| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 10:28:42
I know some of our expressions are used in other languages, especially English (thanks to William the Conqueror, or Guillaume le Conquérant).
However, I am always very surprised when I hear a foreigner using a French expression, especially by the way it is pronounced and the meaning, which is often quite different from the original meaning.
So, which French words/expressions do you use, and to express what? Do you like people who do it, or do you think they are snobs? |
| 35 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/27/2004 : 12:57:44
La mouche est morte!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! |
| bedrock_barney |
Posted - 07/27/2004 : 01:33:18
One of my personal favourites:
'La mouche est morte'
My old family home was at the end of a 'cul de sac'. Babel Fish tells me this translates to 'bottom of bag' - not quite the translation I was expecting.
Do the French still go away for 'le weekend'??
And of course where would one be without Monty Python’s
‘mon aéroglisseur est plein des anguilles’
 "I've rejoined the Cult of Ming / Star of favourite childhood movie of 1980" |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 07/26/2004 : 11:33:35
"Sont les mots qui tres bien ensemble"
Kind regards,
Dr. Simon
Specialist In Broken Hearts |
| mariggy |
Posted - 07/25/2004 : 18:29:26
Thanks, Monsieur. It may be a interesting thread. In America, he is not so famous, isn't he ?
I join The Broken English Club. ---It's educational. |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/25/2004 : 13:10:18
Hey, mariggy, I found out in your profile that you like Serge Gainsbourg....hmmmm, maybe he deserves a thread. |
| mariggy |
Posted - 07/25/2004 : 05:22:28
"avec"----- Japanese old people use this word in the meaning of " two people having a sexual or romantic relationship". Young people use "couple" in stead of "avec".
"pantalon"-----long pants for ladies ,especially with wide legs
I join The Broken English Club. ---It's educational. |
| TarTar |
Posted - 07/25/2004 : 04:11:29
Yeah, it's funny, cuz the whole "lofty French words" thing was mentioned in my Opaque thread.
Inna zany combination of Wayne's Pet Youngin'! |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/25/2004 : 03:20:43
quote:
Originally posted by VoVat
You mean a Freedom dip sandwich?
Cattle in Korea / They can really moo.
This thread should be called "freedom expressions in English".
How ironic! |
| TarTar |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 18:56:37
Denouement: The resolution after the climax in a story.
Raison d'etre: Reason for existing.
Inna zany combination of Wayne's Pet Youngin'! |
| LUTINS |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 14:05:01
I know another expression in frenglish :
"je tame"
union pour la propulsion de la promotion photonique pixienne |
| VoVat |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 12:47:03
You mean a Freedom dip sandwich?
Cattle in Korea / They can really moo. |
| fudd |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 11:50:25
Are our French friends aware that many Americans including food production corporations use "au jus" as a noun (and that many pronounce it "ah juice")? And that we dip roast beef on rolls into the reconstituted sauce and call it a French dip sandwich? |
| corazondiablo |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 11:37:57
I always thought the phrase "Oh la vache!" was great... oh the cow!!!!
When I was in Montreal a couple of years ago, we went to a little coffee place, and my companion ordered "a chocolate croissant". the counter person acted horrified like he was burped at her or something and pretended not to understand... I then asked for the same thing with "un croissant chocolate et un cafe moyen" and she finally "understood"... what a vache. |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 07:55:14
Parigot, tête de veau
Parisien, tête de chien |
| Etienne |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 07:46:05
No offense to you, Denis but that's the picture of parisians you can get if you visit the city for a few days!! I have lived in Paris and I know how great this city is but sometimes its inhabitants can be... less great. 
Etienne |
| floop |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 07:43:51
quote:
Originally posted by Etienne
That is funny to read...
Note for Floop : People living in Paris are well known for being less nice to other people than other French people... So they were rude to you, just think they were also rude to everybody they met (sorry for you, Paris people).
Etienne
yeah, i know. i don't take it personally.
i do find it ironic though how most parisians travellers i meet in Los Angeles always talk about how friendly everyone is and how much they like visiting here.
ist es möglich für ein quesadilla skrotum zu lecken? beim sprechen der quesadillas von LBF, ja. ja in der tatheheheheheheehehee! |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 04:44:14
quote:
Originally posted by vilainde
That's entirely true. We parisians hate everybody, ESPECIALLY the people from Lyon. Etienne, remember me to give you a good slap in the face next time I see you.
French tend to say a lot of words in English to sound cool, especially at work. In 99.9% of the cases it actually sounds ridiculous. I know a guy at work who said last time "Je vais gatherer les informations". That was the stupidest thing I had ever heard.
Denis
In my job, everybody speaks franglais. Most common franglais words :
- swapper
- dealer
- plugger
- switcher
- p&l
etc.
