Chancer Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Can anyone confirm whether I have understood this correctly? As the spelling is the same in both languages I will use italics for the French language.The conversation was about the metéo for Sunday, my friend said that they had announced that it would be "pas terrible", I took this to mean good, as in "pas mal" however I always look for the persons expression to confirm my understanding (or especially when I am winging it with an English word pronounced in French) and on this occasion the expression was a thumbs down.On further discussion he explained (I think) that "terrible" can mean either terrible/catastrophic etc or really good as in that fairground ride was "terrible" you should try it! Furthermore "pas terrible" means not so good. So does "terrible" mean both terrible and terrific but "pas terrible" mean not so good, or good as in the opposite of terrible?Actually now I look at it I may have always been misusing "pas mal", does it mean good (as in the opposite of mal) or "not so good"? and does the same apply to "C'est pas grave"?Many thanks.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard T Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 [quote]Furthermore "pas terrible" means not so good. [/quote]I would tend to translate it as "not fantastic" in an ironic sort of way.[quote]Actually now I look at it I may have always been misusing "pas mal", does it mean good (as in the opposite of mal) or "not so good"? and does the same apply to "C'est pas grave"?[/quote]"Pas mal" translates as "not bad" and is used in the same way as the English. "Ce n'est pas grave" means "It's not serious"Richard T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 [quote user="JRs gone native"] So does "terrible" mean both terrible and terrific but "pas terrible" mean not so good, or good as in the opposite of terrible?Actually now I look at it I may have always been misusing "pas mal", does it mean good (as in the opposite of mal) or "not so good"? and does the same apply to "C'est pas grave"?Many thanks....................[/quote]Spot on JR, for "terrible" (both terrible & terrific), which can be confusing! and "pas terrible" = not so good, not great."pas mal" = not badAs for "c'est pas grave", = No big deal It would be a stock reply when you have apologised for something, like you would say "don't worry about it" or "it's OK".Mind you, I have been surprised to see it used by someone who qualifies their own behaviour in this way, instead of an apology; for instance, they cut in front of you in a queue, you protest, and that is their response, to indicate that their own behaviour was OK after all[blink], when what you are entitled to expect is some sort of apology. But that is another story..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boiling a frog Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 cést pas grave means it's not serious so when someone says that to you after you have complained about Q jumping what they are inferring isthat you have made a fuss about nothing. Pas mal Not bad but really means that it is actually quite good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egger Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Having just read this posting, it has confirmed to me, that I will never learn FRENCH [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Bur Egger, this thread is very much about some finer points!!!Of course you can learn French, but you have to start with the basics, not the advanced stuff!Please don't be discouraged. Remember "baby steps".[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 [quote user="5-element"][quote user="JRs gone native"] [/quote] to indicate that their own behaviour was OK after all[blink], when what you are entitled to expect is some sort of apology. But that is another story.....[/quote]Another story, more like work of friction, I have never ever heard an apology let alone even a "desolé" in 3 years and believe me many have been due!Just this morning at a réderie I was asking a commerciant (not a particulier) if they had something, a very short curt "nah" was the reply, when I tried to progress with "well do you have anything else that would do the same? what about another type? etc etc all I got was even more impatient and insistant "nahs". I get this all the time in shops suppliers etc, maybe it is just a cultural difference but I would love to just once be told "no I'm sorry we havn't" or "sorry I dont know where else you could try" instead of the "nah" with or without the optional shoulder shrug.General rudeness IMHO is very common in this area, in fact locals seem to enjoy saying that this region is very unfriendly or they are much more friendly in the Nord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 [quote user="5-element"][quote user="JRs gone native"] [/quote]Mind you, I have been surprised to see it used by someone who qualifies their own behaviour in this way, instead of an apology; for instance, they cut in front of you in a queue, you protest, and that is their response, to indicate that their own behaviour was OK after all[blink], when what you are entitled to expect is some sort of apology. But that is another story.....[/quote]Ahaa[I]I think I have got it!They push in front of you and you remonstrate with them, but they take that as you apologising for having the cheek to have been in their way, so they accept your apology (actually a request for one) with a "c'est pas grave"[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Spot on, J.R.!!!!Malheureusement... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 [quote user="JRs gone native"] I have never ever heard an apology let alone even a "desolé" in 3 years and believe me many have been due!General rudeness IMHO is very common in this area, in fact locals seem to enjoy saying that this region is very unfriendly or they are much more friendly in the Nord. [/quote]JR - I see you are in Picardie. From where I am, that IS in the Nord.I don't know if it all gets worse the further south you go....Around here, it is exactly as you describe, exceptions are rare but ever so welcome!But beware: you are just not allowed to mention anything of that kind, or you will be smothered in pink fuzz and you might be shown the error of your ways - everyone knows that ALL French people are friendly, respectful, polite, helpful, falling over themselves to do you favours and deposit baskets of organic vegetables on your doorstep. If they don't behave like that, it is your own fault. C'est logique![:D]By the way, what is a réderie? I just couldn't work it out.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cjlaws Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 [quote user="5-element"]By the way, what is a réderie? I just couldn't work it out....[/quote]Something like a vide-grenier. The term is specific to the Somme.Amiens réderie is enormous.See HERE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Thank you CGL. I'd never heard that word before, we don't have réderies in the saoffff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 [quote user="5-element"][quote user="JRs gone native"] I[/quote]JR But beware: you are just not allowed to mention anything of that kind, or you will be smothered in pink fuzz and you might be shown the error of your ways - everyone knows that ALL French people are friendly, respectful, polite, helpful, falling over themselves to do you favours and deposit baskets of organic vegetables on your doorstep. If they don't behave like that, it is your own fault. C'est logique![:D][/quote]I often wondered why I seemed to be living in a different altogether unpink and unfluffy France compared to the other immigrants that I have encountered. As you can see from my username I am deep undercover and I think that is where the difference is, in fact it was one of the other English that told me that I had "gone native" I took it as a compliment but it was not intended to be!Why? I used to ask myself was it that I had to speak French and sort out all of my problems unaided from day one when everyone else seemed to have English speaking neighbours to solve all of their problems (not to mention gifts of veggies), it was a total shock for me when after 3 months someone in the Doctors got fed up with me returning for directions to the testing clinic and explained in English, it was my one and only conversation in English in 3 years.As my French progressed I was quite looking forward to meeting and chatting (in French) with some of these benevolant English speaking neighbours, funny thing was I went to several of the parties thrown by these immigrants and they never once invited a French person including the neighbours.My theory is that if you retire here, or work providing BnB to British clients and your only contact with the French (due to not learning the language) is with your English speaking French neighbours then you will indeed live in a different world to the "native" one that I do. The reasoning behind that is that I live in a run down property in a poor run down street in a very poor region as do 99.9% of the population of my region. The other English tend to own renovated fermettes which are priced completely out of the reach of all but the 0.1% and hence their neighbours tend to be the well off, educated and professional classes and more often than not speak good English.Altogether a more pink and fluffy world , but for me an unrealistic reflection of the France that the remaining 99.9% of the populace live in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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