Message Forums

It's alright welshyshelly we've named our vans before as well, our starter van was an Avondale Leda Pennine so we called her Pennie, but we've struggled to think of one for our new van, so far she's been called Cacey, Macey and Lacey, at the moment she is all three lol

We're off on the 27th May, 4 weeks on Saturday, can't wait, we're going with Eurocamp again and we liked the using the mobile home rather than tow there

well wat can i say us northaners spell ow we speek and most people understand wat we onna bout apart from them with silver spoons in moy hoo diven no wat we onna bout but never mind get through life very well all the same.going to france on 18/6/07 for two weeks so might see some of yous about ill be the one with a dictionary sticking out of ma pocket.........................

cantharespeekproppaenglandlikeiusetocood.       now thats english work it out?

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 23/4/2007

---

I have to say, I can`t spell in French either! Does it matter?

---

 

LOL!  Have you read any of Stephen Clarke's books about France?   (A Year in the Merde & Talk to the Snail).  Or George East's humorous tales about living in France?  (www.la-puce.co.uk) It's amazing how a slight spelling mistake or mispronunciation can have such a difference in meaning.  ;))  I think they both give a few good examples in their books.  ;-)

Was it George East who made a speech at a wedding and thought he'd said something rather nice but had actually been extremely rude ..... with just a slight mispronunciation?  Hmm ... can't remember which book that was in ..... may have been "Rene and Me".  And I think there are some superb examples in Stephen Clarke's novels about life in France too. 

I've lost my copy of the follow-up to "A Year in the Merde" (somebody 'borrowed' it! - 'Talk to the Snail') but I'm sure there were some tables of common traps that Brits fall into ...... one letter wrong and you can be in deep merde, ha ha!  (Stephen Clarke is convinced, that the French deliberately have swearwords that are close to normal words so that us Brits fall into their traps!)

So, if you don't want to be spending your holiday in the bastille ..... or barred from entering France again .......!!  :-)    ;-))

Oozat (Can I spell my own name yet?!)

Quote: Originally posted by BULLSACHER on 24/4/2007

---

well wat can i say us northaners spell ow we speek and most people understand wat we onna bout apart from them with silver spoons in moy hoo diven no wat we onna bout but never mind get through life very well all the same.going to france on 18/6/07 for two weeks so might see some of yous about ill be the one with a dictionary sticking out of ma pocket.........................

cantharespeekproppaenglandlikeiusetocood.       now thats english work it out?

---

Quote: Originally posted by BULLSACHER on 24/4/2007

---

well wat can i say us northaners spell ow we speek and most people understand wat we onna bout apart from them with silver spoons in moy hoo diven no wat we onna bout but never mind get through life very well all the same.going to france on 18/6/07 for two weeks so might see some of yous about ill be the one with a dictionary sticking out of ma pocket.........................

 

cantharespeekproppaenglandlikeiusetocood.       now thats english work it out?

---

Speak for yourself and for others in Cleveland.  The rest of we northerners enjoy humour but try not to mislead or offend, especailly when asking for assistance. 

The journey you describe will take at least 6 hours solid driving. 

Brittany is a lovely area of France and as long as you open any conversation with the relevant " Bonjour" or Bon soir"  the French folk will do their best to be helpful. The weather in the North of France is very similar to that in Cornwall and Devon, and the countryside is very similar to these areas too.  Even so it's a caot warmer than Yorkdhire - so probably 2 coats warmer than Cleveland.

Quote: Originally posted by BULLSACHER on 24/4/2007

---

apart from them with silver spoons in moy hoo diven no wat we onna bout

---

Eh ?

Quote: Originally posted by Oozat on 25/4/2007

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 23/4/2007

---

I have to say, I can`t spell in French either! Does it matter?

---

---

LOL! Have you read any of Stephen Clarke's books about France?   (A Year in the Merde & Talk to the Snail). Or George East's humorous tales about living in France? (www.la-puce.co.uk) It's amazing how a slight spelling mistake or mispronunciation can have such a difference in meaning. ;)) I think they both give a few good examples in their books. ;-)

Was it George East who made a speech at a wedding and thought he'd said something rather nice but had actually been extremely rude ..... with just a slight mispronunciation? Hmm ... can't remember which book that was in ..... may have been "Rene and Me". And I think there are some superb examples in Stephen Clarke's novels about life in France too.

I've lost my copy of the follow-up to "A Year in the Merde" (somebody 'borrowed' it! - 'Talk to the Snail') but I'm sure there were some tables of common traps that Brits fall into ...... one letter wrong and you can be in deep merde, ha ha! (Stephen Clarke is convinced, that the French deliberately have swearwords that are close to normal words so that us Brits fall into their traps!)

So, if you don't want to be spending your holiday in the bastille ..... or barred from entering France again .......!! :-)    ;-))

Oozat (Can I spell my own name yet?!)

---

My french is so bad it`s a wonder any french person understands any of it, let alone think I`m saying something rude. Or is that why they always start smiling at me when I`m halfway through speaking? I always thought they were just humouring the mad foreign woman.

-------------
Val.

I do wonder what I've said sometimes, Val! 

It's a shame I can't find Stephen Clarke's book - the "Snail" one, though my daughter thinks she borrowed it and it may be burried at one (or the other!) end of her bedroom (sorry, junk room).

I'm sure that in that book the author puts some humorous tables at the end of the chapters giving examples of the things we slip up on - worth a read IMO.

Recently, the son of a French friend rang from Belgium and despite me speaking to him in French he immediately switched to English.  His English is a million times better than my French, so it made sense ....... but I soon fell into the trap of talking in non-French-taught-English and lost him completely.  Just as the French reduce many words to an abbreviation, understanding our abbreviations (such as 'cos) was difficult for him.  In addition, I spoke a tad fast now and again ..... and he had problems separating the words, just as I do when a French person talks to me, except it always seems to be at a million MPH.

We also have to think about accents ..... I have trouble with some people from other parts of the UK - so what problems would the French have?  Likewise when in France.  A few weeks ago I had some work south of the Dordogne - and the locals had a really weird way of ending certain words with a real twang - not the Parisian French I've learnt!

The great thing is that if a mistake is made the French help out (just as we do when a foreigner visits us) ..... but now and again they will roar with laughter when a mistake is made!  As long as people laugh along with them and don't get embarrassed it's great.  Just take your time .... slow things down ... and enjoy! 

I've slipped up in other ways too ..... and I'm sure I will continue to do so ..... but having a go is much better than not trying and you make a lot of French friends.

Oozat