Do you want to have a flawless pronunciation so that you are mistaken for a native and be easily understood by French speakers all over the world?
Here's the word of the week: DÉVERS vs, DEVERS Attention to the pronunciation of the "E" vs. "É Practice it!
For bonus points, translate and write in the comments below a sentence using these words, something that is true for you.
P.S. Come to the Parisian French Immersion Retreat in September - Learn how to converse in French, not how to nod along Start here: LearnParisianFrench.com
Do you want to master the secrets of the French language so that you can make conversation even if you are a beginner, and impress your friends with your confidence?
Here is your Thursday's quote, a fun start to your practice: « La vie est trop courte pour la passer à regretter tout ce qu'on n'a pas eu le courage de tenter. » ~ Marie-Claude Bussières-Tremblay Do you agree?
Write the translation (or your opinion) in the comments below, in French. Yes, you are welcome to use the dictionary!
p.s. Find out if you’re ready to immerse yourself in the Parisian language with natives! Contact me for a free rendez-vous, where I'll help you with your biggest challenges, so that you can jump into conversation more easily and worry less about struggling for words when you are speaking with natives: LearnParisianFrench.com
So, on October 1st was la Nuit Blanche – à la recherche de l’amour – in Paris.
For the 15th annual event, 30 artists took the North side of the city by storm, from dusk until dawn, visible along a special visitors route, created by José-Manuel Gonçalves.
Next year, my private french immersion retreat will have to include Nuit Blanche.
Speaking of which, check out the article below for a poetic review of this year’s event, and watch the video for some found love!
(This week: À la recherche de l’amour)
Everybody is looking for love and Paris is no exception.
Why does the World think that the French are looking for love more than others?
Maybe we have it all wrong. Maybe Paris is not “looking for love”… maybe Paris “found love”.
Because the French do that, they don’t look, they find. They don’t busy themselves with life, they live love in all its forms.
They breathe love from the humid air hugging Seine: sweat, tears, coffee and champagne.
They taste it in every éclair, they touch it in every drop of Seine, they smell it in Jardin du Luxembourg, they see it in Moulin Rouge, they hear it in the accordions crying for more on the banks of Seine.
This year’s Nuit Blanche was looking for love – and there are so many forms of love, and none is going to find its end. Leonard Cohen asks his lover “dance me tot he end of love” – that end, for the poet, never comes.
Paris comes with an explosive expression of love – all forms of love – at this year’s event: black and white faces with huge purple lips moving in the most extreme facial expressions, live nudes, deep green waters, falling corpses, blood and doves, moving trees dancing in the ice… dancing in the ice… dancing hands… floating armies of white flags and ghosts, mirrors and lights, people breaking hearts (literally).
This is what love feels like in Paris: extreme emotions, extreme colours, intense drama.
…
Shadows and lights, more shadows than lights… eventually light prevails with a multicolour explosion.
Don’t look for love, find it – in all its forms – and never stop, because it’s in you, it is you – that’s why you long for it and you never forget to look for it.
Immerse yourself next time you’re in Paris. Find it.
Now, that I got your attention, please contact me to tell me what are the challenges that you are facing in speaking French.
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, what do you like most from this year’s show?
À la prochaine, Llyane
Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Programand French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large portion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
So have you ever heard of the phrase: “the struggle is real”?
Especially when it comes to learning new languages, it can be really tough!
It seems like the best way to learn is to immerse yourself in the culture, but most schools don’t do that!
Check out the article below for more about the most effective French Immersion program and check out the video for some Struggle-free French!
(This week: the verb BATTRE – to beat)
Are you nervous about immersion?
Hi, I’m your coach.
I’m the person who you wonder if she ever sleeps. Between the newsletter and the specials hot-from-the-oven, the daily videos and the FB updates, you may think that I never get any shut-eye.
Oh, but I do!
Especially this week I sleep very well – a couple of hours a night, but very, very well.
That’s because this week I’m preparing for the Immersion Retreat, and oh-là-là is there ever going to be so much fun and lots of coffee! Lots of coffee because you can’t shift to a new time zone in a single week, and you probably don’t even need to, because the days will be so eventful that, when the night comes, you’ll be crashing in your 4-star hotel bed as soon as you touch the pillow!
The mornings, however, tend to come earlier than you are used to :) And without a coffee you will probably feel like a zombie.
But then the French ‘insult’ you with baguettes and pastries and a coffee with a fragrance more heavenly than its name, so really, there’s nothing better than that first hour of the morning.
But then, you receive the schedule for the day from me, the video that I made yesterday and some awesome surprises, which makes you wonder how I knew exactly what you want to do the most in Paris!
Oh, but I know! ;)
I may need a couple of coffees to properly wake up but that has never been a problem in Paris. My favorite: café Chantilly (viennois) – I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Between the coffees, we’ll experience Paris. Of course, each of us creates our own experience but you know that, when you go to the places you always dreamed of (or never dreamed they even existed) you know that what happens between the Parisian coffees is just as surprising, as sophisticated, and as fulfilling as the black potion brought to us from the Heavens.
I’m keeping the agenda of next week’s immersion hidden in a chest with 10 locks. This way, you’ll get to experience “from the comfort of your home” (probably the one time this phrase has a negative connotation) the adventure and surprise, the unknown and the anticipation as if you were there with me (unless you are).
You’ll receive from me the news as they unfold. You too will wake up jumping on the email to see what’s going to happen every day and wondering if I show you pictures and videos.
8 out of 10 of my clients are immersion-ready, and many came with me in my 1:1 Immersion Retreat in Paris. Just stop for a second and imagine...
1. You can stroll the streets of Paris at sunset, or enjoy a café au lait at the corner bistro, without feeling like an outsider.
2. You experience the French « joie de vivre » [the joy of life], sitting at the corner café, having an almond croissant under the gentle afternoon light, watching the cars go by and listening to the passionate accordionist - and learn how they manage to have it every single day.
3. You connect with the French and make lasting friendships that come naturally to you, because deep down in your soul, you know that you are part French.
If any of these reasons excites you to start speaking French, then you are ready to enjoy the art of being bilingual.
In this webinar, you’ll discover:
The surprising way to gain confidence to speaking French - even if you’ve only started learning
The 3 secrets you should focus on first, and what can wait for later
The NEW J'Ouellette® Bilingual Express - a gift for you from this Birthday girl! - are you ready to see how easy it can be?
Register NOW to be the first to jump levels with the brand NEW Bilingual Express program at an introductory price.
GOING TO MISS IT? Register anyway This way, I'll be able to send you the link to the replay
1. Register for the free webinar by typing your email address in the form above.
2. You will receive an email with the details and the link. Show up 10 minutes early so you don't get locked out. This will be a live, FULL webinar!
3. Prepare your question and I'll coach you through it - you'll be amazed how easy it will be for you - I know it will open your appetite to start speaking French today!
Now go to the registration form, and I'll see you on Thursday! :)
Llyane
P.S. The webinar takes place on Thursday, September 22 at 6pm EDT.
______ * We respect your privacy and will not overflow your inbox. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY
David is a brilliant student, and he loves to reach new levels of self development.
He contacted me to help him prepare for his oral TEFaQ exam, and he has 13 days to attempt this transformation.
This is not an easy task, it flirts with the impossible, but he came to me with the right attitude: “I’m here to stretch.”
And, while the vocabulary and verb conjugation are on his plate, I’m helping him with conversation, crush learning techniques and principles for French conversation that help him across the language.
We started with the J’Ouellette® pronunciation course (2 hours), which helped him enormously, because now he can correct himself while speaking. By getting into the habit of pronouncing the words correctly, he can now get a hint of the words that are similar in English and French, and understand the teacher who will test him, during their conversation.
For vocabulary, he created a deck of flash cards (no translation, just images and audio for pronunciation) with words that he practices every day. For verbs, I gave him the top 20 irregular (and most commonly used verbs), and every time he makes a mistake or is not sure, he runs the conjugation of that verb quickly. We focus on making very short sentences so that the phrase construction is easy to manage.
