Comments on English versus EnglishTypePad2014-03-15T18:38:06ZSeduliahttps://www.ruerude.com/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://www.ruerude.com/2014/03/english-versus-english/comments/atom.xml/Sedulia commented on 'English versus English'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c82d353ef01a3fcdc3a42970b2014-03-22T17:36:56Z2014-03-22T17:36:56ZSeduliahttp://www.ruerude.comHi Vagabonde, Actually when I said they "didn't have to learn English," I meant, they didn't actually *need* to speak...<p>Hi Vagabonde, </p>
<p>Actually when I said they "didn't have to learn English," I meant, they didn't actually *need* to speak or use English-- they had to learn it in school, of course, the way college-bound Americans still have to "learn a language"; but that is very far from being able to speak it or even read it fluently, I find!</p>
<p>So quite a few of my older friends here have really only learned English in the last five or ten years or so, when they started using it while traveling or working. </p>
<p>It must be lonely never to speak your native language! I feel for you, in la Georgia profonde. I hope it has consolations....I think Americans and other English-speakers think a French title looks more sophisticated and intriguing. I am surprised there are so many of them that are all anglophone, though!</p>vagabonde commented on 'English versus English'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c82d353ef01a73d9675c7970d2014-03-21T18:59:32Z2014-03-21T18:59:32Zvagabondehttp://avagabonde.blogspot.com/I have read your post with interest. You say until 10 to 15 years ago French did not have to...<p>I have read your post with interest. You say until 10 to 15 years ago French did not have to learn English. Well, in lycées that followed the “modern” curriculum you had to take 2 modern languages – you had too. Usually you had a choice between English and German as a first language, then the second could be the one not chosen, or we could choose between Spanish, Italian and Russian, and I am talking going to school in the 1950s! that is where I learned English by the way, and Italian too (au lycée d'Enghien les Bains.) I guess the people you spoke about stopped à l’école primaire? Or followed the “classic” studies where you had to study Latin or Greek. I know all my friends understood English, but they did not like to speak it as they did not feel fluent enough. As for the US – I miss speaking French as very few people speak it. I never speak it with anyone around here (in Georgia.) One of my American friends suggested that I find blogs with a French name and write a comment in case the blog is bilingual, like in Canada. So far I have been around at least 20+ blogs with a French name and wrote a comment in French (une Femme d’un Certain age, La Vie Quotidienne, etc.) and none of them are in French but in English. I really wonder why they use a French title, do you know why, it’s kind of bizarre?</p>CBRetriever commented on 'English versus English'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c82d353ef01a3fcdb1fdf970b2014-03-21T06:47:22Z2014-03-22T16:07:42ZCBRetrieverI love the Wall Street English ads with English bobbies (a bit confusing as I associate Wall Street with the...<p>I love the Wall Street English ads with English bobbies (a bit confusing as I associate Wall Street with the US and not the UK)</p>
<p>And I've had some French people tell me they don't understand my American English.</p>Canedolia commented on 'English versus English'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c82d353ef01a73d915be8970d2014-03-15T23:05:05Z2014-03-15T23:05:05ZCanedoliahttp://parisatmyfeet.blogspot.comI've been tempted to correct that advert every time I've ever walked past it. I'm very impressed that you actually...<p>I've been tempted to correct that advert every time I've ever walked past it. I'm very impressed that you actually did!</p>