Comments on: The word sympa http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html Wine Tasting in Paris, Wine Classes and Wine Events Tue, 15 May 2012 20:02:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steph http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-4400 Steph Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:09:26 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-4400 Heavens forbid if Parisiens use any adjectives that truly express enthusiasm and excitement! That would just be so un-chic ! Heavens forbid if Parisiens use any adjectives that truly express enthusiasm and excitement! That would just be so un-chic !

]]> By: Olivier Magny http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1305 Olivier Magny Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:36:46 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1305 Frogeater... Italians love their "bello" and their "simpatico" - but they mean it much more than we do. As Cocteau put it: "Les Italiens sont des Francais de bonne humeur"! Frogeater… Italians love their “bello” and their “simpatico” – but they mean it much more than we do. As Cocteau put it: “Les Italiens sont des Francais de bonne humeur”!

]]> By: frogeater http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1304 frogeater Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:09:58 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1304 Hah, just came across the blog today... Fantastic on a day you have nothing special to do at the office ! This one opened my eyes. "Sympa" leaves all doors open, partial or full acknowledgement by others (but careful there, if it's "sympa" for a start, it can't decently turn to a very radical stance like "énorme", would be almost contradictory - a parisian wouldn't get that enthousiastic about anything anyway, esp. if surrounded by non-parisians), light or heavy criticism from the others without it being taken personally, even the possibility to change topics because you don't really care anyway. Any prefix gets it very committing, really distorting the depth and emptiness of the original word "sympa" in its Parisian meaning. One wouldn't call something or someone "vraiment sympa" in front of strangers, as this gets personal. I'm still try to think of another adjective to use in place of "sympa". English speakers have "cool", but cool ain't as mildly flavoured and fluffy as "sympa". It may surpass it in terms of emptiness though. Italians, no clue. I can't imagine Italian snobbery being comparable to the Parisian one though, for some reason. No offence... Hah, just came across the blog today… Fantastic on a day you have nothing special to do at the office !

This one opened my eyes. “Sympa” leaves all doors open, partial or full acknowledgement by others (but careful there, if it’s “sympa” for a start, it can’t decently turn to a very radical stance like “énorme”, would be almost contradictory – a parisian wouldn’t get that enthousiastic about anything anyway, esp. if surrounded by non-parisians), light or heavy criticism from the others without it being taken personally, even the possibility to change topics because you don’t really care anyway.

Any prefix gets it very committing, really distorting the depth and emptiness of the original word “sympa” in its Parisian meaning.

One wouldn’t call something or someone “vraiment sympa” in front of strangers, as this gets personal.

I’m still try to think of another adjective to use in place of “sympa”.

English speakers have “cool”, but cool ain’t as mildly flavoured and fluffy as “sympa”. It may surpass it in terms of emptiness though.
Italians, no clue. I can’t imagine Italian snobbery being comparable to the Parisian one though, for some reason. No offence…

]]> By: Olivier Magny http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1303 Olivier Magny Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:02:13 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1303 Merisi... I love how Italians use "Bello" a lot too! Frenchee Le Trip... Thank you. I was probably around. This blog en revanche... Merisi… I love how Italians use “Bello” a lot too!
Frenchee Le Trip… Thank you. I was probably around. This blog en revanche…

]]> By: Frenchee le Trip http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1302 Frenchee le Trip Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:32:50 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1302 Where were you when I was going to university in Paris? Had I access to your unveiling of Parisian speak and behavior then...well, I can't imagine where I'd be today. What a treat to have found your musings. Where were you when I was going to university in Paris? Had I access to your unveiling of Parisian speak and behavior then…well, I can’t imagine where I’d be today. What a treat to have found your musings.

]]> By: Smwhr… » Blog Archive » Les jours d’ennui profond http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1300 Smwhr… » Blog Archive » Les jours d’ennui profond Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:56:30 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1300 [...] (Public Ennemies), moi, pour ma part, personnellement, j’ai trouvé qu’il était très sympa. J’ai un peu de mal avec les films tournés en DV, mais après une petite heure [...] [...] (Public Ennemies), moi, pour ma part, personnellement, j’ai trouvé qu’il était très sympa. J’ai un peu de mal avec les films tournés en DV, mais après une petite heure [...]

]]> By: Merisi's Vienna http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1301 Merisi's Vienna Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:28:25 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1301 Interesting, thank you! :-) Looks as if Parisians and Italians use the sympathique in the same way: Simpatico can mean anything and nothing. At best a beginning, at worst a simple "simpatico" is already the end, simpatico, but o so boring, whatever. Interesting, thank you! :-)

Looks as if Parisians and Italians use the sympathique in the same way: Simpatico can mean anything and nothing. At best a beginning, at worst a simple “simpatico” is already the end, simpatico, but o so boring, whatever.

]]> By: Olivier Magny http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1299 Olivier Magny Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:27:33 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1299 Véronique... Thx for your committed comment!! John Agee... Thank you - will try. Always busy with O Chateau! Stephan... Quick, my lawyer! Thx - will look it up! Véronique… Thx for your committed comment!!
John Agee… Thank you – will try. Always busy with O Chateau!
Stephan… Quick, my lawyer! Thx – will look it up!

]]> By: Stephan http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1298 Stephan Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:33:27 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1298 Olivier I just discovered that someone is actually doing like you in the women magazine DS. My wife bought this a few days ago - the classic I don't know what to buy but need some fashion, it works for men with cars or sports in train stations - and we saw a nice paper about french and parisian speaking at the end... To be fair you are "bien plus sympa" than the other, that is close to "bof" or "mouais"... Stephan Olivier
I just discovered that someone is actually doing like you in the women magazine DS. My wife bought this a few days ago – the classic I don’t know what to buy but need some fashion, it works for men with cars or sports in train stations – and we saw a nice paper about french and parisian speaking at the end…

To be fair you are “bien plus sympa” than the other, that is close to “bof” or “mouais”…

Stephan

]]> By: John Agee Paris http://www.o-chateau.com/stuff-parisians-like/the-word-sympa.html/comment-page-1#comment-1297 John Agee Paris Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:58:18 +0000 http://www.o-chateau.com/blog/?p=725#comment-1297 Dear Olivier, Please post more often! As an American who lives in Paris, I enjoy your observations on my adopted city. Dear Olivier,
Please post more often! As an American who lives in Paris, I enjoy your observations on my adopted city.

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