a cleaner at the hotel opposite the Louvre Museum in the first arrondissement. We have a little girl and her name is Anouk. She is adorable. I am of medium height with brown hair and green eyes. I am strong, practical and determined.
Hello. My name is Leïla and I am a stay at home mother. I am 22 years old and I have a little daughter, Anouk. She is one year old. She is pretty and happy but I’m tired! We have a little apartment close to the Abbesses métro in the 18th arrondissement. I have a brother, Hervé, and a sister, Amandine. Amandine is 17 years old and she is a student at school. My brother is 24 years old and he is a student as well, but at university. His wife is called Amina and she is Moroccan.
Hi! I am Hervé. I am Leïla’s brother and Anouk’s uncle and I am 24 years of age. Anouk is very small and pretty as well. My sister is pretty but at the moment she is very tired. Jean-Louis works a lot and Leïla is at the apartment with the baby. It’s difficult, but she is happy. Anouk has green eyes and black hair. I’m married. My wife’s name is Amina and she is Moroccan. We live in Paris, close to the Seine, in the 6th arrondissement.
Hello, I am Simon and I am a professor at the Sorbonne University in Paris. I am English and I speak French, English and a bit of Arabic. I live in an apartment close the Jardin du Luxembourg in the sixth arrondissement. I have two children, Sophie and Timothy. They live in London but at the moment they are with me here in Paris for the holidays. Sophie is tall and blonde and Timothy is short and has brown hair. They are very different but very kind as well.
Hi! My name is Roger and I am a student at the Sorbonne University. I am 30 years of age and I’m not married. I am an only child and I am from Honfleur, in Normandy, but I live in Paris. I am tall with blond hair and brown eyes. I like languages, movies and women. I am handsome and I’m not shy. I have a girlfriend…or two. Okay, I have three girlfriends but that’s all!
Hello everybody. My name is Noëlle and I am Australian but I live in Paris. I am a student at the Sorbonne University. I live in a small apartment in the 10th arrondissement. I don’t have a boyfriend at the moment but I love men, particularly French men. They are very sexy. I am tall and pretty with red hair and green eyes. I have a little Australian accent and men love that, so I am very happy!
Photography : The Guardian
L'habit ne fait pas le moine* is a very well-known French expression. But in the case of the twin African cities of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, being a snappy dresser has taken on very special importance indeed.
Intéressé(e)*? Read more here and watch this :
*Never judge a book by its cover | *Interested?
The very first tab I open on my browser when I arrive at work each day is without fail Wordreference.com. It stays open all day and I would jump onto it at least ten times before I pack up my computer to go home. While not exactly a technophobe, I do tend to favour paper over a screen, but in the case of this fantastic online dictionary I have to admit that the digital version is simply supérieure*.
Unlike a hard copy dictionary, Word Reference is not constrained for space, and it therefore offers so much more than translations. Once you've typed in the word you're looking for and the 'direction' of the translation (English to français* or vice versa), you'll see the most obvious translations at the top (principales traductions). Next, you'll see some further translations (traductions supplémentaires), followed by compound forms (formes composées). Don't stop there though, for if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the entry, this is where things become really interesting: a forum where users can ask questions that have not been answered above. It's here you'll find some very recent developments in the language. For instance, in March when we all started talking about la distanciation sociale*, there were several people who had already asked what I wanted to know in the forum, though the translation had not made it into the top part of the entry. Let's hope that's a sign that this concept will one day become 'très 2020*'.
The best online dictionary we've found.
From students in need of a simple translation, to those on the cutting edge of the language who want to be able to speak of the very latest concepts en français*. Also really great for great big nerds, like me, who just loving poring over French words.
So up-to-date and comprehensive, it really is a credit to the developers. Also, for some of the more common words, you'll see a little speaker icon right at the top which allows you to access the pronunciation.
The quality of the advice given by the posters in the forum can vary. If you're able to, give preference to the senior members (Pie-Anne is a personal favourite - that woman 's knowledge of both French and English is époustouflant*).
