Comments on: English

By: VinC

VinC — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:24:49 +0000

I’ve met some peoples who speak a merged(?) language between English and French, but sometimes it’s really hard to understand!

By: Laika

Laika — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:46:49 +0000

First, good blog and posts. Congrats.
Alors, on y go, I must say that it’s really a disgrace how French speak English (or any other foreign language for that matter). Especially people who should really use it (like technical people etc.).
My experience so far (living and working in Paris for some time now (and not being native anglophone nor francophone)) is that people who mostly use ‘franglais’ are the worst English speakers and it’s borderlining with not speaking it at all.

By: Minette

Minette — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:37:10 +0000

Another comment – about a sincerely sweet moment… Returning from dinner one evening, I became totally lost. I was alone and it was late. Finally, I wandered into a small hotel as I saw elderly couple at the front desk. I told them in French that I was lost and asked if they could help. The elderly gentleman smiled at me so sweetly and corrected my French, very slowly. I said “Je suis perdu,” which he corrected — I don’t remember the correction, but I repeated it and he laughed and said, “Voila!” I gave them the address of the apartment and they tried to explain directions to me… but at this point I was too upset to understand. They read my face well. The elderly woman took my arm and then her dog and we walked outside. She spoke French slowly to me as we walked to the corner, doggy at our heels and when we got to the corner she carefully explained the rest – all in French and I realized I was only two blocks away. I thanked her for showing me the way and as I walked off, she yelled, ” Gardes ton sac!” I turned and waved and she was smiling back, holding her dog. Lovely couple they were, corrections and all.
I went back the next day and gave them a small box of chocolat to thank them — they really were so nice. They called me “la petite femme americaine.” They explained they didn’t speak English at all and my French was not so bad!
How does one correctly say, “I am lost.” ??

By: Minette

Minette — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:26:09 +0000

My last trip to Paris (Sept., 08) which was my second in two years, several times, when speaking French — asking directions, etc., I was responded to in English, even though I spoke French (with an American accent I suppose.) I thought that happened as a sort of insult — that my accent indicated where I am from and therefore m French wasn’t so good. Is that true or is that some Parisians just wanted to speak English with me? I didn’t know for sure why they responded in English and I’d love to know why!

By: Olivier Magny

Olivier Magny — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:19:21 +0000

Natalie… Bon, je ne vous répondrai qu’en français dans ce cas!

By: Natalie

Natalie — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:27:46 +0000

I completely agree! It’s amazing to me how many English words I hear walking around the streets of Paris. And the minute people hear an American accent, they immediately switch into English, which drives me crazy!

By: Let’s Parlez Business! | etnobofin

Let’s Parlez Business! | etnobofin — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:41:24 +0000

[...] in no position to complain about any French person who chooses to borrow English words whenever it suits them. After a few weeks back in France, I’m still just getting to grips again with the passé [...]

By: Olivier Magny

Olivier Magny — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:46:15 +0000

Shari… Thx for your kind words. Glad you enjoyed your Wine Tasting with O Chateau really. I’ll let you know if I ever make it to Jersey.
Ludo.. Of course… je n’en doutais pas! (PS: it would be – “je ne fais pas de fautes comme ca”). Sorry… you asked for it
Kris… Thank you. I’ll take this as a compliment. You know, these are hardly my thoughts. Just a personal way of putting real information together. I’m just reporting here!
Charles… I think the French are very confident with most things actually!! I think most have no problem speaking English. But in official situations, many prefer to stick to French, as a way to defend the language. As per how many Francophones in the world, a few million that’s for sure, starting with 65 in France, a few in Switzerland, Belgium, Quebec and Acadie. Plus all the former French colonies in Africa and Asia where many people speak French though it’s usually not their mother tongue. Et pendant ce temps la, moi, comme un con, j ecris un blog en anglais!!

By: Charles

Charles — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:33:06 +0000

I think French are very confident of their language. Although they know or they can speak English, they are reluctant to use it in formal events. Millions of people around the world are Francophone. Am I right? I don't know.

By: Kris

Kris — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:28:49 +0000

Interesting thoughts. You’ve made me reflect on Paris a little bit differently than I had previously…