And, we make conversation (formal and informal) 2 hours every day, when he applies and reinforces all this knowledge.
What amazes me is that he already has a good handle on his presentation, he slows down the right amount to be able to manage self correction during the conversation, he’s enriched his vocabulary and verb conjugation… we are planning to hold our sessions STRICTLY IN FRENCH… and we’ve only been practicing for 6 days!
Would this work for you?
Depending on many factors, of course, but the main element that guarantees success is your willingness to stretch. This is what David has that most people are afraid of.
And, whether he is going to pass this exam or not, he will have succeeded in bettering himself, and learning how to learn and how to perform in another language, to a level he would never have reached otherwise.
Kudos, David, for your open mind, for your desire to better yourself, for your efforts and for stretching yourself to find out what are your limits.
Regardless of the result of this exam (which I believe is in your reach), you will have a great success story for your next TEDx presentation.
Now it is your turn!
Write in the comments below, when is your next stretch going to happen?
Make French conversation confidently, even if you are a beginner!
You tried to learn in school, went to Alliance Française or even went into immersions, yet French is still keeping secrets from you. I want to celebrate Spring with you. The May Special is here, to help you.
What is a romantic night, day, person, dinner, experience?
If you go back on this blog, you’ll see that I used to talk about luxurious, sophisticated places and items for Valentine’s Day: restaurants, menus, hotels, everything that shows la « joie de vivre » of the French. I didn’t talk about jewelry or lingerie, but you get the idea.
I’m not saying that luxury is not beautiful; that’s why it attracts so many people. That and the fact that it’s fashionable.
I’m discovering day by day lately why the "flashy" is not it. I’ve known that simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication - my “flashy” period (much like Picasso’s pink period) was for me something to analyze, to see how it changes people, an opportunity to go back to the basics. Well… luxury may seem like it fits everybody, but does it, really?
Does it maybe feel a little superficial, a little meaningless, a little lonely?
And now, before Valentine’s Day, “lonely” is not the operative word.
So should we go for flashy, pretty, balloon-y, sparkly, or should we go for warm, heartfelt, subtle, intimate?
If you tried both the ends of the spectrum, then you’ll know what fits you. You’ll know where you fit in best. Actually, you shouldn’t look to “fit in”, you should see what feels home.
Valentine’s Day can be very stressful - and it is for most people.
If you have a partner you are happy with, it could be stressful to find the perfect something-something that makes them jump on your neck and tell you how unbelievable you are.
If you have a partner that you go through a challenging time with, you may have the stress of finding something that makes them happy, so that you two take off in the relationship you know you can have together. And that "something" can be a chocolate chip cookie picked on your way home, that you'll split with them - the best kind.
If you don’t have a partner, then you may stress over finding ways to ignore the day with dignity, and may secretly hope that there’s a way to skip the day altogether - maybe by jumping on an airplane, direction East.
If you don’t have a partner and you are happy about it, then maybe… you fill in the blank.
And I’m sure I didn’t make an exhaustive list. But that’s not my intention after all.
There is a way that works for most, though.
Rather than going for what’s expected of us, what everybody does, what media dictates or what Disney is luring us with, we could instead go with something that is real for each of us. Real as in let your no-make-up and no-bow-tie selves relax into what would be possible without a big-gift or large-gesture; instead, see what can happen if you "only" rely on a huge-heart and deep-love.
Have a simple coffee and homemade pancakes breakfast in your pajamas, watching your favorite morning movie, with your babe - it’s going to be on a Sunday this year, so it’s feasible ;)
Have a walk in the city, and hug and kiss. A lot. Stop for a coffee. Hug and kiss again, just because. Don’t plan anything, just listen for what the moment asks for. You’ll remember it forever.
Go to a movie, and stay close, real close. Nothing better than watching a movie, really together.
If you don’t have a partner, skip the day. Get really busy. There’s no such a thing as Valentine’s Day for singles, don’t believe the marketing lingo. I tried - it doesn’t work well. It’s actually quite pathetic.
I see so many people stressing about Valentine's day, it makes me wonder. Most chocolate purchased and consumed, most anxiety for both singles and coupled people, and, oh, did you hear? Most break-ups. So, it's a chocolaty yet messy day. I'd say, if you have something to celebrate on the 14th, then sure, take advantage of it. If not, try to break out of the money-making marketing machine, and enjoy it in your own specific un-flashy, and real way.
The French do it, because they know that « la joie de vivre » doesn’t rely on external bells and whistles. They know that love doesn’t reach out, it pulls in. They know that romance (with its relentless flirting) doesn’t belong to an age and it doesn’t end. Ever. And it’s not a 50-50, it’s 100%. Always.
Now this is just a little sampling of « savoir vivre ». Try it, it may change your life.
Now it is your turn!
Write in the comments below, what is your favorite thing to do on Valentine's Day?
I've been on France24 live, and on Twitter - following Agence France Presse (AFP) and la Préfecture de police Paris, relaying critical information to the people who were in need in Paris, and their friends across the world. I've been doing this since Friday evening, when I found the first shocking message in my Facebook feed about Paris being under attack.
I though that this was my responsibility, to help with my research, from the distance, to do something for the people who would be lucky enough to get my messages. It ended up that many people would come to my FB page and use the information I was finding. I had my little barricade, and proud to be of service.
The question asked by most people was: WHY?
The attack of Charlie Hebdo is barely part of the past. Just 10 months ago, we were in shock watching images that we are not used to see coming from the streets of Paris. And yet, this Friday 13th was the first time to see suicide bombers in France, who chose 6 soft targets, hard to protect. Perfectly orchestrated.
So, WHY?
First, let me remind you the timeline of the horrific night we are leaving behind.
2h20 Stade de France
Stade de FrancePetit CambodgeRue Fontaine au RoiLa Belle ÉquipeBoulevard
During a soccer match between France and Germany, an explosion is detonated outside the stadium north of Paris.
Two bodies found later were linked to the blast; one appeared to be a suicide bomber and the other a passerby.
21h25 Le Petit Cambodge
Masked attackers armed with Kalashnikovs shoot into restaurants in Paris' 10th district, killing 15 people, according to the prosecutor.
Witnesses say the attackers arrived in a black vehicle, he said.
21h30 Stade de France
A second explosion is detonated outside the stadium. The body of a second suicide bomber is found later, with an explosive vest identical to the first,
21h32 Rue de la Fontaine au Roi
Five people are killed in a shooting outside a bar in Paris' 11th district, according to the prosecutor.
The attackers arrived in a black car, the prosecutor said.
21h36 La Belle Équipe
Stade de FrancePetit CambodgeRue Fontaine au RoiLa Belle ÉquipeBoulevard VoltaireBataclan Attackers in a black car open fire with assault rifles outside a restaurant, killing 19.
21h40 Boulevard Voltaire
A suicide bomber explodes in a restaurant, using a device similar to that used by the bombers at the stadium, according to the prosecutor. Several people are injured, but no deaths are reported.
21h40 Bataclan
Three attackers open fire during a rock concert and then take audience members hostage. After gathering hostages in front of the stage, the attackers give a brief speech, mentioning Iraq and Syria.
At 00h20, French elite police units storm the concert hall, killing one of the attackers. The other two detonate suicide belts as police enter.
According to the prosecutor, 89 people were killed, not including the attackers.
21h53 Stade de France
A third explosion at the stadium is detonated. The body of a suicide bomber is discovered later, according to the prosecutor.
(CNN)
Since then, 129 people died and, among the 352 wounded, 99 are in critical condition, to this moment. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks on Saturday.
What is chilling is that the IS group says that France is at the 'top' of the list of their targets. According to France24's International Affairs Editor, Armen Georgian, there are 6 reasons for this.
