Archive for 'Culture'
French Culture – Comfort Food Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jun 30, 2020
While France (and parts of the US, where I live) are starting to open back up, we can all sometimes still use a little escapism to take us away from the challenges that life can present. Especially with all the complex issues facing the world today, I thought this week we’d spend some time on…
French Culture – Current Events Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jun 23, 2020
Just as the world seemed to be maybe, ever so slightly turning the corner towards normalcy, things got decidedly complicated again with the death of George Floyd here in the US. The effects of that event (representative of many sadly similar tragic events) have echoed across the US and the world in the weeks that…
French Vocabulary – Jewelry Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jun 9, 2020
Qui n’aime pas un peu de fantaisie (who doesn’t like a little fantasy) ? In these strange times, a little sparkle, a little distraction is always welcome. So this week, we look at la joaillerie. The French are glad to die for love … But in the infamous words of a classic song, diamonds are a…
Arthur Rimbaud – Le Dormeur du Val Posted by Bridgette on Jun 5, 2020
Bonjour! I would like to share with you all one of my favorite French poems by Arthur Rimbaud, Le Dormeur du Val, The Sleeper of the Valley. Rimbaud wrote this poem in 1870 when he was just 16 years old, during the Franco-Prussian war. The English translation is below as well, but it simply doesn’t…
French Vocabulary – In the street Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jun 2, 2020
The other day I was out for a walk and practicing my French en même temps (at the same time) by naming all the things I could see. Les arbres, les plantes, le ciel, le soleil, des boîtes aux lettres, et la rue (The trees, the plants, the sky, the sun, mailboxes, and the street). When I got…
Le or La COVID-19? Posted by Bridgette on May 29, 2020
Coucou tout le monde! You may or may not have heard about the Académie Française (French Academy). Essentially, it is a council that handles all matters of the French language, and has been in existence since 1635, having been suspended for 10 years during the French Revolution in 1793. It is made up of 40 members…
Dreaming of the arrondissements… Posted by Bridgette on May 14, 2020
Bonjour tout le monde! Je m’appelle Bridgette and I will be joining Tim to contribute to the French blog! I have been the Italian blogger for Transparent Language for almost a year now, if you want to check that out just click here. I’m really excited to also be able to share with you my…