Archive for 'Culture'
DON’T Speak French—Talk to the Hand! Posted by Hichem on Sep 13, 2013
If you plan to go to Belgium to practice your French, better stay out of the small city of Menin, near the French borders—unless perhaps you got some good skills at expressing yourself with your hands. As of recently, the local authorities have decided that from now on it would be inacceptable (unacceptable) for anyone…
À chacun son rêve (To Each Their Own Dream) Posted by Hichem on Aug 31, 2013
Vous souvenez-vous des amis que vous avez eus ? (Do you remember the friends you had?) Question: Vous souvenez-vous de ceux que vous avez perdus ? (Question: Do you remember the ones you lost?) Dites-leur que: Chacun sa route (Tell them that: To each their own road), chacun son chemin (to each their own path), chacun son rêve (to each…
Les bâtisseurs de France (The Builders of France) Posted by Hichem on Aug 25, 2013
Today’s song is called “les Bâtisseurs de France” (the Builders of France.) It is performed by a young singer who in many ways can be seen as a “French Johnny Cash.” Look at it as un hommage to the workers from all over the world who contributed to building the edifice of the French nation, since quite…
Zidane’s “Headbutt Dance” is Back Posted by Hichem on Jul 9, 2013
Now that we look back, it’s hard to believe: The 9th of July, 2006, the day Zidane replied to Materazzi‘s cheap provocation with a surprising coup de boule (headbutt), was already seven years ago! Love it or hate it, to commemorate what was then the most mediatized sports event of the year around the planet, the…
Top 5 New French Dictionary Words of the Year Posted by Hichem on Jun 24, 2013
The 2013 Édition of the worldwide famous French dictionary Le Petit Robert surprised many this year with its handful -or make that a “mouthful”- of nouveaux mots (new words.) Today, we’ve selected -just for you- the Top Five of such words that officially made it into French language. Here is the Top 5 New French Dictionary…
“Ze” French Accent—By Accident? Posted by Hichem on Jun 14, 2013
Imagine if you woke up one day, only to find yourself speaking “wiz a verry strrong French accent“? Assuming that you are not a native French speaker, or a person who lived long enough in a French-speaking country, that would seem just impossible? Well, pas vraiment (not really.) According to many neurologists, this condition, albeit…
What Does “BOLOS” Mean in French Slang? Posted by Hichem on Jun 9, 2013
“Bolos“, sometimes spelled “boloss“, is a brand new word on the French Slang scene. It was virtually unknown just a decade ago! What does it mean? Everyone seems to agree that it designates a person who’s way too gullible. Call it in English a “boob“, a “patsy“, a “pigeon“, a “stooge“, etc. In short, it’s…