Thursday 24 May 2012

How to master the French Argot....

Photo Rodofphe Sebbah ' Ecole Primaire, Paris'


Now I'm spoiling you.... au propre et au figuré! 
I never introduce my students to any argot or slang unless they have used the past subjunctive deuxième forme... correctly 5 times in a row but  I've just found a great website about learning French argot and yes... I will share it. Not only it has some very good dialogues but you could also listen to them at different speed and practice with exercises..... 


Here is the website.  Yes I know, I'm too good with you.....
Use it wisely.....


I've copied the introduction by André Bougaïeff, Ph.D., Professeur titulaire ,Département de Lettres et communication sociale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières 
' L'argot is a very casual way of speaking French. You should not use it in a formal situation where politeness and good manners are required. But with good friends, with family, in a relaxed context, you can use it to create a more friendly linguistic environment. But beware, not everybody has the same understanding of l'argot. Some people may use it quite casually every day, others will avoid it in general. 
Originally, l'argot was a secret language invented in the 17th century by robbers in the city of Paris, in order not to be understood by police spies. Today, it means «special language», parallel to standard French. All French people, at all socio-economic levels in France, know or use some argot, even the president of France, or famous writers at the Académie française! 
...../.....
The main goal of this site is to increase your proficiency in understanding l'argot so you won't be at a loss the first time you hear it around you during a trip to France. 
To begin, click on leçon 1 and follow the lessons and the exercises, beginning by a dialog in  Argot - Slow speed. Improve immediately your aural skills by listening carefully to the dialogs with MP3 while reading the texts. 
After having worked strenuously at this site, take a rest by reading the words of 254 excellent songs in argot by the famous French argot song-writer Pierre Perret, at this address: http://www.paroles.net/artis/1760   (and buy his CDs; the songs, poetic and funny, are worth the price).

You need the MP3 application in your hard drive in order to listen to the recorded dialogs. 

PS; Have you notice the great picture Mr Rodolphe Sebbah has very kindly let me used... Could not have dreamed  better illustration....
Have a look at his pictures on Face book

Town and Country planning in France.

From Craig McGinty in www.thisfrenchlife.com
Interesting post, especially for my urbanist students: And in English..... Now what about translating this into French...:)))))
Have a look at Craig's website and the comments ( still early at this time but should be coming...)

Bringing balance to the French countryside

Loubejac
HAVE you ever wondered if anyone has a planning policy for those remote walks across tranquil French village fields and meadows?
In fact, city councillors considering the future needs of rural France are bringing these together in documents or certificat urbanismes, revisions of the former site inventories,writes Carol Miers.
While taking a walk through seldom used footpaths you may well be walking across land that has been recorded on inter-crossing maps, for example categorised for ecological significance, or suitable for construction, or as containing heritage sites, or arterial roads.
Nationally, there is a change in policy towards using resources efficiently by grouping houses together and limiting the size of new builds. The new regulations are cemented into a village document.
Loubejac-skyAt Loubejac, in the Dordogne, one such village analysis is now in its primary draft. I attended a meeting for the 273 inhabitants where a presentation by the société URBANAE, introduced the first stage.
It will be followed by a period of consultation where an expert sits in the Mairie to listen to project ideas, suggestions, criticisms and all questions from the villagers to better shape a local constitution. This is how the initial draft will be pushed and stretched into shape.
In order to satisfy future needs and demands for utilities the land categories aim to maximise all interests, from building plots to agricultural needs, leisure to being of tourist interest.
Labels for valleys of significant beauty, primary natural water sources, road passageways, necessary wildlife pathways all bring to mind the assessments for the UK's sites of special scientific interest.
Preliminary research had included a virtual census of the population, their employment locations and types, ages and status.
It stated the ratio of forest to open land as 53%. The future for each hectare was decided by allocation of a letter, such as N for house building. From discussions with the pompier every new build has to have fire barriers.
Pointing at bar charts the speaker hazarded projections for the growth in population based on the previous ten year pattern.
From this a hypothetical house building plan and the required hectarage was calculated and the total represented as a proportion of available land.
It is reassuring that no decisions are to be taken by a figure in a remote office. After all, as I overheard it said, this is a republic, the French fraternity.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Change of gouvernment, change of civil servants?

Some civil servants in France might take a political side, and so when the president,or/and government changes, so do they.
Here is an interesting radio report from France culture. And it's only 3mn long.
Que faire après un poste dans un ministère ?

Dès le 15 mai, des dizaines de hauts fonctionnaires de droite, employés dans les ministères ou à l'Elysée, vont perdre leur poste.

Certains sont déjà recasés.
Quelques exemples : Jean-Baptiste de Froment, conseiller de l'Elysée nommé au Conseil d'Etat, ou encore les directeurs de cabinet de Gérard Longuet et de Bruno Lemaire.

Pour les autres, la chasse aux nouveaux postes vient d'être officiellement ouverte.


http://www.franceculture.fr/emission-les-chemins-de-campagne-le-recasage-des-hauts-fonctionnaires-2012-05-08

Wednesday 2 May 2012


Il est de tradition le 1er mai, d’offrir quelques brins de muguet à ceux qu’on aime. Si vous êtes aventureux, vous irez dans les bois en chercher. Et si vous êtes entrepreneur, vous les vendrez au coin des rues.

On dit que le muguet apporte du bonheur à celui à qui l’on offre : c’est un porte-bonheur. Ce qui est paradoxal car le muguet est aussi une plante très toxique.

Si le premier mai est un jour férié en France, c'est officiellement pour fêter le travail. C’est le jour où les syndicats organisent des défilés.

Il n’y a pas de rapport entre le muguet, fleur du bonheur et la Fête du Travail à part une date commune au calendrier.

La fête du travail commémore un 1er mai de 1886 où les syndicats américains appelèrent plus de 400 000 travailleurs à manifester pour l'obtention de la journée de huit heures.

Depuis traditionnellement, le 1er mai est la journée des revendications syndicales et des cortèges de manifestants. C’est un jour chômé, c'est-à-dire non travaillé et payé.

Ceux qui doivent travailler ( le personnel des restaurants, des services d’urgence…) sont généralement payés double.

Dans un pays réputé pour sa bureaucratie, il faut noter que c’est le seul jour où les particuliers et autres organisations peuvent vendre librement des brins de muguet, sans avoir à effectuer de demandes d’autorisation ou payer des taxes.

 
Joli mai, c'était tous les jours fête
Il était né coiffé de muguet
Sur son cœur il portait la rosette
La légion du bonheur joli mai
Sur son cœur il portait la rosette
La légion du bonheur joli mai.
On l'a gardé le temps de le croire
Il est parti pendant qu'on dormait
Emportant la clé de notre histoire
Joli mai ne reviendra jamais
Emportant la clé de notre histoire
Joli mai ne reviendra jamais.
Joli mai, notre amour était brève
L'été vient qui mûrit le regret
Le soleil met du plomb dans les rêves
Sur la lune, on affiche complet
Le soleil met du plomb dans les rêves
Sur la lune, on affiche complet.
Joli mai, tu as laissé tes songes
Dans Paris pour les enraciner
Ton foulard sur les yeux des mensonges,
Et ton rouge dans la gorge de l'année
Ton foulard sur les yeux des mensonges,
Et ton rouge dans la gorge de l'année Joyeux mois de mai!