First, TIMES gives us some background:
"France has been more closely engaged with the Muslim world longer than any other Western country. Since 1830, when it conquered Algeria, it has seen much of Muslim Africa as its own backyard. And after World War I, France took control of Syria and Lebanon as well. Many French settled in North Africa, and after World War II, many North Africans came to France to work in new factories, most settling in poor areas in Paris, Lyon, and the industrialized north. In the post-industrial era, factories were shut down but the settlers stayed. And it is their children and grandchildren who in 2005 exploded in rage over their exclusion from French society. The 1995 movie La Haine showed this rage before the fact—and also made clear that these explosions had nothing to with religion."
Tampa Bay Times shows us the backstage:
"The stench of death will not leave their noses as long as they remain at the forefront of the Crusaders' campaign, dare to curse our prophet, boast of a war on Islam in France, and strike Muslims in the lands of the caliphate with warplanes that were of no use to them in the streets and rotten alleys of Paris," IS said.
France is part of the U.S.-led coalition that has been striking the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq for the past year, and has been targeted by Jihadists in the past because of its perceived tolerance of speech deemed offensive to Islam.
Jihadists have targeted France on a number of occasions, including in January, when gunmen stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine that had published caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad deemed offensive to Muslims. That attack, which killed 12 people, was claimed by al-Qaida.
Here are the 6 reasons why France holds the number 1 place on IS' list, according to France24's Armen Georgian:
1. France is the most active in Africa fighting against Jihad
"France’s population of 66 million is now approximately 10 percent Islamic. Estimates are sketchy because, in a vestige of its vanishing secularist tradition, France does not collect census data about religious affiliation. Still, between 6 and 7 million Muslims are reasonably believed to be resident in the country (Pew put the total at 4.7 million back in 2010 – other analysts peg it higher today). To many in France, the number seems higher, due to both the outsize influence of Islamist activists on the political class and the dense Muslim communities in and around Paris – approximating 15 percent of the local population. An online poll conducted by Ipsos Mosi in 2014 found that the average French citizen believes Muslims make up about a third of the country’s population.
Free expression is the gateway to assimilation. Consequently, radical Islam cannot tolerate it.
Once one grasps the voluntary apartheid strategy, it becomes obvious why radical Islam’s inroads in France, and elsewhere in Europe, seamlessly translate into demands for the enforcement of sharia’s curbs on speech and artistic expression. What is not so obvious is just how profound a challenge to the West this constitutes."
(counterjihadreport.com/)
2. France's Mali anti-Jihad operations
"Operation Serval (French: Opération Serval) was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants in the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali.
On July 19, 2014, François Hollande announced a new phase in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism in Africa: Operation Barkhane. "
(nationalinterest.org)
"Named after a crescent-shaped sand dune, Operation Barkhane comprises a 3,000-strong French force spread across five countries in the most wide-ranging French military deployment since World War II. "
(France24)
3. France is by far the most interventionist from the western powers
"What is being done in Mali is in our interests and should support France's actions," the [British] prime minister told the BBC. But Cameron made clear there would be no British "boots on the ground" and that while London was prepared to provide limited logistical support, there was no question of joining France's air campaign.
Germany, Europe's self-avowedly most powerful state, is keeping its head down. Berlin prefers selling arms to using them, as a recent damning investigation of the "Merkel Doctrine" by Der Spiegel revealed.
Italy, Spain and other southern EU members who, it might be thought, have most to fear from al-Qaida-inspired terrorism spreading north from the Sahel, are also steering clear of Mali's sand traps.
Washington considered its own direct intervention last summer, but decided it was too risky.
(France's lonely intervention in Mali: The Guardian)
4. France has the strongest anti IS coalition
"French planes have taken part in airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq, and the nation has flown reconnaissance flights over Iraq, contributed ammunition and made humanitarian drops over the nation. France's air force was also part of an operation in the Iraqi town of Amerli, along with Australia and Great Britain, that pushed back ISIS fighters. ISIS has called for attacks against Western citizens, singling out "the spiteful and filthy French" for punishment. A video emerged of militants who have pledged allegiance to ISIS beheading Herve Gourdel, a French citizen who was kidnapped in Algeria."
(CNN)
5. France's bombing the IS targets in Iraq
France's defense ministry said the destroyed building, containing vehicles, weapons and fuel, had been hit four times. "We were able to do this thanks to the reconnaissance missions we have been carrying out since Monday. The mission was carried out in direct coordination with the Iraqi authorities and our allies in the region," it said. "The threat from this jihadist group is unusual because of its size, its weaponry, its determination and its actions. Our goal is to contribute to peace and security in Iraq and to weaken the terrorists."
(The Guardian)
6. The separation of the church in state French schools - extremists attack on the principle of secularism
Secularism in France (definition by wikipedia): France's banning of religious symbols in state schools is incomprehensible to many Europeans. But "laïcité" - French-style secularism - is an ideology, defining what it means to be French
"The French Republic has nourished a sense of combat with the Church—which for some means with religion of any sort. If in the 19th century, the Church retained its hold on young minds through its monopoly of primary schools, by the end of that century the state had built a secular and free system of schools. Thereafter, the Dreyfus affair pitted an openly anti-Semitic Catholic establishment against pro-Republican intellectuals, Vichy gave powers to anti-Jewish French officials, and after the war schools continued to be the focal point, a microcosm, of the battle between religious and secularist camps."
(TIME)
So, then what is IS' message?
According to France24: a. this is an enormous propaganda message regarding attracting recruits; b. the intention is to create tension in France and create a riff in the muslim community, consequently create a more powerful right, which would lead to muslims being hated, so the only way for them to deal with the situation is to join the Jihad army.
TIME agrees:
"The attack risks to add fuel to the rise of the Far Right in France and throughout Europe. The National Front is already spinning the attack as showing up the basic incompatibility of Islam and the values of France. Even as its leader, Marine Le Pen, the much smoother political heir to her father, Jean-Marie, maintains a moderate line, officially stating that France was united for freedom of expression, she added that “the time for hypocrisy was over,” and that not confusing Islam with terrorism not ought to lead us to deny the obvious. Some of her lieutenants went further, attacking Islam directly, and the immediate commentators to Le Monde’s on-line coverage overwhelmingly took this line: anti-religion and anti-Islam.
France will not change its decades-old foreign policy, nor are rights and practices of satire likely to fade away. But the main impact may be to use the attacks as an excuse to blame Islam and immigration for broad anxieties about where things are going in Europe today. Such a confusion can only strengthen the far right."
Whether these reasons have any power in healing or any bearings on the future, people are still in disbelief.
Sara, asks on FB: "How can we make the world a safe place filled with love and light?"
Aside from the UN efforts, G20 and the meeting of the great powers in Vienna, we gather silently in la place de la République lighting up candles, against the city's warnings to stay home, and we sing la Marseillaise.
We bring the motto from the depth of our history to keep us together: Fluctuat nec mergitur, the motto of Paris: « Elle est agitée par les vagues, et ne sombre pas » ("She is tossed by the waves but does not sink").
We cry, we hug, we kiss and we love, we live, we sing, we have champagne and we stay strong. We refuse to be afraid or to bow to terror in any way.
So, when we think about Paris, what we see in our mind's eye is tour Eiffel, Champs Élysées, champagne and elegance.
Maybe we think about crowded streets, maybe the old buildings and dog poo (yes, this appears to be one of the top inconveniences of people visiting), but we don't imagine guns and blood in a train.
Read the article below, for a shift of perspective, and let us know what you think in the comments below.
(This week: BREAKING NEWS)
We are not expecting the word "terrorism" to be attached to France, in no way.
The French know "la joie de vivre", they beautify the buildings and their cakes in great detail, they attract the greatest number of tourists who want to breathe their romantic air.
Yet this Monday, on a train from Brussels to Paris, things were going to take an unexpected turn.
I'm not going to talk about the facts (though the videos found here will tell you everything you need to know). I'd like to talk about the French spirit, because this is what you are here to experience and understand deeper.
A poor man armed beyond imagination wants to feed himself, and the victims he chooses are the travellers on a train going to Paris. 3 Americans, a Brit and a Frenchman, without thinking more than "Let's go!" halt him and minimize what could have been a tragedy.