*superior | *French | *social distancing | *very 2020 | *in French | *best bits | *weak points | *astounding
We often have beginner students ask us if we know of any children's books that would be suited to their level. It makes sense - as a beginner you're really starting from scratch, as you do as a bébé*. What we tend to forget, though, is that before we start reading in our native language, we've already had years of exposure to words and sounds and our comprehension of the spoken word is almost perfect. Therefore, picking up a children's book in French is not as easy as it may sound.
This is why we were so delighted to discover this lovely little site. If you're a current Chouchou*, you may have seen a post about this great little site last week in the group Slack channel. In case you missed it, or for those who are not yet doing lessons chez Lingua Franca*, we thought you might enjoy it, too.
The French Experiment is a site dedicated to learning the French language. It's small but very well done, and when we saw the list of French contes* available, we knew we had to faire passer la parole*.
Though there are several tales available (there’s even an original love story between a whale and a bird), the one below is the only one to have been animated (so far). Though this is a high intermediate level, it is suitable for everyone as you can choose to have English subtitles, French subtitles or no subtitles at all. For the others, you'll find the story in French accompanied by lovely illustrations as well as the option to translate the text into English.
NB: Be sure to click on the red text “Watch the video” to see the animated version. If you click only on the play button, you’ll just hear the audio.
Alors, lancez-vous!* Les Trois Petits Cochons*, Boucle d'Or* and Le Petit Chaperon Rouge* are waiting for you.
*baby | *Teacher's Pet | *at Lingua Franca | *fairytales | *spread the word | *So, give it a go! | *The Three Little Pigs | *Goldilocks | *Little Red Riding Hood
William Alexander is un homme d'un certain âge*, and he wants to learn French. More than learn it, as it turns out. He wants to conquer it. Sounding familiar?
"I'm more than a Francophile. I want to be French. There's one small obstacle though: I don't speak la langue française. In Flirting with French, I set out to conquer the language I love. Readers will find out if it loves me back. I eat, breathe, and sleep French (even conjugating — badly — in my dreams). I travel to France, where mistranslations send me bicycling off in all sorts of wrong directions, and I nearly drown in an immersion class in Provence, where, faced with the riddle of masculine breasts, feminine beards, and a turkey cutlet of uncertain gender, I start to wonder if I should've taken up golf instead."
So how does he fare? You'll have to read right to the end when William takes stock of his success (or other) in learning a language as an adult. Though we tried to source a local provider, it seems this book is not widely distributed, so if you're keen to read it, you're best off to find it here.
Bonne lecture!*
*a man of a certain age | *Happy reading!
With the Brisbane French Film Festival over for this year, you may have thought we'd seen the last of the films français* for 2020. Au contraire*! A quick scan of Brisbane cinema websites has turned up somewhat of a treasure trove of choices if you're keen to satisfy your cinephile* tendencies. Some of the more popular movies from the French Film Festival have come back on general release and the Brisbane International Film Festival is about to start so Brisbane French-lovers ont l'embarras du choix*.
https://www.palacecinemas.com.au/movies/now-showing/
We'll End Up Together - Nous Finirons Ensemble
La Belle Époque - La Belle Époque
The Translators - Les Traducteurs
Les Misérables - Les Misérables
https://www.dendy.com.au/cinemas/
Two of Us - Deux
Portrait de la Jeune Fille en Feu - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Blue is the Warmest Colour - La Vie d'Adèle
BPM - 120 Battements Par Minute
https://fivestarcinemas.com.au/new-farm
Secret Impressionists - Segreti Impressionisti
Felicità - Felicità
https://fivestarcinemas.com.au/regal
The Mystery of Henri Pick - Le Mystère Henri Pick
Bon ciné*!
*French films | *Quite the opposite! *film-lover | *are spoiled for choice | *Enjoy your movies!
