Archive by Author
French Nursery Rhymes: Une Souris Verte Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Feb 26, 2018
One of my son’s favorite French children’s songs is “Une Souris verte.” It’s a very strange—albeit catchy—tune that dates back to the late seventeenth or eighteenth century. The song’s lyrics, or paroles, are below: Une souris verte qui courait dans l’herbe Je l’attrape par la queue Je la montre à ces messieurs Ces messieurs me disent…
French Biathlon at the 2018 Winter Olympics Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Feb 19, 2018
Have you been watching the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang? (Tim offered some really useful French vocabulary for the Olympics last week.) If you have, and you’re based in the United States, you’ve probably been following several sports in particular, including figure skating, ice hockey, and skiing/snowboarding. There’s another sport that you may not be as…
Atchoum! Catching a Cold in French Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Feb 12, 2018
Did you know that the onomatopoeia (l’onomatopée) for “achoo” in English is “atchoum’? We’re in the middle of winter here in the northern hemisphere, which means that we’re also in the middle of cold and flu season. Unfortunately, this means that vocabulary about this might just prove useful! One of the first signs that you…
French Academic Vocabulary Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Feb 5, 2018
Last week, we went over the French university system and how it is similar and differs from university systems in the US and Europe. Today, we’ll focus more on the vocabulary that you can expect to use if you do find yourself studying abroad in France. As we discussed last year, there are different…
The French University System Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jan 29, 2018
Last week was the start of my teaching semester. It’s always a fun and yet slightly nerve-wracking time for me, as I get used to my new classes and students. But, typically, the initial anxiety and stress of the beginning of the semester fades quickly, and I look forward to each class session. In honor…
On Verra Bien (French Music) Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jan 23, 2018
In French, on verra bien means “we shall see.” It’s an expression that you’ll often hear in French. For example, On verra bien comment ça va se passer. (“Well, we’ll see how it will work out.”) Or, On verra bien avec le temps. (“We shall see in due time.”) A popular French song, drawing on classic hip-hop, uses this French expression…
French Painting Vocabulary Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jan 15, 2018
It’s been abnormally cold in the northeast United States over the past few weeks, with temperatures dipping below zero. It’s been so cold, in fact, that I’ve just wanted to hibernate inside. But cold temperatures also provide good opportunities for getting things done inside the house. And, so, my family and I have taken these…