The three Americans, Alek, Anthony and Spencer, were at the right time in the right place: looking for better phone connection, they ended up with the highest honour that country has: La Légion d'Honneur for doing something and not sitting back.
You'd think that these two nations couldn't be any closer, but here they are, after a surreal and emotional moment, they have each other's back.
Charlie Hebdo couldn't miss the opportunity to show it too, and brings a smile on France's beautiful face.
Here it is, in all its splendor, the French spirit, the way it bubbles like the champagne, whether it's the 14th of July or this week's close call: same intensity in different colors.
Subtle and layered, the French humor is different from the American, yet these two cultures have so much in common, starting from the 40% of the vocabulary that they share.
Americans dream to be a little French, and the French want to borrow a little more nonchalance from across the ocean. Gustave Eiffel is no stranger to the Statue of Liberty - thus making the symbols of these two cultures a little more related than one would think.
No wonder most people I meet who want to learn French are from the US - maybe they are secretly trying to compensate for how much English Paris is speaking these days.
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, what are your thoughts?
À la prochaine, Llyane
Don't ever give up on your dream to become bilingual - the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to learn more about the French spirit and jump on the fast track?
Create a solid foundation for conversation, master your fear, conquer your confidence with the 2-day J'Ouellette® Éclair program, and travel the World.
(Contact me for a chance to book it at an exclusive introductory price!)
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large proportion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
So, do you make language learning about sitting at a desk, reading from a textbook?
Do you feel that all the fun and passion are drained away?
And French language should be all about fun and passion, no?
With my method, you'll open the doors to the adventure of French language learning.
Read the article below to see just some of the things you can do once you know the real secrets to learning French, and watch the video for some French worth knowing.
(This week: the verb CONNAÎTRE - to know)
(Learn the pronunciation of all the tenses with Le Génie Verbale)
By meeting interesting people, in my travels, and wanting to know more about them, I found I wanted to learn their language too.
Motivation is key - and I'll show you how to find yours. Confidence is also vital - again, I'll share how you get that. With confidence and motivation, you can learn French faster than most. But you will hit roadblocks. That's why I developed systems to help you learn faster.
Here are the 8 unexpected techniques you need to know in order to jump levels in French:
1: Learn the Basics
a. How to pick up the essentials of French in a couple of hours - you need a system, a way to categorize what you need to learn, in order to access it easily - use my Pronunciation Master Class, in order to avoid learning one word at a time - use the Bescherelle verb conjugator, so that you only learn 96 verbs and find out which verbs fall in each category, rather than learning one verb at a time - learn the prepositions that each verb conjugates with, so that you know how to construct your sentences.
b. Simple techniques for memorizing words and phrases - break down the words, see what are the elements they are made of - start with direct translation from English - visualize the expressions
c. The best starter resource for French - conversation for your business meetings - thematic conversation: at the restaurant, asking for directions, shopping, renting an apartment, and more.
2: Rapid Vocabulary Expansion
a. How to expand your vocabulary by thousands of words for free, no memorizing - use a French-French dictionary and look up the words as explained in French, rather than their translation in English
b. A new way of thinking that makes communicating easy - don’t try to think in French before it happens on its own, thinking in French is a consequence of massive practice in French conversation only
3: Your First Conversation
a. How to drop your shyness and just start talking - start from your English phrase, then shorten them to the bare basics, so that you can manage the phrase construction. - don’t shy away from explaining with simple words a term you don’t know
b. Tips for beating conversation anxiety - listen, get involved in what the other person says to you - discover the words that you understand without even knowing them
4: “What Do I Say?”
a. Make your first conversation go smoothly
- say: “I’m learning French, can you please speak slowly?”: « J’apprends le français, pourriez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ? » - or « Répétez, s'il vous plaît ! »
b. How to keep the conversation going when you run out of vocab - don’t look for words you don’t know - explain them with simple words you do know
c. Simple scripts to keep the words flowing - start creating short sentences that reflect your real life, nothing theoretical
5: “I Don’t Know the Right Grammar!”
a. How to let yourself make mistakes without tripping up over them - expect them - speak slowly in order to give yourself time to remind the words and regroup
b. What people in other cultures have that you need, and how to get it - identify what is important to you: the French “R”, the style, the manners
c. The best way to learn grammar - structure everything - don’t learn a word at a time - use the pronunciation rules - don’t learn one verb at a time - use the categorization from Bescherelle - don’t learn one preposition at a time - use the categorization of the preposition used with the verbs
6: What To Do When You Don’t Understand
a. The “pick out” technique to make sense of almost anything - look for the words you understand and guess from the context what the other words are
b. How to spot cues that give away what’s being said - from the context, and using the words that are the same or similar in English
c. Why the real world is different from a language exam - exams: dictées and verbs (left brain) - real life: conversation (right brain)
7: “What If I Forget The Word I Need?”
a. The 4-year old’s speaking hack, no fear or over-analysing - discover the side of you that has fun when playing, you have it in you - apply first, then draw the conclusion/rules
b. How to avoid ummms and ahhhs - slow down and create a consistent pace that allows you the time to pull the phrase together
8: No English!
a. How to avoid the temptation to fall back on your native language - replace “so” with « alors »
b. What to do if people speak English to you - ask: « Pourriez-vous me parler en français, s’il vous plaît ? »
c. A simple secret for masking your accent - shift the stress of the word from the first syllable (English) to the last (French)
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, what are your techniques that help you jump levels?
À la prochaine, Llyane
Don't ever give up on your dream to become bilingual - the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to know these techniques in depth and jump to your next level?
Create a solid foundation for conversation, master your fear, conquer your confidence, and travel the World, with a 2-day J'Ouellette® Éclair Intensive Immersion 1-on-1. (contact me to book it at an exclusive introductory price!)
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large proportion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
So, do you make language learning about sitting at a desk, reading from a textbook?
Do you feel that all the fun and passion are drained away?
And French language should be all about fun and passion, no?
With my method, you'll open the doors to the adventure of French language learning.
Read the article below to see just some of the things you can do once you know the real secrets to learning French, and watch the video for some French worth knowing.
(This week: the verb CONNAÎTRE - to know)
(Learn the pronunciation of all the tenses with Le Génie Verbale)
By meeting interesting people, in my travels, and wanting to know more about them, I found I wanted to learn their language too.
Motivation is key - and I'll show you how to find yours. Confidence is also vital - again, I'll share how you get that. With confidence and motivation, you can learn French faster than most. But you will hit roadblocks. That's why I developed systems to help you learn faster.
Here are the 8 unexpected techniques you need to know in order to jump levels in French:
1: Learn the Basics
a. How to pick up the essentials of French in a couple of hours - you need a system, a way to categorize what you need to learn, in order to access it easily - use my Pronunciation Master Class, in order to avoid learning one word at a time - use the Bescherelle verb conjugator, so that you only learn 96 verbs and find out which verbs fall in each category, rather than learning one verb at a time - learn the prepositions that each verb conjugates with, so that you know how to construct your sentences.
b. Simple techniques for memorizing words and phrases - break down the words, see what are the elements they are made of - start with direct translation from English - visualize the expressions
c. The best starter resource for French - conversation for your business meetings - thematic conversation: at the restaurant, asking for directions, shopping, renting an apartment, and more.
