The picturesque The town of Mirabel-aux-Baronnies Villedieu (Drôme) Sure, you know the French word "le vinaigre" (vin + aigre = wine + sour–or "sour wine"), an ingredient we usually include in salad dressing, but do you know this delightful expression: "faire vinaigre"? I’m adding it now to my other favorites: "dar-dar!" (double-quick) "illico!" (right away) and "chop chop" (Get movin’!) …Maybe the last one isn’t … Continue reading vinaigre
Are you living in or near Seattle? Then I hope to see you at one of two places on Feb 12th!: fuguer (feuh-gay) verb to run away, to run off Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce and conjugate the French verb fuguer:je fugue, tu fugues, il/elle fugue, nous fuguons, vous fuguez, ils/elles fuguentDownload fuguer.mp3Download fuguer.wav … Continue reading fuguer
The French verb cravacher (kra-vah-shay) means "to use the crop on". Spend time at "une écurie," or "horse stable," and you'll come across the term "cravache" ("whip"). From it, we get the verb/idiom "cravacher" which means: "to work like mad" (imagine a horse being "whipped into high speed"…). While the French word for "kick" (coup de pied) would have been more in theme with today's … Continue reading cravacher
Yves and the dashing hounds or "teckels"… more about this survivor in today story! chute (shoot) noun, feminine : a fall ; drop (in tension) Trébucher peut prévenir une chute. A stumble may prevent a fall. –Thomas Fuller In books: "Chasing Matisse: A Year in France Living My Dream" by James Morgan: "A lovely memoir, travelogue and art history…Morgan’s passion…might even … Continue reading chute
Abbé Pierre's "holy anger" drove him to fight for the rights of those sans-toit, without a roof over their head. Take a moment to read about this great Frenchman, and thank you for sharing this post with a friend. TODAY'S WORDle (la) sans-abri (sahns-ahbree) noun, masculine & feminine : homeless person "Sans-abri" means, literally, "without shelter"; les sans-abri = the homeless. => SDF (Sans Domicile … Continue reading sans-abri
When the last time you were "cat" off guard? What did you discover about yourself: pridefulness? greed? Read on in today's story…. à fond (ah fohn) prepositional phrase : deeply, thoroughly Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc read the following quote: Download MP3 or Wav file A mon avis, vous ne pouvez pas dire que vous avez vu quelque chose à fond si vous n'en avez pas pris une … Continue reading à fond
The walls may need paint but the grapes are now pressed… and in bottles! échantillon (ay-shahn-tee-yon) noun, masculine : sample, tester (product) In French reference books: the French/French dictionary on my desk. I'm just itching for an updated version like this one.. On our kitchen table I see échantillons,* shiny and black! Row after row of unlabeled bottles behind which a very weary Frenchman stands–there, … Continue reading échantillon
Coming up: New York City in April 2008 If you happen to be in the Big Apple next month, then let’s meet at Crawford Doyle Booksellers, a small store located around the corner from the Metropolitan Museum between 81st and 82nd Streets on Madison Ave. I’ll be there, perusing the stacks, on April 15th, from 4:00 to 6:00. Please RSVP here. (The following is a … Continue reading US Tour: February 2008
The best anti-odor remedy yet! Read on, in today's story. Well, here's one for you: "puer"! In English it means "the dung of dogs". Is it me, or is there a whisper of poetry in that last entry? We can forget about the stinky English definition for the moment (aren't you glad this is a French word list?) and rejoice, instead, in knowing that the … Continue reading puer
Photo Vernissage! If you happen to be in Jacksonville, FL between now and February 15th, please stop in to the JU CAMERA CLICK GALLERY (221 Phillips, Jacksonville University; open from 5-7pm) to see select "slices" of my French life — framed and on display! Mille mercis to Ginger Sheridan for inviting me to participate (and to her photography students for last night's live internet chat). It … Continue reading ourlet
