France’s Contributions to the World (Part 1) Posted by mtaulier on Nov 18, 2014
The 20th and 21st centuries have proven to be fascinating periods in history. There have been greater advances in technology, science and medicine in the last hundred years than in all previous centuries combined. We live in a world where we can communicate with people across the globe in real time; where we can travel…
Bonjour Tout le Monde: New Blogger Elizabeth Schmermund’s Introduction Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Nov 17, 2014
Bonjour tout le monde, je suis ravie de faire partie de votre communauté. Hello everyone, I am happy to be a part of your community. Je m’appelle Elizabeth Schmermund and, since I will be taking on weekly blogging responsibilities for the French Language and Culture Blog, I’d love to tell you a little bit about myself…
Édith Piaf: La Vie en Rose Posted by mtaulier on Nov 13, 2014
Few French songs are more recognizable than Édith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose (Life in Pink/Rose-tinted Life). Since its release in 1947 the song has been referenced in a wide range of movies, TV shows and books. La Vie en Rose has been translated into a number of languages and covered by no less than…
New Blogger Chez Transparent Language: John Bauer Posted by John Bauer on Nov 12, 2014
Salut tout le monde, je m’appelle John Bauer and I’m one of the new writers on the Transparent Language’s French blog. Mon histoire (my history) with France and la langue française (the French language) is far from normal. I first came to France 3 years ago without knowing anything about the country or the language…
Parlez-vous Français?: A Study of French Expressions (Part 7) Posted by mtaulier on Nov 5, 2014
This is the final installment in our series on French expressions. When writing the posts for this series, I wanted to help readers inject a little humor into their conversations with native French speakers. The purpose was to amuse, surprise and even impress your listener. If you usually converse with people who are just learning…
Ghosts’n’Goblins: The Origins of Halloween Posted by mtaulier on Oct 31, 2014
Today, children all over the United States will be donning their déguisements (costumes) and at crépuscule (dusk) will be headed out the door to make the rounds of their neighborhood to celebrate Halloween. Mais d’où vient cette tradition (But where does this tradition come from)? What exactly is Halloween? And does France even celebrate it?…
A Meal for All Seasons: La Soupe à l’Oignon (Onion Soup) Posted by mtaulier on Oct 29, 2014
Bienvenue mes amis! (Welcome my friends!) Aujourd’hui nous allons apprendre à préparer un plat bien Français: la soupe à l’oignon (Today we will be learning how to prepare a typical French dish: onion soup). Tradition has dictated that French onion soup be served avec du fromage râpé (with grated cheese) and croutons. Although onion soups…