2: Rapid Vocabulary Expansion
a. How to expand your vocabulary by thousands of words for free, no memorizing - use a French-French dictionary and look up the words as explained in French, rather than their translation in English
b. A new way of thinking that makes communicating easy - don’t try to think in French before it happens on its own, thinking in French is a consequence of massive practice in French conversation only
3: Your First Conversation
a. How to drop your shyness and just start talking - start from your English phrase, then shorten them to the bare basics, so that you can manage the phrase construction. - don’t shy away from explaining with simple words a term you don’t know
b. Tips for beating conversation anxiety - listen, get involved in what the other person says to you - discover the words that you understand without even knowing them
4: “What Do I Say?”
a. Make your first conversation go smoothly
- say: “I’m learning French, can you please speak slowly?”: « J’apprends le français, pourriez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ? » - or « Répétez, s'il vous plaît ! »
b. How to keep the conversation going when you run out of vocab - don’t look for words you don’t know - explain them with simple words you do know
c. Simple scripts to keep the words flowing - start creating short sentences that reflect your real life, nothing theoretical
5: “I Don’t Know the Right Grammar!”
a. How to let yourself make mistakes without tripping up over them - expect them - speak slowly in order to give yourself time to remind the words and regroup
b. What people in other cultures have that you need, and how to get it - identify what is important to you: the French “R”, the style, the manners
c. The best way to learn grammar - structure everything - don’t learn a word at a time - use the pronunciation rules - don’t learn one verb at a time - use the categorization from Bescherelle - don’t learn one preposition at a time - use the categorization of the preposition used with the verbs
6: What To Do When You Don’t Understand
a. The “pick out” technique to make sense of almost anything - look for the words you understand and guess from the context what the other words are
b. How to spot cues that give away what’s being said - from the context, and using the words that are the same or similar in English
c. Why the real world is different from a language exam - exams: dictées and verbs (left brain) - real life: conversation (right brain)
7: “What If I Forget The Word I Need?”
a. The 4-year old’s speaking hack, no fear or over-analysing - discover the side of you that has fun when playing, you have it in you - apply first, then draw the conclusion/rules
b. How to avoid ummms and ahhhs - slow down and create a consistent pace that allows you the time to pull the phrase together
8: No English!
a. How to avoid the temptation to fall back on your native language - replace “so” with « alors »
b. What to do if people speak English to you - ask: « Pourriez-vous me parler en français, s’il vous plaît ? »
c. A simple secret for masking your accent - shift the stress of the word from the first syllable (English) to the last (French)
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, what are your techniques that help you jump levels?
À la prochaine, Llyane
Don't ever give up on your dream to become bilingual - the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to know these techniques in depth and jump to your next level?
Create a solid foundation for conversation, master your fear, conquer your confidence, and travel the World, with a 2-day J'Ouellette® Éclair Intensive Immersion. (contact me to book it at an exclusive introductory price!)
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large proportion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
You may think that's a rhetorical question, but do you think that you can see the end of the tunnel if you never started to cross it?
That's how most people operate without knowing when they decide to take on French.
Read the article below to see what you may have been doing wrong all this time and how to fix it, and watch the video for some French worth finishing.
(This week: the verb FINIR - to finish)
(Learn the pronunciation of all the tenses with Le Génie Verbale)
When I see so many people getting frustrated by how long time it takes to learn French, it breaks my heart.
It breaks my heart when I see how the short 'miracle' programs out there are selling promises of 'bilingual in 3 months', or 'speak French in 5 steps', learn-by-yourself type of programs that give you a CD to play at your leisure or a tape that keeps telling you how great you are doing. And all these people are disappointed when they see how long it takes to learn French. And any other language.
Not that it takes an extreme amount of time, but when you are educated by society and marketing that you should speak French in a few weeks, then when you see the reality of things you get disappointed. What if the yoga teachers would say the same thing about yoga? They tell us this: yoga is a lifetime practice. You improve every day - you practice, you will be every day better and better. Until you levitate, there is always room for improvement.
Well, knowing this about yoga, you don't go to the studio expecting to be a yogi in 3 months, or to learn yoga in a week, so most people when they start yoga they keep at it, they don't give up, they know what they are getting themselves into
But with languages it's such a marketing and PR out there, combined with the software programs that promise that they somehow miraculously will change your brain so that, many many people either they don't start or they give up.
Once they give up, they are less probable to restart or to finish what they started.
Are you one of them?
Learning a language is changing you into another person, it's not the same think as learning how to cook a crêpe: ingredients, some good vibes and you are good to go.
When I speak English I'm a different person than when I speak French - that's a reality. I have a different sense of diplomacy, a different quality of my sensitivity, a different kind of humor. Do you want to experience what French brings out in you?
So then I'm wondering, are you one of the people who would start and then give up? Or someone who is looking to learn a few words and verbs and thinks that this is what a foreign language is?
Or are you one of those people who knows that once you have a few words and verbs under your belt - only then is when you start to really learn it. And it's a little by little consistent exercise, it's a lifestyle. An experience.
I've been in an anglophone country for 20 years and I'm still learning English. Even if what I write is published by magazines, I'm perfecting my phrase construction and pronunciation on an ongoing basis. Well, this could be an example for you. If you want to be at home with French, then you need to do the same thing.
Make learning French a lifestyle, and keep your practice as a lifestyle, don't change it into a curriculum subject that can be discarded at the end of the school year.
Want to know how to become an authentic French speaker and discover who will you become once you are one? Check out J'Ouellette® Intensif, and make French be at home with you and you be at home with French.
Now it is your turn! Tell us in the comments below, what are your ways to include learning French in your lifestyle?
Don't ever give up on your dream to become bilingual - the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to learn French on your own terms? Create a solid foundation for conversation, master pronunciation with J'Ouellette® Intensif, and travel the World!
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large proportion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
Is there something that you secretly wanted to have from the J’Ouellette® French store, but I never offered it? Or I offered it when the timing wasn’t right for you?
On July 21st you sent me your wishes –NAMED THE PROGRAM AND THE DESIRED BONUS – and now we have them live during the 10 days of Christmas in July between 22nd-31st.
Created by you! (The 3 top most popular requests are available for everyone)
HURRY, Christmas in July ends July 31st!
If you are looking for a unique method, using 8 little known techniques, an extremely flexible and 100% customized approach to help you understand the language and make it your own, then you MUST take advantage of these offers.
Hey, hey! Welcome to J'Ouellette® Concours d'été 2015! :) How would you like to win an amazing 8 week Parisian experience that prepares you inside and out for your next trip to the City of Light? This is our ninth contest, and the more popular this contest gets, the more people are coming to participate, so you should too! We had 8 contests so far (one every season), and today we prepare to discover Paris in the heat of the National Day, so I am attempting to get you in the mood for some French culture on the most fireworksy occasion of the year ;).
Behind this page, I hid a treasure chest of goodies!
The main treasure, a Secret and very Parisian GRAND PRIZE given to a person who answers ALL 7 questions correctly. We have other treasures to be won, but you need to register to see what is in my treasure chest! Paris is the City of Light, and Jour de la Bastille is one of the days when it excels in this department.
Do you know what are the most fun things to do on July 14th in Paris (but the ones that are known only to Parisians), what do Parisians like and, generally, what do Parisians do on this day? Any historical secrets linked to this event?
Then you *must* participate to the contest!
So, how is this summer contest going to work? Every day, between July 8th and 14th, I'm going to add a Q that you have to A. We will have 7 questions from different areas of French culture, language and trivia.
If you have one right answer, you will be rewarded with a FREE class with me by Skype* - YAY!!! Now there is a secret and very Parisian $249 GRAND PRIZE given to the person who answers ALL the questions correctly. All I can divulge is that the prize includes French language secrets, best French movies, best French cuisine recipes, and much more! ;)
You do have to register, in order to see what is in the treasure chest. After you register, you will be redirected to the page where the questions are posted, and they are announced via email or social media.
Bonne chance, Llyane ______ * we will not spam, sell, rent or lease your information NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY (This will also subscribe you to my weekly newsletter.) Images credit: wikipedia.com
I waited for July 1st, so that I can write this on Canada Day – in 3 days we’ll have Independence Day – so close to each other – so I thought I’d write about something they both have in common.
Read the article below to find out the full story, and watch the video for something to talk about.
(This week: the verb PARLER – to talk)
(Learn the pronunciation of all the tenses with Le Génie Verbale)
“I watched Americans destroy my Cajun french heritage of south Louisiana by making it a crime to speak our Language in the 1960s …they would literally beat you with a board in school for speaking cajun…” (David)
So much pain triggered by a subject that, for others, would be a hot topic for chit-chat. Such dramatic history – and the players of the ‘drama’ don’t get to enjoy the entertaining part – they end up having their heart split in two, because they can’t speak their language, just like everybody else.
