Editor - France Magazine Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Hi Forum-users,Does alcohol help your French?I'm not trying to encourage alcoholism with my question, but have you ever found that your French-speaking comes on in leaps and bounds when you've had a glass or two of red?Tell me your experiences!Also, what is the best way you've found to improve your French? Let me know,Carolyn Editor, France Magazine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Yes, definitely, and not just me. Instead of worrying about minor (or indeed major) errors, one just ploughs on and has the satisfaction of getting to the fullstop rather than becoming bogged down in grammatical detail. Most (indeed all) the French we know would rather we "had a go" with a truck-load of errors than keep quiet for lack of confidence.Two big improvers - MOH has a weekly "lesson" (more a natter really) with an 87 year old ex-teacher in the village, along with another Brit. The teacher has a mind as sharp as a needle, it's given her a new lease of life, and MOH has regained a working grasp of French which she was convinced she'd never absorbed while at school.The other - French TV (if necessary via satellite in Britain). Find a slow soap (Les Feux de l'Amour is good for this, TF1, 13.55 CET) and get the sub titles running. MOH couldn't believe how a narrative copy of the dialogue made such a difference, in that suddenly she could "see" where one word ended and the next began. The soap in question is truly lamentable from a content point of view, but for learning the language quite superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atty Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I agree with Martin. We recently went to a neighbours 40th birthday party in our village hall and after a couple of glasses of wine I found that I was chatting away quite well (well better than usual), and understanding more of what was being said to me. It was definately because I was not trying too hard due to me feeling more relaxed. I think that situations like the party are the best way to learn french; also I go walking/mushroom picking with one of my neighbours and on these occassions she insists we only speak french, again excellent for learning day to day french and not classroom french which I have found has little relevance to what is actually spoken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I agree, I worry less about making myself look ridiculous, about errors of gender and pronunciation. We are more relaxed, more communicative a little more devil may care.Just don't ask me to try to write anything in French [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Alcohol may not improve my French but it certainly improves my perception of my French. And it works the same way with the locals and their English.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I agree with Martin as well !Alcohol breaks down the inhibitions and one are less likely to worry about making mistakes. Suddenly all the French you ever came across pours forth in a sort of burbly manner. We all think we sound great after a few drinks - I wonder how the French see - or hear - it ????French TV is definitely a useful tool, though probably easier for those who already have an inkling of the language. I think a complete beginner would find it a bit overwhelming. Sub-titles can be useful as well, though personally I have never liked them. I was always irritated by what was obviously a long sentence being translated by "oh dear" or somethying equally banale.There are programmes like "La carte aux Tresors" (Treasure Hunt) which is good, and educational too. There are even one or two French soaps which, although the storylines are pretty unbelievable, do contain lots of current expressions !The weather on TF1 is good - all the presenters speak clearly, though the speed takes time to get used to. And there are some good documentaries and nature programmes where there isn't necessarily too much dialogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Not for me I'm afraid.My accent, vocabulary and verb conjugation, all go to ratchet after a glass or three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessfou Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Doesn't work for me. The greatest difficulties of speaking a "foreign" language come when suffering from being tired ane emotional or just plain tired (even worse is a combination of the two).Best way to improve a language? Depends what your level is but one thing is sure and that is the need to speak. Learning a language at school is generally a waste of time since most students at most schools will have the chance to speak the language for about 4 minutes per week (work it out - divide lesson time by 2, 'cos the teacher will be speaking, then divide the rest of the lesson time by the number in the class and you have a maximum time of about 1 min/lesson). For me the best, though exhausting way is to do half-day coaching sessions (a full day is too much) as that guarantees that I will be talking to the students for at least half of half a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 What happened to language laboratories ? Well remember being in one in the 1960’s Much harder going than the classroom every now and then this disembodied voice explaining with a slightly exasperated air how to pronounce things. Other thing is total total immersion realising that unless you speak French you will have no social life for the next three months and that there is nothing to read in English Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 3 months?4 years and counting in my case!Total immersion is the best way and also acting drunk all the time, that is to say not worrying about mistakes etc, if the people above find communication easier when they are less inhibited through drink then they should try to emulate this at other times, pillow talk is also remarkably good.Personally I hate it when French people that are normally too shy to converse with me (in French) get Dutch courage after drinking too much and start babbling to me in heavily accented and unintelligible English, sometimes I havnt even a clue what language they are using.Fear of making a fool of oneself is perhaps even a greater problem for our hosts. I was part of the défiler on remembrance day and introduced (presented actually!) myself to the new Maire, he seemed embarrased talking to me so I carried on talking to his secretary who was walking between us, very soon he asked her to ask me to come to the "vin d'honneur", I replied "tell him to ask me himself, I am not mentally handicapped" .editted, all the conversation was in French Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 [quote user="Editor - France Magazine"]Does alcohol help your French?Also, what is the best way you've found to improve your French? [/quote]1) Speaking - yes - it relaxes the inhibitions and at least makes you think you are doing OK. Doesn't help the memory - ie forgetting words you know very well really. Writing - no - cannot see straight to write after more than two glasses!2) Being there! And mixing with French-only speakers! Fatal if there are any English, or French who want to practice their English!!! Finding time to read in French, anything will do, to keep the words in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valB Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Many years ago when OH was in the Navy he spent a lot of time in various French ports. His best friend could not cope with the language at all but when he was off his face with booze he was almost fluent as all the French he knew came flooding back to him. It is still a standing joke to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allanb Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Does alcohol help my French? I don't know, but being in France helps my alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 I too find that a glass or 2 helps me with my French, but then again I have found that in some circumstances when in total French company the only reason tha I open my mouth is to change feet!But I have been known to do tha in English too !One time that I was lost for French or any other words was yesterday when a Toulousian ran into the side of our 9 month old car! He had been looking at the boats in a local town port on the Canal du Midi and didn't notice that I was turning in front of him. When I could speak I was very polite and because he was bigger than me I didn't even hit him. That happened at about midday, well before my time to have a glass! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoverfrog Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I said a couple of years ago that a couple of glasses helped my french no end... the (then) OH replied that that was to be expected, as I sat immersing myself in French with the TV of an evening with a glass in hand!His explanation - "you get to the same state, and it's all there!" :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odile Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Agree totally Anton - when I came to London I refused all contact with French speaking people, newspaper, radio, tv, books - It was hard, but I learnt very fast and made lots of friends + 1 (still after 38 years) husband.[quote user="Anton Redman"]What happened to language laboratories ? Well remember being in one in the 1960’s Much harder going than the classroom every now and then this disembodied voice explaining with a slightly exasperated air how to pronounce things. Other thing is total total immersion realising that unless you speak French you will have no social life for the next three months and that there is nothing to read in English[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 I think it does.....I once spent a very happy evening in the bar at St. Saturine de Bois (near Surgeres. Dept 17 ) it was my birthday, and somehow they knew.This was quite a few years ago, and though my french was ok..ish, I do remember discussing the meaning of life and several other deep, meaningful issues before the patrons wife drove me home......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Editor - France Magazine Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 Hi there,Thanks to everyone who helped on this thread... some of you are mentioned on my column:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/france/article4661688.ece Best wishes,Carolyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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