So far this blog has been chock full of language gaffes I've made while trying to learn German. But here we are in France and all of that is irrelevant.
I really made an effort to learn French when we lived in Belgium. But since we lived in a Flemish area I rarely had a chance to use it so it didn't "stick".
Any French I might otherwise have retained has now been superceded by German. On more than one occasion I've substituted an "aber ja!" For a "mais oui!" (Much to the consternation of the French, who seem to harbor even more animosity for their German neighbors than for the Americans.)
Yesterday I was in the checkout line of the grocery store and was ambushed by a chatty little old man. I was tired and hungry and understood even less of what he said than I might otherwise have done.
When I got to the cashier he informed her that I couldn't speak any French and they had a good laugh about stupid people who only speak English.
In my mind I gave them both a solid roundhouse kick to the throat.VOILA!
Otherwise all is well. We spent yesterday people (and car) watching in Monaco. Today we're off to a Matisse exhibition and then we'll take a swim. Weather is gorgeous, fruit is fresh and the company is outstanding. :-)
5 comments:
ah mais ce n'est pas grave de faire des erreurs en français. N'ayez pas peur. Et après tu peux raconter tous tes drôles histoires des malentendus dans une autre langue.
;)
Enjoy your vacation. France is a great vacation country!
Oooh, you should have pinched him really hard when no one was looking and then said "Je ne comprende pas!"
Provence really does have some lovely fruits! We're just back from our holiday and are now enjoying big fresh peaches from our own tree. I wish I could say it's because of me we have lovely fruits in our garden but it's thanks to the previous owners :)
Have a great holiday!
I tagged you
Happy to hear that you're having a wonderful holiday - holy holi holiday! I still have 4 weeks before kids, media and job interviews are done! and then I'll be off off off to munch Korean kimchi and breathe Korean air (i.e. poluted, garlic smelling ha ha)can't wait! will post lots of pics when the time comes - never mind - the French are so not over their teen-year-style of giggling in front of people! thinking they're the only ones who understand them.. o la la! but I like Paris! Enjoy Monaco - actually been there, driving was not funny - I put the car keys in the hands of my (eks)boyfriend - but loved the atmosphere!
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