I think it is very often due to the lack of "practical" words in French... |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 04:38:18
quote:
Originally posted by benji
i'm going to paris next month for my wedding anniversary...
should we change our destination away from paris to avoid the likes of denis?
but back on topic, i don't think i use much french apart from the usual ones that have been bastardised by the english...
but i don't know any french at all, so i can't even pretend to be cool.
 Join the Cult of Cartman! Respect my Authoritaah!!!
Yeah, avoid Seine-St-Denis ! |
| vilainde |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 03:15:35
Yeah, avoid these ones too!
Denis
|
| benji |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 03:11:09
well i'll make sure to avoid any weedy men with excess body hair and greasy slicked back hair.
Join the Cult of Cartman! Respect my Authoritaah!!! |
| vilainde |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 02:39:53
I was just kidding. Paris is quite safe if you don't cross my path.
Denis
|
| benji |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 02:33:20
i'm going to paris next month for my wedding anniversary...
should we change our destination away from paris to avoid the likes of denis?
but back on topic, i don't think i use much french apart from the usual ones that have been bastardised by the english...
but i don't know any french at all, so i can't even pretend to be cool.
Join the Cult of Cartman! Respect my Authoritaah!!! |
| vilainde |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 01:54:55
That's entirely true. We parisians hate everybody, ESPECIALLY the people from Lyon. Etienne, remember me to give you a good slap in the face next time I see you.
French tend to say a lot of words in English to sound cool, especially at work. In 99.9% of the cases it actually sounds ridiculous. I know a guy at work who said last time "Je vais gatherer les informations". That was the stupidest thing I had ever heard.
Denis
|
| Etienne |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 01:19:23
That is funny to read...
Note for Floop : People living in Paris are well known for being less nice to other people than other French people... So they were rude to you, just think they were also rude to everybody they met (sorry for you, Paris people).
Etienne |
| shineoftheever |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 13:34:04
here are some more..
avant garde
toute suite
bon voyage
 "Too cool for Cults" |
| pfeffa |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 13:29:23
Fais l'amour avec moi
What's he saying baby
Viens dormir, mon amour
I asked you not to talk to him
Je t'aime donne moi ton coeur ce soir
I'm begging you
Someone please translate this. I've wanted to know since I was 9 years old.
+20 points to whoever knows which song this is without googling |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 13:00:38
Zut alors!
Mange tout, mange tout...
Bon soir.
Kind regards,
Dr. Simon
Specialist In Broken Hearts |
| GypsyDeath |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:53:14
Ok Ok, I stand very corrected, i use lots of expressions!
Just thought I'd throw that in there... |
| apl4eris |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:50:45
Déjà vu
risqué
tusche (lithographic medium)
"peau de la grenouille" (lithography term)
Ceci n'est pas une pipe. (favorite phrase)
L.H.O.O.Q.
Husband and pet terms of endearment:
Mon cheri/ami/amour
Ma petite pomme de rue. (My little road apple/horse turd -a joke nickname for each other)
le chat
Bastardized:
Mon petit poo-poo
le chat poo-poo
our resevoir (pun)
Lots of others, but I feel like I do when I walk into a book or music store - "I've drawn a blank." (How would you say this idiom in French -does it have a common cousin) |
| shineoftheever |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:30:44
ah, pardon. :)
"Too cool for Cults" |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:26:48
je ne sais quoi |
| shineoftheever |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:23:15
rendez-vous
joie de vivre
je ne c'est quoi
savoir faire
laissez faire
mise en garde
en garde
touche..........
forgive me if I spelled anything wrong ;)
"Too cool for Cults" |
| GypsyDeath |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:15:19
oh, i stand corrected, i use that all the time. You sort of forget that soemthings you say are french...some expressions are adopted and integrasted in tot he culture so much so that you dont even realise youre using it!
Just thought I'd throw that in there... |
| floop |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:12:51
i almost forgot "mise en scène". that's a classicly pretentious, academic term to use for film discussions. generally, only film students, academians or the French actually use the term. which basically means "what's in the frame" (the film frame). for discussing the overall composition, lighting, set decoration, actor placement, depth.. etc.. of a given shot.
usage of this term on a first date will insure intercourse.
ist es möglich für ein quesadilla skrotum zu lecken? beim sprechen der quesadillas von LBF, ja. ja in der tatheheheheheheehehee! |
| GypsyDeath |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:12:23
hahaha, that last one cracked me up andy!
I would really love to be fluentin french. I dotn really use any expressions, id rther not until my pronounciation was competent. Im thinking of going over to france at some point this year. Where'd you suggest ad?
Just thought I'd throw that in there... |
