The Bar de la Marine in Marseilles…
For those of you who like to photograph people, today’s popular French word will be a nice change from the predictable "Say cheese!" approach.
le ouistiti (we-stee-tee) noun, masculine
1. "cheese!"* (not the kind you eat!)
[as in "Souriez sur la photo"-or-"Smile for the photo]*
–from the way the lips form a smile when pronouncing the word
2. a petite South American monkey
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Pronunciation: Download wistiti2.wav
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Expression:
un drole de ouistiti = a bizarre person
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Citation du Jour:
Se taire, prier, travailler, sourire.
Be quiet, pray, work, smile. –Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
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A Day in a French Life…
At half past three
dimanche après me-dee*
We–
along with many an attendee
witnessed our cousine*
blush
and say
OUI*
The question, see
(posed by the future ma-ree*)
left other demoiselles whispering
why not me?
To which
lui, lui and lui*
sped
direction la sortie.*
Past the photographer who offered
"Ouistiti?"
and across the street
to the Bar de L’Oubli
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References: dimanche après (midi) = Sunday afternoon; la cousine (le cousin) = cousin; oui = yes; ma-ree (le mari) = husband; lui = him; la sortie (f) = exit; le ouistiti (m) = (smile and say) cheese; l’oubli (m) = oblivion
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