French (?) Language Mishaps

Learning a language is rewarding – and full of mistakes, missteps and mishaps. Here are some of my best (or worst).

Burgers & Beans; The saga continues: The Visiting Nurse

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Burgers and Beans Another example of two people talking about different things together: Do  you walk to school or carry your lunch? Mon mari was discharged from the hospital on Saturday morning. Sounds simple, doesn't it?  He comes home and mows the lawn (which he is doing as I write this, but I digress). The … Continue reading…

Creamy Herb Dressing with Yogurt; Listening v Hearing

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Creamy Herb Dressing There’s nothing like two people talking about the same thing, differently; one in a foreign language, the other with a foreign accent; to really cock-up the simplest request. There is a phone next to the bed mon mari is currently lounging in. We thought it would be kind of fun if it … Continue reading…

Fear of Phone Calls

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One thing no one ever tells you about when you are learning a language: Phone calls are impossible.  When you are talking, in person, to another human you can each see each other's expressions, hand movements, blank stares, etc.  That's all taken out of the equation during a phone call. Making a phone call is … Continue reading…

9 Sheep, a Parcel of Land and a New Woman

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It's heartwarming to know that lumping people into erroneous stereotypes is a universal phenomenon. When we lived in Ireland we were always known as 'the Yanks', but in Andorra and here in France we are normally assumed to be British, 'les anglais'.  After all, we all sound the same. It started on Friday.  We had … Continue reading…

Road Atlas: Don’t leave home without it!

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We were about 5 minutes into our trip to Paris when I realized that I had forgotten my trusty French Road Atlas.  Mon mari, ever the typical male, refused to turn back: "We're going to Paris; I think we can find it".  We did.  There it was.  We could see it off to our left…no … Continue reading…