Il y a longtemps que notre pays est beau mais rude.
--Newspaper editor Olivier Séguret, 25 January 2012
The USA are entirely the creation of the accursed race, the French.
--Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966), writing to Nancy Mitford, 22 May 1957
The mayor of Calais is suing Marine Le Pen of the Front National for saying "repeatedly" that citizens in Calais need a pass issued by the mayor to get to their own homes (because of the number of migrants in the town). In fact, the passes are issued by the police prefecture.
"À nous de vous faire préférer le train!"
"Voyager autrement"
"Avec le SNCF, tout est possible"
--Former ad slogans of the SNCF (French national trains), each in turn quickly dropped
(literally: marmoset)
Etymology: onomatopoeia from the sound a marmoset makes. Actual meaning: this is what you say in France when you want people to smile for the camera.
Selon une étude réalisée par le fabricant d’appareils photo Nikon, le « ouistiti » utilisé en France au moment de se faire prendre en photo est le petit mot le plus efficace pour s’assurer un joli sourire.
Private sector
First strike in 43 years at an aeronautics company in Toulouse, Latécoère
Public sector
The SNCF (toujours eux), regional train employees in the Lyons area guaranteeing unpleasant travel from the 17th-21st December
Also yet another strike by Sud-Rail, a particularly truculent SNCF union in the south of France, this time five days in January: 6,7, 21, 22 and 23. "We have no choice." Right.
Marseilles trams on strike until February
« By sail and steam | Main | The Losing-Machine »
My Australian friend
Jenny and I had lunch yesterday, and I heard the saddest story about one of her best friends. But I can't tell it to you.
Jenny speaks French to her husband and children and has been in France way too long to speak perfect English any more.
"We came back from Méribel with the most wonderful souvenirs*,"she said. Later she remarked, "But I'm deviating**."
* Memories
** Changing the subject
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In Paris, the purest virtue is the object of the filthiest slander.
–Honoré Balzac (1799-1850), in Scènes de la vie privée
À Paris, la vertu la plus pure est l'objet des plus sales calomnies.
Annual Geminids meteor shower (shooting stars!) coming this weekend, if it's not too cloudy out at night.
Keith Eckstein also has a new book review site, Books About France
Is it a sign of having been here too long if that makes perfect sense to me?
From Sedulia: Mais puisque je vous le dis.
Posted by: Doc | 26 September 2006 at 15:22
I've lived in the US my entire life and I knew exactly what she meant by "But I'm deviating". I've heard people say that here. It may not be "correct English" but it's been used.
Posted by: Michelle | 28 September 2006 at 16:38
deviating or deviation are perfectly sound and oft used English expressions. Perhaps less so in the US but certainly not out of place in the UK or elsewhere. The sign you have in French is the English equivalent of diversion. Another thing altogether.
From Sedulia: Maybe you are just too clean-minded to see why I laughed so hard.
Posted by: fibsor | 29 September 2006 at 13:04