Let’s start at the very beginning… Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jul 26, 2022
As they say, it’s a very good place to start. It turns out, it’s also a good place to end. After 6 years … and over 300 posts! … this will be my last blog for Transparent Language. All good things… My French journey began way back in 1981 when I was in the 7th…
A sentimental education Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jul 12, 2022
In 1869, Gustave Flaubert published his Éducation sentimentale. This classic example of the Bildungsroman or roman d’apprentissage tells the story of law student Frederic Moreau and his infatuation with the older Mme Arnoux in his hometown in Normandy. This week we’ll have our own éducation sentimentale as we explore les sentiments en français. Sentiments ou…
What’s in a name? Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jun 28, 2022
When I first moved to France in the 1980’s I stood out for many reasons, among them the fact that my name is Tim Hildreth. When I lived in France, everyone (or so it seemed) had very “classically” French names like Pierre or Paul, Marie or Monique or Jean. Things have changed a lot in…
Did you know? Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jun 14, 2022
I keep a file where I collect ideas for future blog posts. Sometimes these ideas turn into full posts, sometimes they find their way into longer posts as bonus content … and somtimes enough of them build up that I think “ok, let’s get these out into the world!” This week I’m sharing a round-up…
Enough Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 31, 2022
I recently rediscovered this song from Calogero that I thought felt particularly relevant to these times. The context (a young man losing his life in a street fight of some kind) may be different … different than the war in Ukraine, different than the recent shootings in the U.S. … but the message is the…
Diverse May Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 17, 2022
After our miscellaneous March and April news round up, we’re back with the monthly news and some fun vocabulary updates for mai divers. Eurovision As was widely anticipated, Ukraine won the most recent edition of the Eurovision Song Contest this past weekend. “Le Kalush Orchestra, dont la chanson Stefania mêle hip-hop et musique traditionnelle, a recueilli 631…
Stereotypes Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 3, 2022
Prejudice and stereotypes (les préjugés et les stéréotypes) are almost always bad … except when they are the source of a humorous campagne publicitaire from the French financial company Cofidis. This week we look at some pubs that highlight common misconceptions that people make about other people. Don’t judge … A book by it’s cover! In French…