And now for something completely different: a collection of my new useful French phrases. Try and pick out the ones I learned from -- er -- a TV show I can't mention, and the ones I learned directly from my lovely flatmate or from my French tapes.
depuis quand? (since when?)
les bas noirs (black stockings [saucy!])
tout a fait (quite, completely)
Ça fait un bail (It's been a long time [this is an exciting new phrase for me, but I can never use it because everyone I know that speaks French (Marie, Morgane, Robyn, my mum), it has not been a long time since I saw them])
bouche d'enfer (Hellmouth [I like this one a lot too])
All of these things I have learned. But not zeut.
My French tapes toy with me. All through this lesson they keep saying "le mot zeut" and then not telling me what it means. I keep getting all excited because the guy keeps saying, "The word 'zeut', and I think he's beginning a sentence that will end in explaining what the word "zeut" means. But then it always turns out that he just wants me to say "le mot zeut", so he can be sure that I haven't forgotten the word for "word".
Newsflash: I haven't.
Newsflash #2: EVER.
THIS DUDE IS SUCH A TEASE. JUST FUCKING TELL ME WHAT ZEUT MEANS YOU RAT BASTARD AND QUIT LEADING ME ON.He never does though. Fils de pute amant des catins.
Whatever, guy. I don't need you. I can say "black stockings" and "What did you do last night?" so I am completely set for my next visit to France. As a hooker (catin).
And here's my other complaint: Hardly any DVD in the whole world has a French language option with subtitles that match. I can hardly say enough about my hatred for subtitles that don't match what's actually being said. It's a pain when I'm watching a show in French and the English subtitles are lying to me, because if Marie's not around I often don't notice. This "black stockings" business – he was saying "kimonos" in the English version! Not "black stockings"! WHY WHY WHY WHY? See, if Marie hadn't been right there, I would have thought that "bas noirs" meant "kimonos". (Assuming I realized that he was saying "bas noirs", which of course I didn't.) And then, and then he was saying "want to kiss you" in the English version but the French one said "want to take you in my arms". Bah.
It, um, it sort of sounds like I've been watching a French porn movie. I haven't, I swear. I'd tell you what I have been watching but I promised not to mention it again and I gave up lying for Lent.
(Ah, praeteritio. I'm glad there is praeteritio. Thanks, my good buddy Cicero, for introducing me to praeteritio. You and your Catalinarian orations. I miss you, guy.)
8 comments:
Melanie speaks French! And you haven't seen her in ages.
That is an excellent point, tim. If I see Melanie I will be sure to tell her my new phrase.
But I really can't find a use for this one, which is newer still: "Je peux tous te donner." I got nothing.
Not to split legalistic hairs or anything, but I'm guessing God is not fooled by your puerile hints about That Show. You know you're mentioning it. Just not by name.
WELL. It seems to me you must _orchestrate_ an opportunity for that one.
(Remember when we were going to stage an argument between you and Craig in Potpourri so that Craig could tell you, 'Claws in, you cat!' in front of Mrs Whitmer? Or Mrs Melton? (Or was it a different phrase? I know it had a cat in it. Damn it, I've forgotten all the details.))
mention: vt. 1. to specify, as by name
Thus spake the dictionary THAT YOU GAVE ME. And that, of course, was the definition I was using.
tim - yes, I remember that! Why doesn't life give us the chance to say these things? Sheesh.
Mention "as by name." Or sometimes, not. "As" implying one of several options, n'est-ce pas?
(See, I too am quite Frenchified)
No. You are wrong and I am right.
I agree with your mother.
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