Archive for 'Culture'
French Literature – Petit Nicolas Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 15, 2009
In my very first French class, the students were required to read Petit Nicolas by Jean-Jacques Sempé and René Goscinny. That was the beginning of my love affair with these French stories about a young schoolboy who gets into all sorts of mischief (un écolier à malice), his friends and family, all told through the…
French Music – Patrick Bruel Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 12, 2009
Another of my favorite French singers is Patrick Bruel and he just released a new album called Seul o presque (Alone or almost) with live acoustic versions of his songs that were recorded while he was on tour. Born Maurice Benguigui on May 14, 1959, in Tlemcen, Algeria, he was slow to find success as…
Cannes Film Festival Posted by Transparent Language on May 21, 2009
Today is the 9th day of the Festival International du Film (Cannes Film Festival), which has been held annually for 62 years on the Cote d’Azur (French Riviera). Back when it began in 1946, it was the first major post-World War international cultural event. It is not exclusive and not just about the many celebrities…
French Music – The American Woman Who Conquered Paris Posted by Transparent Language on May 11, 2009
I mentioned Carole Fredericks in a recent article on one of my very favorite French singers, Jean-Jacques Goldman, and I am inspired to tell all of you more about her for a few reasons. First of all, because she was a very popular singer throughout the French-speaking world in the 90’s as part of the…
French Music – Jean Jacques Goldman Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 15, 2009
Okay, so I’ve written many posts on my favorite French musicians and singers and repeatedly mentioned how much I believe music is one of the best and most interesting ways to learn a foreign language. When I was finally able to understand the lyrics written by Jean Jacques Goldman, I really felt like all the…
French Culture – Musée du Louvre Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 23, 2009
One of my favorite places to immerse myself in French culture when I visit Paris is the Louvre. Every time I walk up to the former royal fortress, I am filled with awe, despite the long lines of tourists around me. At the same time, I feel proud that an American’s work of art is…
The French Love Facebook Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 12, 2009
Yes, the Internet social network Facebook has become a craze all over the world. But, the French absolutely LOVE it. Back in October 2008, there were over 4.1 million active users. It is so surprisingly popular that the company is planning to establish offices in Paris and the site was translated by users in just…