Archive for 'Uncategorized'
Master The French Nasal Vowels in No Time! Posted by Josh Dougherty on Aug 25, 2017
French pronunciation isn’t the easiest, even for advanced speakers. It requires making new facial expressions to get the perfect sound, awakening barely-used muscles in your vocal tract (French R, anyone?), and rounding your lips more than you thought necessary. It’s a lot of work for learners, but once you have it down, speaking the language…
Les Papillons Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Aug 7, 2017
I’ve recently had a loss. When someone you love dies, it is easy to see (or want to see) signs around you that show your loved one is still with you. There can be many signs that are specific to your culture. For example, in American culture, seeing a red cardinal is often interpreted as…
5 Facts about the Bastille Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jul 17, 2017
As you probably know, la fête nationale, or the French national holiday, is celebrated every July 14. As Tim explains in his Bastille day post, this celebration is held (partly) in commemoration of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, an event that is often noted to have begun the French Revolution. But Bastille Day…
Like a game of chess Posted by Tim Hildreth on May 23, 2017
A few weeks ago, I shared a picture of Marguerite de Valois, comparing her to the flower of the same name. Or at least that’s what I meant to do. Instead, I mistakenly used a picture of Marguerite d’Angoulême. Both women were Queen of Navarre (a region between present day France and Spain on the…
Shopping and Geography in France, Part 2 Posted by Tim Hildreth on Apr 11, 2017
Last week we learned that – at least according to leurs propres pubs* (their own ads) – les supermarchés E.Leclerc sont les moins chers en France. (the Leclerc supermarkets are the least expensive in France.) This week we’ll take a closer look at the towns visited by the Leclerc price team. Lille – is…
There Must Be More Than This Provincial Life! Beauty and the Beast’s Opening Number in French Posted by Josh Dougherty on Mar 23, 2017
For the past few years, Disney has been remaking their animated classics into live action films. I was never a big fan of “Sleeping Beauty,” but I really enjoyed “Maleficent.” “Jungle Book” and “Cinderella” were great. “Mulan” is on the way soon, but it’s already been announced that this version will have no musical numbers…
Think You Know Everything About the Number Two in French? Think Again! Deuxième vs. Seconde & More Posted by Josh Dougherty on Feb 9, 2017
January is over and February has crept its cold little head in. Since it’s the second month now, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the number two in all its forms in the French language. Un, deux, trois… it’s one of the first steps to a relationship with French along with greetings…