Just got complimented on my French (despite making a dreadful hash of everything's gender) by a pretty young French sales assistant at the Paul's bakery across the road, who then paused to slightly self-consciously tuck her long curly dark hair back behind her ear. Which is always pleasant, as previous attempts to order my weekly loaf were met with English, and what sometimes seemed like downright hostility rather than human interest. Skim-reading Le Monde on the bus is not enough, though, and I need to talk with French people more. Eh bien, there's always St Chartier in 2008, and perhaps Gennetines if I can spare the time, which should improve my French if there's any of the people there that I met dancing this year who didn't speak English.
Which brings me on to a second thought - she complimented me on my French, saying it was very good, when I was making mistakes all over the place. I really do despair that my standard of French has to be considered very good if I'm compared with the rest of the English. That and I suspect my accent - a French accent in English, as she had, is charming, but I hardly think that's the case for an English accent in French. My 'r's in particular - I know you produce them mainly from the back of the throat, but I'm sure I'm doing them wrong.
I should take a moment to recommend the hot chocolate from Paul's - it really is fantastic. It feels silky and a little grainy in the mouth, and the taste of almost pure dark chocolate is almost overwhelming. I think they put in only just enough milk to make it flow, and if I'm a good boy and get plenty of BAC and OU work done this week, I shall treat myself to a large cup on Friday, knowing that the ceilidh in Kidlington on Saturday night should work it off.
"a French accent in English, as she had, is charming, but I hardly think that’s the case for an English accent in French"
ReplyDelete>> Are you joking? an English accent in French is the most charming thing I've ever heard....I'm French and I was camping not very far from you in St Chartier last summer, believe me, English accent is "merveilleux"!
Right, that comment gets you as many mazurkas as you like at St Chartier. See you under the castle walls at about 6 a.m.! And thanks for your blog address. I do worry a little that reading Le Monde will make me talk like Le Monde, and having something as informal and varied as your blog will be very interesting.
ReplyDelete"having something as informal and varied as your blog will be very interesting."
ReplyDelete>>> yes it is VERY informal, actually it is not something really serious,(I can be very stupid sometimes). You'd better talk like "le Monde" than like me :)...But still..
I've heard by Danielle that you are a pretty good dancer, I would be ashamed to dance a mazurka with you, it is one of the hardest dances I've ever tried to do. Anyway, you're acting more "french" than I do, I remember seeing you eating camembert, is it right?
That, er, Camembert is a slightly sore point, remember? http://onceandfutureblogon.blogspot.co.uk/2007/07/morceaux-de-saint-chartier.html. I still can't believe how smelly it was, and I'm laughing at myself *right now*. Though quietly, since this is an open-plan office.
ReplyDelete