Speaking french

[Gardengirl]

<

One of the things I wanted to say was 'We'll miss him' but of course I got it wrong. I think she knew what I meant though.>>

I'm sure she did, Pat.

I used to get it wrong sometimes and mentioned it in the French class I was in then; the others in the group were commenting that I must know it, it was so easy. It turned out that none of them realised they had it the wrong way round; I suppose that's an example of the more you know, the more you know you don't know.

[Chancer]

The word I learned today was un doigtier but at least the pharmacienne understood what I was asking for.

[idun]

Well if you got what you wanted, then they had understood and it is certainly a term for a finger covering.

[NormanH]

[quote user="Chancer"]The word I learned today was un doigtier but at least the pharmacienne understood what I was asking for.[/quote]

You were lucky [:P] [:-))]

[Chancer]

Norman, the first 30 year old cardboard box that she dusted off contained some aged yellowing silicone phalluses that looked like they belonged in a 70's sex shop [:-))]

 

I can only speculate as to what use they serve!

[NormanH]

Finger stalls perhaps?

http://www.fingercots.eu/finger-stall-orange.html

[alittlebitfrench]

If anyone watched last night news in France (unlikely perhaps) but there was a 'thing' about building dry stone walls.

A person who builds such walls is called a 'murailler'.

Try pronouncing that word. I can't. It is impossible for an English person.

[suein56]

a little bit French wrote : Try pronouncing that word. I can't. It is impossible for an English person.

You might not be able to but I can ... as many on here will be able to, I am sure.

You seem to make erroneous assumptions fairly often and write a load of twaddle at other times.

Sue

[Chancer]

[quote user="NormanH"]Finger stalls perhaps?

http://www.fingercots.eu/finger-stall-orange.html
[/quote]

 

Nope, I have used them before in an electronics company, I always thought they were finger stools so I am still Learning English.

 

The things in the pharmacie had a very thick wall, they looked like smaller versions of the things used for milking cows, come to think of it............[:-))]

[Chancer]

[quote user="suein56"]a little bit French wrote : Try pronouncing that word. I can't. It is impossible for an English person. You might not be able to but I can ... as many on here will be able to, I am sure. You seem to make erroneous assumptions fairly often and write a load of twaddle at other times. Sue[/quote]

 

Ah but he has dyslexic immunity [:P]

 

My favorite of his was comme même [:D]

[alittlebitfrench]

Sue said

"You might not be able to but I can ... as many on here will be able to, I am sure.

You seem to make erroneous assumptions fairly often and write a load of twaddle at other times"

LOL

You just said 'I am sure' which is itself an 'erroneous assumption' and quite possibly twaddle.

LOL, LOL, LOL

Anyway, bet they can't. Only French people can pronounce that word perfectly.

[idun]

[quote user="alittlebitfrench"]If anyone watched last night news in France (unlikely perhaps) but there was a 'thing' about building dry stone walls.

A person who builds such walls is called a 'murailler'.

Try pronouncing that word. I can't. It is impossible for an English person.[/quote]

No ALBF, I must disagree, rust in french is impossible for me to say, add to that serrurier, which is a tongue twister for me, where as I manage murailler very well.

[alittlebitfrench]

Well I am no expect Idun but I think there is 'rust' in 'murailler (the middle bit) which therefore makes it harder. (Insert winking yellow type thing).

Ask Sue, she knows. LOL

[Chancer]

That is because you have learned your French by listening and repeating how you think that you have heard the words and probably not checked them in the dictionary, its not a criticism because most of the time thats what I do however before I write these words in French i look in the dictionary and am often horrified that I have been pi55pronouncing something for a very long time, when you wrote "comme même" I knew exactly how you were speaking French, no problem with that, people understand you, however before you go spouting that rouille  has the same sound and spelling (the middle 3 letters) as murailler you should check first in your dictionary, as I did just to make sure I was not going to make a public fool of myself!

 

And in my view, not being afraid to make a fool of oneself is a very important quality when Learning and practising a foreign language.

[alittlebitfrench]

You have talking dictionary ? LOL I missed that one at WH Smiths.