Speaking of films, the team au nid* have been known to have an opinion or two on the very best of French cinema. Voici leurs choix*.
*the nest | *at the nest | *Here are their choices
What’s your favourite French movie?
Les Misérables
KATRINA
Intouchables
DEBORAH
L’arnacœur
CAROLINE
L’auberge espagnole
JOSEPHINE
Les trois frères
DAVID
Le dîner de cons
FIONA
Cette semaine* we ducked over to the World Wellness Group in Stones Corner to drop off the food you have so generously donated this term. We'd heard their placard* was a bit bare, so we put in a special request to our Chouchous* and you did not disappoint. Thank you so much for making the effort to bring the goods in. As Rita explains in the video, at times people who come to the medical clinic may not have eaten the day of their appointment, and possibly for a day or two before that, so to be able to send them home with a small bag of groceries is a huge help.
By the way, if you missed the collection this time around, please feel free to bring any extra goods in at any time. Ideally, we'd love to do another drop-off before Christmas. Merci encore*.
*This week | *cupboard | *Teacher's Pets | *Thanks again
Towards the end of Term 3, three of our more advanced classes were asked to participate in a linguistic experiment. Marie-Hélène Cremer, a Belgian native and former University of Queensland French lecturer who has turned her not-inconsiderable talents to the community radio station 4EB, paid a visit to Lingua Franca. Armed with a microphone, Marie-Hélène presented the Chouchous* with a word she was sure they wouldn't know (in fact the words were so obscure they'd be new to most French native-speakers as well), and then the pressure was on for them to come up with a possible definition.
Take a moment to listen to their very courageux* attempts below. We’ve included a transcript in French and English for those of you who want to know exactly what is being said. By the way, if you think the presenter's voice sounds familiar, that's because it's our very own office manager, Fiona Berrocal, whom many of you know.
Dernièrement*, if the idea of an hour of French radio appeals to you, why not check out the list of recent episodes here?
*Teacher's Pets | *courageous | *Lastly
Présentatrice: Cette semaine nous allons tenter de deviner la signification d’une expression du Burkina Faso. Les étudiants de Lingua France et leurs professeurs, Katrina et David, ont essayé de deviner et on vous laisse faire de même.
This week we are going to try to guess the meaning of an expression from Burkina Faso. The students of Lingua Franca and their teachers, Katrina and David, tried to guess and now we’re letting you do the same.
Marie-Hélène: Que signifie l’expression “c’est caillou”?
What does the expression “c’est caillou” mean?
Les Chouchous:
Un problème? - A problem?
C’est énervant? - It’s annoying?
C’est agaçant? - It’s irritating?
C’est mignon? - It’s cute?
C’est son envie (jealousy)? - It’s to do with being jealous?
C’est être jaloux? - It’s to be jealous?
C’est mauvais? - It’s bad?
Il n’y a pas de choses dans le placard? - There’s nothing in the cupboard?
C’est quelqu’un ennuyeux? - It’s someone boring?
Ce n’est pas possible? - It’s not possible?
C’est très facile? - It’s very easy?
C’est très cool? - It’s very cool?
Je dirais c’est petit ou alors ça ne coûte pas cher? - I’d say it’s small or maybe that it doesn’t cost a lot?
C’est certain? - It’s certain?
Peut-être c’est flexible? - Maybe it’s flexible?
C’est quand quelque chose est difficile? - It’s when something is difficult?
C’est difficile? - It’s difficult?
C’est compliqué? - It’s complicated?
Marie-Hélène: Bravo! C’est tout à fait ça. “C’est caillou” est une expression du Burkina Faso qui signifie “c’est difficile, c’est dur, c’est compliqué”. Un caillou étant, selon Le Larousse, une pierre quelconque de petites dimensions, le plus souvent assez dure. On peut facilement comprendre l’expression “avoir un caillou dans la chaussure” qui signifie être dérangé par quelque chose ou quelqu’un. Et l’expression “c’est caillou” est bien compréhensible par tout le monde, même les non-Burkinabé comme l’ont prouvé nos trois devineurs australiens. Bravo à eux! On peut donc dire que notre énigme cette semaine n’était pas vraiment “caillou”.