David’s comment broke my heart, and made me see that we may have something bigger than us here.
So I went with it and researched a little, to find out that, yes, it is documented: Cajun children were being punished for speaking French at school. Having to protect your language is a fight no child can pursue, so let’s see where all started.
In 1682 The French came to Louisiana.
In 1763 Louisiana went to Spain who returned it to France in 1802, but Napoleon sold it to the United States in 1803.
In 1876 Charles Testaut writes a poem that tells so much about how people felt:
« Ne laissons pas mourir, dans notre Louisiane, Cette langue de la clarté Universelle un jour,–qui, légère ou sultane, Chante si bien la liberté ! »
In 1916, the law required that all children attend public school, where English was to be THE language. This implicitly meant that the Cajun children that were brought up speaking French in their homes would have to learn English. The events were completed in 1921 when the Louisiana Constitution was changed so that all school proceedings had to be conducted in English. This succession of events led to many Cajuns growing up without learning their ancestral language. Stories abound of Cajun children being punished for speaking French at school.
I searched and found out that, even in the bilingual Canada, French was banned from some provinces. Surprise, surprise!
Because the use of all other languages, including French, had been banned in the courts of England in 1731, this means that in Nova Scotia (1749), and Prince Edward Island (1769) English becomes the only official language.
In Québec, only in 1977 was French language protected by making it the language of business.
What does this mean? Is it that the English world takes over a continent where English is the norm? Was French something of a Cinderella in a world where over 7 millions in Canada and over 2 millions in the US speak French home?
Look what happened since the 1960s in the US:
Over 13 million people claimed French ancestry in 2010. 8 French language newspapers are presently being published, 8 French radio stations, and 40 French schools. Even though the desire is bigger than ever to revive the French language in Louisiana, as of 2011, there are an estimated 150,000 – 200,000 people who speak French. In comparison, there were an estimated one million native French speakers in Louisiana in 1968. This dialect is now at risk of extinction as children are no longer taught the language formally in schools. On the other hand, New York has its own powerhouse “New York in French” organization led by Fabrice Jaumont.
President Theodore Roosevelt once said “We have room for but one language in this country, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house.” 30 years later, President F.D. Roosevelt recognized: “New Orleans makes it possible to go to Europe without ever leaving the United States.”
In an effort to finding the American identity, people’s desire was to have access to more French, to practice it more regularly, to enrich their lives in a way that maybe only a French ancestry would be able to motivate.
(Written with the help of Wikipedia articles)
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, what would you like to see in a French Immersion Retreat in New York or New Orleans?
À la prochaine, Llyane
Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to go to Paris on your own terms? Create a solid foundation for conversation, master pronunciation, and travel the World, starting with a French Immersion in Paris 1-on-1. (You can start with New York or New Orleans)
So have you ever heard anyone complaining that the French are rude?
It has become a common stereotype, no?
The mystery is if there’s any truth to this myth or if it’s all blown out of proportions by the complainers among us.
Check out the article below to find out some answers triggered by this week’s events, and watch the video for some French with no complaints! :)
The French may tend to be more politically incorrect, more intuitive and impulsive – they have Latin blood and they prove it in everything: art, la joie de vivre, cuisine, the entire Paris is a testament of their Latin blood in action.
Is that considered rude? By some standards, yes, by others, not so much.
Also, who are the tourists who complain? They are (mostly) of English language and (mainly) Americans, as the neighboring Brits know who they are dealing with, they have had their games on and off the field with the French and they are like the good brothers who like a good healthy fight every so often. They love to hate each other because secretly they admire each other the most.
I have talked about this subject in November of 2013, when Karen Fawcett from BonjourParis.com guest blogged on my website with this very topic “Are French rude?” stirring a huge discussion on Social Media and mainly on LinkedIn, where for months on end people would pitch in with their two cents adding up to 82 comments.
The most interesting were the comments coming from two French ladies, both expats, living in the US and NZ respectively. They couldn’t have had more different opinions. And this too proves the dramatic, passionate, Latin blood coming out through this thread.
Peggy
“Well…lets ask ourselves 1 question, what is the definition of being rude?
* because you expect tourists to respect and be open-minded about another culture? * because Parisians / French people cuss a lot..yes true I still do…I kept my good Parisians manners, but I cuss in French! * because Paris is a busy city and people are always in a hurry and as a tourist you are everything except in a hurry * because tourists (specifically from US) expect French people to speak English because making an effort to speak French is too hard for them ,because all they learn at school is that US People are the best and after all US saved the world and the France in 1945… and the world has to spoiled them for that???
Paris is dirty? well people deal with it , maybe you should travel more , or just stay home because trying to understand and open up to another culture is too hard so lets be honest just be a potato couch , drink sodas and stay home….
* because French restaurants serve smaller dishes and there is no “all you can eat”?? * because French people are sarcastic and many people do not understand the word or that kind of humor? * because French tv shows naked people, bare boobs, naked butt? * because the restrooms are dirty & small…well I agree but deal with it , I did for 28 years!!!
I could go like this for days , the only point I have is please be open-minded when you travel , be curious about other cultures, way of thinking , do your homework , learn couple words in French to show that you care & people will be more than happy to help you with a smile and never EXPECT OTHERS does not matter French, Americans, Chinese… to RESPECT YOU if you do no try to ADAPT yourself to ANOTHER CULTURE different from yours.
I love my heritage , my culture the fact that I am born in Paris , I lived there most of my life and now I live in beautiful Southern California (oh yes it is paradise) , I will not hide it I am spoiled now , immaculate streets , green grass (yes green not yellow) big cars (nope I drive a Smart car lol) big houses , huge bathrooms… , huge towels (yes tourists complain about that too!) when I go to Europe I fall in love again each time with Paris and with French people that I miss so much , they are moody , smell like an ashtray, cuss like crazy… but I will never ever get enough of them….”
Mary
“I have dual nationality – French and New Zealand. Compared to New Zealanders the French are arrogant, always negative and don’t have “attitude” … they are at their worst when they travel and get themselves a very unenviable reputation all over the world. They criticise freely and seem to cling to the “droits aquis” like a lifeline. Their behaviour is due, in my humble opinion, to the education system which never praises, only demands for better performance however good they are. No wonder they compensate once they are out of the reach of French jurisdiction and judgement! They become “les petits chefs” ready to push everyone else around – they get pushed around at home! I use “they” whereas I could say “we” because I now live in New Zealand…. what an amazing country where people don’t judge but have such a refreshing positive an attitude = here it is “I give you the benefit of the doubt”, as opposed to the French “I’ll notice you if you prove to me that you are worth my attention!” Yes. the French are rude.”
Most of the Americans speak to this along these lines:
Andre
“If anything Americans are rude. We leave the US then expect things to be the same when we get to Paris. The MacDo mentality. I’ve only ever witnessed fricative interactions in Paris when the visitor was being rude and demanding. The French cannot be rude as a matter of course. Politeness and social regard is built into their language and interaction. French is one of the few languages which still regard proper address with tu and vous whereas in the US it’s Bill, Bob or Suzy; a careless familiarity without regard. I think what we may be misinterpreting as rude is an unconscious response to the unwarranted familiarity which telegraphs a suggestion of subtle contempt. Let’s imagine a grocer who has been properly address his entire life; then an American shows up to the shop, “Hi, Pierre, can I get a couple’a frogs legs, two dozen snails and a cows tongue; and can you hurry, I’m double parked out there.” and his twelve year old daughter chimes in, “Yeah Pierre, we’re in a hurry.”
Why did I come back to this topic?
Because this week, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius launched a multi-million Euro campaign aimed at encouraging the French, in particular those in the service industry, to be warmer to tourists. He said: “To put it diplomatically, we have room for improvement here. When we come up against a foreign tourist, we are all ambassadors for France.”