I will ask the expert (my hell.!!!!!!!!) when she gets back. Confident it is bang on in terms of pronunciation.. Although, I have been wrong before. On many occasions. Probably this time as well.

And BTW, 'je ne l'ai pas fait exprès' is might favorite saying.

[Al Rogers]

I'm sure some "talking dictionaries" are better than others but this one seems about right (i.e. agrees with me). Others more expert in the language may disagree. Sorry, can't see how to make this a clickable link.

http://swac-collections.org/search.php?str=Muraille&lang=fra

[alittlebitfrench]

Hmmm....but that is 'muraille' and 'not murailler' and is pronounced by someone who is just about to chuck themselves under the metro. Edith Piaf would not pronounce it like that.

You have to add passion and pretentiousness when speaking French so that your neighbours understand that you are having your stone walls done by a chic artisan who has been doing it for 200 years.

[Chancer]

That is a usefull resource!

 

Muraille(r) is nothing like rouille(r) but then it would not be with a different vowel.

 

One of my biggest faux pas' was thinking that cailloux was spelled cayou and then writing it as such, but at least my prononcialtion was correct.

 

http://swac-collections.org/listen/fra/rouille

 

Rouille and douille I have real problems with, débrouille not so much so and brouillon is OK.

 

ALBOF if you really have problems with  muraille(r) then you must equally have problems with the terminaisons ai, ais, ait, aient etc and I guess you are not using the conditional and imparfait tenses, you would equally be stuffed using the futur, futur antérieur and passé simple in the first person.

[alittlebitfrench]

Your panicking Chancer !

[Gardengirl]

Sue said <

You might not be able to but I can ... as many on here will be able to, I am sure.

You seem to make erroneous assumptions fairly often and write a load of twaddle at other times. >>

Spot on, Sue, excellent post!

He makes far too many assumptions, seemingly wanting to denigrate many British people based on those inaccurate assumptions, on a site that has a history of helpfulness to others.

I think you're perfectly correct to say that many of us on here can pronounce muraille(r).

Chancer, cailloux is the sort of thing that makes me so grateful for the teaching of French I received at my secondary school. Certain words remind me of exactly when I was taught them, such as learning all the words that take an x in the plural and they suddenly appear in my mind. However, the way you have built up a command of French is very impressive to me.

[alittlebitfrench]

Brits in France have no sense of humour whatsoever. So rude as well. When did the British become so rude ?

All too serious. Let it go a bit. Seriously, I really don't know how you get by with your best friend French neighbours.

At least Chancer gets my humour but then again Chancer lives in my type of France.

Mur ROY ail. That is how I pronounce it innit.

[idun]

It is not the ai or the ya 'll' sound in any word that is hard for me, I am used to it, they were in my village name.......... but rouille, is different,  getting my mouth round the initial 'r' combined with the 'ou' sound all together, feels like I am tripping up on my words and oxydation is much easier to say!

[Chancer]

I get more than just your humour ALBOF, I get what you yourself (probably) dont get, your insecurities!!!

[alittlebitfrench]

[quote user="Chancer"]I get more than just your humour ALBOF, I get what you yourself (probably) dont get, your insecurities!!![/quote]

15 years ago you are bang on the money Chancer. Today, no. You could not be further from the truth.

The point of Iduns thread was 'can you survive in France without healthcare French ?

My point is you can. If you can smile and crack a joke (which is universal in any language) you can. Chuck in some easy 'slang' phrases and you can get by.

If you take yourself too seriously (which I get most people do) then book your return now.

[Gardengirl]

Albf, most people who are attempting to joke would add an emoticon.

No sense of humour and rude? Oh, of course you never are - you're just joking- hmmmm! Not everyone is keen on the term Brits either.

I don't know about others, but Some of us have a ball with French friends and neighbours; had a call about an hour ago from the owner of a local restaurant about a scene on their terrace earlier today that we would have roared at with laughter together if I'd been there - but distance didn't stop us enjoying it together.

We're stuck in England for a few months unfortunately, but it's great to be kept up to date by friends, even if it was a joke about the rats that have moved in under our apartment block that a neighbour sent in an email this afternoon. True story/joke unfortunately, guess we'll gave to get an expert in.