Well done! It’s exactly that. “C’est caillou” is an expression from Burkina Faso which signifies “It’s difficult, it’s hard, it’s complicated”. A caillou being, according the Le Larousse, any type of small stone, most often quite hard. We can easily understand the expression “to have a stone in your shoe” which means to be bothered by something or someone. And the expression “c’est caillou” is easily understandable by everyone, even people who aren’t from Burkina Faso, like our three Australian guessers. Well done to them! So we can say that our riddle today was not really “hard”.
If you're looking for some short and sweet French lessons from your very favourite French tutors (that's us, in case you're wondering), then jump over to our Instagram page! We've been posting a video every Monday for a number of weeks now so there is a good little stock to choose from. They're filed under our Instagram Stories.
For those of you who are unsure how to access them, click on our logo when there’s a red circle around it to watch the story of the day. To watch previous tips and lessons, click on the tutor’s icon just below, in the ‘highlights’ section.
By the way, we've received some really lovely comments recently about how you're enjoying our revamped social media which of course we love hearing, but if ever you have any other ideas as to what we could include please ne soyez pas timide*! We'd love to hear what sort of content you feel you'd really benefit from and enjoy.
*don’t be shy
If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends. Far-fetched though the plot may be, La Petite Histoire nonetheless brings out some heated interpretations of the characters from our Chouchous*. Is Nicole really as naïve* as some say? Is Charles le rat* he appears to be and most importantly, is it possible that Stephanie is that much of a mégère*? Is anyone?
With our Chouchous crying out for more tales from La Petite Histoire we were very tempted to produce la suite* before realising of course that it would be the biggest spoiler ever for those who had not finished the first story. Instead, we're delving back into the past, to 1968, a time of revolution, passion and high drama in the streets of Paris and to the genesis of La Petite Histoire.
Here below, the very first instalment of La Petite Histoire - La Préquelle*. Enjoy!
As mentioned above, La Petite Histoire develops along with our students' skills. Starting at a level suitable for absolute beginners, each instalment becomes progressively more difficult, testing their comprehension at every plot twist.
Bonjour. Je m'appelle Jean-Louis et je suis marocain et français. J'habite à Paris avec ma femme, Leïla.
Bonjour, je m'appelle Leïla et je suis étudiante. J'habite à Paris et je suis mariée à Jean-Louis.
Salut ! Je suis Hervé. Je suis le frère de Leïla et je suis fort mais timide.
Bonjour, je suis Simon et je suis professeur à l'université de la Sorbonne à Paris. Je suis anglais et je parle français, anglais et un peu d'arabe.
Salut ! Je m'appelle Roger et je suis étudiant à l'université de la Sorbonne. Je suis français et j'aime la littérature et les femmes intelligentes.
Bonjour tout le monde. Je m'appelle Noëlle et je suis australienne mais j'habite à Paris. J’aime la littérature française. Je suis intelligente, passionnée et j'adore les hommes français.
Hello. My name is Jean-Louis and I am Moroccan and French. I live in Paris with my wife, Leïla.
Hello, my name is Leïla and I am a student. I live in Paris and I am married to Jean-Louis.
Hi! I'm Hervé. I am Leïla's brother and I am strong but shy.
Hello, I am Simon and I am a professor at Sorbonne University in Paris. I am English and I speak French, English and a bit of Arabic.
Hi! I'm Roger and I'm a student at the Sorbonne. I am French and I like literature and intelligent women.
Hello everyone. My name is Noëlle and I am Australian but I live in Paris. I like French literature. I am intelligent, passionate and I love French men.