Reactions took many shapes and came on many mediums. The most interesting to me was the video published by HuffPost Live with Ben McPartland (Country Editor, The Local France), Fred Finn (Guinness Book of World Records Holder, World’s Most Travelled Man), Jo Piazza (Managing Editor, Yahoo Travel), and Zoe Reyners (Co-Founder & CEO, Katch & Reyners) which is very interesting to watch, and also to see how the opinions that you read earlier in this article are mirrored by the panel.
What I noticed as a silver lining in all the articles and interviews, including the comments in Social Media, was that the one thing that would turn around this situation would be if the tourists would attempt to use the French language even if just a little. The intention would be applauded by the locals, they’d feel respected and they’ll respect the tourists right back.
What I also experience is that people are afraid to try to speak in French – not only are they scared to embarrass themselves in French in Paris, but they are also embarrassed to try to speak with me, as their French Language Coach. When I offer conversation lessons, sometimes people tell me “oh, no, I’m not yet ready to try, my French is very poor.” as if the prerequisite to start learning a language is to be already good at speaking it.
It shocks me (and I’d appreciate your help here) that most people dream for their entire life to learn to speak French and to go to France, yet when they are facing their first French lesson they are completely frozen, afraid to feel stupid.
The way I see it is this: if you don’t feel embarrassed by your headache when you go to the doctor to fix it, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed about your level of French in front of the “French language doctor” – me – when you try to learn it. And I’m sure this happens to other tutors and language coaches too.
So the truth is somewhere in the middle: between the French who feel that they are not respected by tourists who don’t attempt to speak even a little French, and the tourists who are paralyzed at the idea that they will make a fool of themselves if they tried.
I am convinced that Hell is paved with good intentions, and while the French and the tourists have both their great intentions, playing it safe in their comfort zone, M. Laurent Fabius is spending millions of Euros making Paris a little less French.
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, did you ever find that people were rude to you in France?
À la prochaine, Llyane
Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to go to Paris on your own terms? Create a solid foundation for conversation, master pronunciation, and travel the World, starting with a French Immersion 1-on-1
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedentedIntensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large proportion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
So have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by big crowds that you just wanted to run and escape?
Sometimes big cities can have that effect, no? Especially in Paris, everywhere you turn it seems there’s a tourist attraction!
Check out the article below for 20 overlooked attractions that are perfect to escape the crowds and watch the video for some French you can run to!
(This week: the verb COURIR – to run)
(Learn the pronunciation of all the tenses with Le Génie Verbale)
Last week i was telling you that you shouldn’t go to the touristy places in Paris and not to do what all tourists do. OK, I think we covered what you shouldn’t do, but what should you do?
What otherwise seemed to be an easy task, becomes now so much more complicated than we had imagined.
We should go to Paris to practice French, to meet people and hopefully make great friends, to feel home and walk around as if it was our own town.
Yet you shouldn’t go to the most important places, or do what everyone does? After all, maybe you won’t go to Paris every year, to get to see everything; also, if you only see the unknown places, then what are you going to talk to your friends about back home, if they only know the touristy places – oh, what a dilemma!
What is important is that you mix them up: go see places known by everybody, but enjoy the little unknown corners, where you can escape the overwhelming crowds from the hot spots, and relax there where the French are, where you can strike a conversation with them – ah, the scary conversation! What is there to lose? They don’t know you, and you are nice, polite, and respectful of the French culture – the impression you leave can only be stellar :)
Here are some wonderful gems hidden from the eye of the tourists (some of them not so hidden), and you’ll feel that you visited a different city than your friends, who preferred to walk the beaten path.
NOTE: Click on each image to find out more about these pearls, one from each arrondissement.
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, do you sometimes feel like you want to run to Paris or from Paris? Are you ready to go to the secret spots in Paris and make conversation with the locals?
À la prochaine, Llyane
Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to go to Paris on your own terms? Create a solid foundation for conversation, master pronunciation, and travel the World, starting with a French Immersion 1-on-1
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large proportion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
Let me explain. I read an article the other day that started like this:
“Don’t expect Paris to always live up to its glossy, Hollywood-manufactured image. It’s also a gritty, imperfect, smelly place, with thousands of years of bloody, tumultuous history.”
It triggered my curiosity.
Read the article below for more on this, and watch the video that will help you go places.
(This week: the verb ALLER – to go)
(Learn the pronunciation of all the tenses with Le Génie Verbale)
I realized that I’m telling you every day how important is to follow through with your desire to speak French, to turn pro, and not to sit back in the amateur seat while others are passing you by on their way to their dream vacation, with their dream friends, having their dream dinner, dream walk by the Seine, and creating for themselves dream memories.
Or so you think… they are YOUR dream vacation, dinner, stroll etc… for them, they are just something that they once desired, made a plan and followed through with it until they had the airplane ticket in their hand and went away on what once was their dream vacation, with their dream airplane ticket.
What you don’t know is that maybe you shouldn’t go to Paris after all. Not now anyway. Not until you reach an all too long dreamt level of the French language so that you can enjoy it the way the French enjoy what is theirs: les amis, le dîner, la promenade.
If you are still in the decision phase, let me give you a few reasons why you shouldn’t go to Paris.
1. Paris’ main Medieval Cemetery (today known as Les Halles) was exhumed & transferred to Catacombs
2. Paris didn’t always look like this: in the late mid-19th century, Emperor Napoleon III commissioned Baron Georges-Eugene Haussmann to replace the old and unsanitary houses with the new, beautiful architecture you admire today
3. The Duke of Orléans was murdered here
4. Paris has a network of “Ghost” Metro stations no one uses
5. The vast plaza in front of Hôtel de Ville was once Place de la Grève, the central place for public executions in Paris until 1939.
OK, all that was to help you want Paris “less” until you learn some French, but jokes aside (though everything I wrote above is part of true history), let’s see what you shouldn’t do once you do go to Paris where you’ll practice what you learned home.
1. Don’t spend all your time near the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées – imagine that you spend your day in the central area of your hometown, where most tourists are – nothing like your home neighbourhood, right?
2. Don’t get sucked into restaurants and food stands in tourist-trap areas – if you hear English around that means you’re not in the right place.
3. Don’t book a tour without vetting the company first – www.tripadvisor.ca is a beautiful thing!
5. Don’t be casual about safety. Relax but stay alert. Every city in the world has its own way to take advantage of the naïve.
To enjoy the city, the people and the culture you need one thing: the language, which you can acquire home, through this very computer. Do it daily, don’t rationalize what you have wanted for so long: to connect with the French people and immerse in their culture. You love it. You want it. It is up to you to do something about it.
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, what do you think? Are you ready to commit to learning French and go to Paris?
Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to learn French on your own terms? Create a solid foundation for conversation, master pronunciation, and travel the World, starting with French Immersion 1-on-1
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large proportion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
The Pont des Arts or Passerelle des Arts is a pedestrian bridge in Paris which crosses la Seine. It links the Institut de France and the central square (cour carrée) of the Palais du Louvre, (called “Palais des Arts” under the First French Empire).
You’d think that the bridge was very old, but the present structure is only 31 years of age – rebuilt in 1984, using the same plans of the original bridge (1804). Since 2008, tourists started to attach padlocks (love locks) with their first names written or engraved on them to the side of the bridge, then throwing the key into the Seine river below, as a romantic gesture.
“Catastrophic” and “destructive” locks were removed from the bridge today to save the crumbling structure from some hundreds of thousands of love locks (some estimated around 1 million). The organization “No Love Locks” thrives, the hashtag #nolovelocks is used by small and big organizations and companies all over the Internet.
“I love this bridge. It is a huge part of my personal memories of my first visit to Paris, and my first Valentine’s day with my husband. That’s why I co-founded No Love Locks to SAVE this beautiful and historic bridge, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for Paris, from the vandalism of “love locks” and tourism run amok. We have a Facebook page and a petition against the locks in French and English. If you REALLY love Paris and the Pont des Arts, then join us in the fight to save and restore the architectural heritage of Paris!”
