Archive for 'Culture'
A world of languages Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jun 1, 2021
French is a world language, but France also has its own world of languages. Like many countries, modern-day France evolved out of a collection of smaller duchies, principalities, kingdoms, and territories … regions that – in addition to their own political structure – often had their own language. One country … a world of languages…
Opening up … again Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 25, 2021
Just over a year ago, I wrote a post called Opening Up. While it already felt long, we were really still in the early days of Covid, and France was coming off of their first significant confinement and trying to get back to normal. Twelve months … and multiple re-confinements and a few couvre-feux later … France…
A novel solution to food waste Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 18, 2021
Sustainability is a topic we hear a lot about these days. Global initiatives like the United Nations Goals for Sustainable Development encourage all of us to think about ways that we can help ensure that our home remains vibrant and viable. This week I came across a novel solution to food waste that might help…
Anniversaries Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 11, 2021
For many French learners, the word anniversaire is perhaps most with associated with the expression Joyeux anniversaire but it can also refer to un anniversaire de mariage, or like in this past week, l’anniversaire d’une mort, or l’anniversaire de la fin d’une guerre. So this week, let’s explore anniversaries. 200 years after the death of…
Les catacombes de Paris Posted by Bridgette on May 7, 2021
Bonjour! I am sure you have heard of the morbid catacombes de Paris, but do you know why it was built in the first place? Continuez à lire pour savoir de plus! Read on to find out more! L’ossuaire municipal situated in the 14ieme arrondissement holds the remains of an estimated 6 million people and…
A word to the weather wise Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 4, 2021
While my musings tend to turn to France (with occasional detours north of the border!), French is a global language and la Francophonie has a global footprint. This week we’ll look at two examples that remind us of the richness of French in all its global grooviness. A world of language Spoken in une trentaine…
De la Rochefoucauld’s Maxims Posted by Tim Hildreth on Apr 20, 2021
17th century nobleman and militaire François de la Rochefoucauld upset the powerful (including Cardinal Richelieu), spent time in the Bastille prison, and had famous friendships with the likes of la marquise de Sévigné, but is most famous today for his maxims. De la Rochefoucauld’s Maxims A maxim is a short, impactful statement that highlights a fundamental…