*The Little Story | *Teacher's Pets | *naive | *the rat | *shrew | *The Little Story - The Prequel
Though I'm sure none of us would voluntarily submit to another year like 2020, it is true that every cloud has a silver lining. In Lingua Franca's case, it has shown up in the form of a grant from the State Government to develop the business in a way that increases its future resilience. So, starting very soon, we'll be filming our first ever series of lessons to be offered online in perpetuity. That is, students from around the globe will be able to sign up for an Absolute Beginner 1 course which will be delivered to them in bite-sized chunks which they can consume at their own pace.
One aspect of lessons in the nest we're very keen to replicate for our online learners is the feeling of being en classe*. Hopefully, you know what I'm talking about: the feeling of camaraderie, support and pure enjoyment you get from being around a small number of like-minded people in pursuit of a common goal. We're convinced it is la formule secrète* to learning and therefore want to share it with as many people as possible, from Brisbane to Broken Hill to Bagdad!
We'll be looking for some volunteers to act as students in the 'class', and since you, our Chouchous* already know some French, unfortunately we can't call upon you. But we thought you might know some absolute French beginners who'd be up for being filmed as they learn their first words of French. We'd offer them the Absolute Beginner 1 course for free and in return they'd need to be available for filming. We'll know more soon once we've met with the film crew, but if you do think you may know someone who fait l'affaire*, please do let us know.
*Every cloud has a silver lining | *in class | *the secret ingredient | *Teacher's Pets | *fits the bill
Karen Curling
Lingua Franca student (Advanced 2) and accro de la lecture en français*.
Apart from learning French, one of my favourite pastimes is reading novels, so you can imagine my delight one evening before class when I discovered the little library shelf at Lingua Franca. Immediately, my eyes were drawn to a book with a bright purple cover, complete with a caricatured illustration and an intriguing title, L’accro du shopping a une soeur (Shopaholic and Sister).
The author, Sophie Kinsella, is well-known for her popular chick-lit and so with that in mind I decided to give myself a new challenge – to read a novel which has been translated into French.
This is an amusing, light-hearted book which follows the story of a loveable and ever-optimistic character, Becky Brandon. Recently married, Becky (a happy shopaholic) and her new husband, Luke, return to London following their ten-month around-the-world honeymoon. Upon their return, they are greeted with the news that Becky has a half-sister, Jess, whom she never knew existed. True to her charming character, Becky receives the news with great excitement and completely throws herself into this new sisterhood. Unfortunately, there is another shock in store for Becky because the two girls are like chalk and cheese - and furthermore, Jess detests shopping!
Throughout and to the end, poor old Becky experiences heaps of ups and downs – and yes, I did manage to get to the end, albeit six months later. Reading this book offered so many positives. It was rewarding to recognise and recall words which were covered in class, while the exposure to new vocabulary has boosted my confidence with speaking.
Personally though, it was helpful to see the whole range of verb tenses in action. Ultimately, it has shown me that reading an entire novel in French is possible. It is always a luxury to cosy up with a good book but especially so this year. If you are looking for something light-hearted to read which will complement your class work, “L’accro du shopping a une soeur” vaut vraiment la peine*.
* is really worth the challenge
As a long-term French learner, you'll likely find there are certain resources you use once and immediately forget, others you use for a period of time and then put to the side, and still others to which you return time and again to answer your trickiest questions.
Much like the old adage about people entering your life for a reason, season or a lifetime, we could say the same about French references. In my life, Schaum's French Grammar has certainly earned its place as a 'lifetimer'.
A combined French grammar and exercise book.
While the Schaum Outline Series covers topics as diverse as macroeconomics, topology and reinforced concrete design, if you're content to just stick to French for now, the French Grammar edition has clear explanations, illustrative examples and a large number of practice exercises.
As above, it's the repetition that's the key. Hundreds and hundreds of exercises give you the chance to practise until you get it right. Also, while the explanations are simple and clear, they are very broad in their scope, so this is a book you'll hang onto for years as the ultimate reference.