Lisa Taylor Huff, discovered Paris and did what she does best: fight for what she loves.
I read comments from the more neutral « Une page se tourne sur le célèbre PONT DES ARTS à PARIS avec l’enlèvement des cadenas… » to the more eloquent: “To the lady who STILL thinks her disappointment and sneaky little lock trump history, SAFETY, the environment and massive costs to Paris, I say get a grip and think about more than just yourself!!!”
There is also a #lovelocks hashtag, and those using it call this operation « un massacre ».
Nolovelocks.com received a comment this April, that I wanted to share with you:
“im 14 and some people say im too young to know anything but i have to honset the locks are a little to much but the locks dont only represent the love for couples it also is for the love of someone who has died or has had a big inpact on their lives and im not saying your coldhearted but the feeling of someone taking off the symbol for they love for someone dont you feel a little pain or gulit – Kayla”
If you thought you had mixed feelings about it, watch this video to see how many Parisians think that the locks were a symbol of Paris and why they are sad:
Not everybody knows that the locks were being removed on a regular basis, only to be replaced by other lovers with their own. So if you think that your lock may still be there – think again.
What is Paris going to do about it? Will his heart stay unmoved by the tears and disappointment of so many lovers, now married with children, left without romantic stories to tell and places to show? Will his business sense stay unmoved by the potential loss of tourists from around the world, now that they can’t plan their honeymoon in Paris just so that they can put their lock on the bridge? Will he create an alternative place for this global display of love? Or will he, with his "typical" French cynicism, comment “How many of these couples are still married anyway?”
Tell us in the comments below, are you sad or happy about this operation?
Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to learn French to enjoy Paris? Create a solid foundation for conversation, master pronunciation, and visit the City of Love, using the comprehensive J’Ouellette® Intensif
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large portion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
As a wonderfully talented singer who became widely regarded as France’s national diva of her time, her music is timeless!
And what better way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of her birth than a marvellous exhibition in Paris?
Check out the article below for more and watch the video for some French singing!
(This week: the verb CHANTER – to sing)
(Learn the pronunciation of all the tenses with Le Génie Verbale)
Could you imagine Piaf at 100 years of age, leading a healthy life, being one of the others, like the others, having her little tea, taking her blood pressure regularly, sinking in anonymity?
Maybe this would be a good thought, but for me and many in France, Piaf could pass for the embodiment of “Mme Bovary”, the beauty of the butterfly burnt by the bright hot light, consumed by a dramatic life with its ups and downs, with its passions that burned even more than the light burned the butterfly, with its highs that made her bloom more than any camomile tea and clean air of the banlieues could have done to her.
As much as we would like to see her healthy and well, we know that she couldn’t have led a life of balanced diet with a bedtime at 10pm, because the drama was in her blood, the French drama was in her destiny. She burned like a candle to give us the light of her spirit, the beauty of her soul, the expression of her voice and the sin of her love.
Here is her story…
Born Édith Giovanna Gassion on 15 December 1915 to a mother who was a café singer, and a father who was an acrobat, she was raised by a grandmother in a brothel in Normandy. She started to sing at 15, and was discovered by Louis Leplée 5 years later. With her 4’8” and stage fright, she became the French version of Cinderella. She had a song for every occasion, made France love her and made the World listen to her. She lost her only child at 17, lost her secret love at 34 and at her death, the archbishop of Paris refused to officiate at a funeral mass, but the French people couldn’t disagree more. She was portrayed by Marion Cotillard in the movie “La vie en rose” in 2007 who received an Academy Award for her portrayal of the singer, and this December, at her 100th anniversary, her life and legacy is to be celebrated in an exhibition in Paris.
But let’s hear the story told in her own words…
La vie en rose (1946)
Des yeux qui font baisser les miens, Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche, Voilà le portrait sans retouche De l’homme auquel j’appartiens
Quand il me prend dans ses bras Il me parle tout bas, Je vois la vie en rose.
Il me dit des mots d’amour, Des mots de tous les jours, Et ça me fait quelque chose.
Il est entré dans mon cœur Une part de bonheur Dont je connais la cause.
C’est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie, Il me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie. Et dès que je l’aperçois Alors je sens en moi Mon cœur qui bat
Des nuits d’amour à ne plus en finir Un grand bonheur qui prend sa place Des ennuis, des chagrins, s’effacent Heureux, heureux à en mourir.
Quand il me prend dans ses bras Il me parle tout bas, Je vois la vie en rose.
Il me dit des mots d’amour, Des mots de tous les jours, Et ça me fait quelque chose.
Il est entré dans mon cœur Une part de bonheur Dont je connais la cause.
C’est toi pour moi, moi pour toi dans la vie, Il me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie. Et dès que je t’aperçois Alors je sens dans moi Mon cœur qui bat
Hymne à l’amour (1950) written for Marcel Cerdan
Le ciel bleu sur nous peut s’effondrer Et la terre peut bien s’écrouler Peu m’importe si tu m’aimes Le ciel bleu sur nous peut s’effondrer Et la terre peut bien s’écrouler Peu m’importe si tu m’aimes Je me fous du monde entier Tant qu’l’amour inond’ra mes matins Tant que mon corps frémira sous tes mains Peu m’importe les problèmes Mon amour puisque tu m’aimes
J’irais jusqu’au bout du monde Je me ferais teindre en blonde Si tu me le demandais J’irais décrocher la lune J’irais voler la fortune Si tu me le demandais Je renierais ma patrie Je renierais mes amis Si tu me le demandais On peut bien rire de moi Je ferais n’importe quoi Si tu me le demandais
Si un jour la vie t’arrache à moi Si tu meurs que tu sois loin de moi Peu m’importe si tu m’aimes Car moi je mourrais aussi Nous aurons pour nous l’éternité Dans le bleu de toute l’immensité Dans le ciel plus de problèmes Mon amour crois-tu qu’on s’aime Dieu réunit ceux qui s’aiment
Non, je ne regrette rien (1960)
Non, Rien de rien (No, nothing of nothing) Non, Je ne regrette rien (No, I regret nothing) Ni le bien qu’on m’a fait (Not the good things that have been done to me) Ni le mal tout ça m’est bien égal (Nor the bad things, it’s all the same to me)
Non, Rien de rien (No, nothing of nothing) Non, Je ne regrette rien (No, I regret nothing) C’est payé, balayé, oublié (It’s paid for, swept away, forgotten) Je me fous du passé (I don’t care about the past)
Avec mes souvenirs (With my memories) J’ai allumé le feu (I lit the fire) Mes chagrins, mes plaisirs (My troubles, my pleasures) Je n’ai plus besoin d’eux (I don’t need them anymore) Balayés les amours
(Swept away my past loves) Avec leurs trémolos (With their tremors) Balayés pour toujours (Swept away for always) Je repars à zéro (I start again from zero)
Non, Rien de rien (No, nothing of nothing) Non, Je ne regrette rien (No, I regret nothing) Ni le bien qu’on m’a fait (Not the good things that have been done to me) Ni le mal tout ça m’est bien égal (Nor the bad things, it’s all the same to me)
Non, Rien de rien (No, nothing of nothing) Non, Je ne regrette rien (No, I regret nothing) Car ma vie, car mes joies (Because my life, my joys) Aujourd’hui, ça commence avec toi (Today, it begins with you)
We are celebrating her 100th birthday as if she was here because she is here, even if her body left us at only 47.
(lyrics and translation by metrolyrics .com)
Now it is your turn!
Tell us in the comments below, what is your favorite Edith Piaf song?
Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!
Want to learn French to enjoy the French songs? Create a solid foundation for conversation, master pronunciation, and travel the World, using the comprehensive J’Ouellette® Intensif
_______________ Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J’Ouellette® French Method – an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world’s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. She now spends a large portion of her time in Paris, where she also organizes an annual Immersion Retreat. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.
…and now Please Share this post with your friends. They’ll love you for it!
Start here: LearnParisianFrench.com