Though there have been five updates since my trusty 2nd edition hit the shelves (and even mine was bought second-hand!), the interior pages have stayed much the same. So not an inspiring layout, but highly, highly effective.
*best bits | *weak point
All of the tutors here at Lingua Franca are French, with the exception of votre humble serviteur*. The team often comments on how practical the English language is, something that had never occurred to me before starting this job. They claim that things are often called exactly what they are in English, whereas in French the 'thing' has a totally different name.
C'est logique, non?*
So it's always a great feeling when you stumble across instances where French shows a logic that English lacks. It allows you to expand your vocabulary quickly and with a minimum of effort. So what is cette petite astuce*?
By adding the suffix -ier to almost any fruit, you will uncover the word for the tree that bears it. It's a great little hack and it works almost every time.
Note that while many of the fruits are feminine in gender, the trees are all masculine. We couldn't make it too easy now, could we?
*yours truly | It's logical, isn't it? | *this little trick
The French Open, or Championnats Internationaux de France de Tennis*, to use its official name (when not being referred to simply as Roland Garros - la confusion!*) has been delayed due to COVID-19 and is currently scheduled to take place in late September.
Since the French word for tennis is le tennis, you'd be forgiven for thinking the French imported the game from England. Oui? Non!* The modern game is actually based on an ancient French game called Jeu de Paume*. We don't want to lose you in translation, so take a look at this recent article from the New York Times to get to the bottom of the white games, hallways and eggs that make up tennis en français*.
*The French International Tennis Championships | *how confusing! | *Yes? No! | *Real Tennis (literally: palm game) | *in French.
It appears intergenerational friction is as old as time. While today it's a tussle between the Boomers and Millennials, the period known as l'entre-deux-guerres* in France marked the arrival of La Génération Perdue, or The Lost Generation. So who were they and why were they lost?
The Great War had an enormous impact on everyone who lived through it, whether in Europe or elsewhere. Post-war America adopted a 'back to normal' policy, which was anathema to many of those who had come of age during the conflict. Finding their inherited values had no place in a post-war world, 5000 Americans a week boarded Cunard cruise ships bound for Paris, which promised a more liberal and permissive society (also, prohibition was bearing down in the States at this time - even more reason to escape to a less puritanical culture).
The artistic among them, chafing against the constraints of traditional values, descended upon Paris and started to explore a new paradigm along with other expatriates from all over the world.
A mix of writers, musicians, artists and dancers reinvigorated post-war Paris and produced a hotbed of creativity. Among the expats were F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Josephine Baker, Igor Stravinsky, Salvador Dalí, Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. In fact, it was Stein who first appropriated the term Génération Perdue after hearing a mechanic dressing down one of his apprentices who had neglected to repair her car on time, saying "Vous êtes tous une génération perdue!*". She mentioned it to Ernest Hemingway, who included it as an epigraph in his novel 'The Sun Also Rises’, about a group of American expats in Europe.
Revelling in the freedom Paris offered, these artists spent much time sitting in cafés, writing, dreaming, discussing, smoking, arguing and drinking - a heady mix indeed. Two of their favourite haunts were the renowned cafés Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, nestled côte-à-côte* on the Boulevard Saint-Germain in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Nearby, on rue de Rennes, was a third hangout, La Closerie des Lilas. It is said that this is where Hemingway first read Fitzgerald’s manuscript for The Great Gatsby.
Soon, entrepreneurial types were capitalising on the revitalised artistic movement, opening publishing houses to disseminate their works, which were often racier in nature than what could be printed in their home countries. In fact, it was at this time that the iconic left-bank bookstore, Shakespeare and Co., was opened by Sylvia Beach on rue de l’Odéon.
For a soi-disant* lost generation, they certainly made a huge contribution to the creative world and their revolutionary vision and talent continues to inspire today. Maybe not so lost after all.
*between two wars | *You're all a lost generation! | *side-by-side | *so-called