"Déjeuner du matin" de Jacques Prévert
Il a mis le café
Dans la tasse
Il a mis le lait
Dans la tasse de café
Il a mis le sucre
Dans le café au lait
Avec la petite cuiller
Il a tourné
Il a bu le café au lait
Et il a reposé la tasse
Sans me parler
Il a allumé
Une cigarette
Il a fait des ronds
Avec la fumée
Il a mis les cendres
Dans le cendrier
Sans me parler
Sans me regarder
Il s'est levé
Il a mis
Son chapeau sur sa tête
Il a mis son manteau de pluie
Parce qu'il pleuvait
Et il est parti
Sous la pluie
Sans une parole
Sans me regarder
Et moi j'ai pris
Ma tête dans ma main
Et j'ai pleuré.
Showing posts with label french. Show all posts
Showing posts with label french. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
la pratique rend parfait.
In order to help me keep up with my French, I sometimes play a little game where I'll look at an object or a thing, and try to think of the French word for it. Sounds dumb, but whatever. If ya don't use it, ya lose it!
of course, I could just buy this awesome shower curtain and practice a little every morning...
or lounge around on these handy guys..
or just keep one of these at my desk.
I could always just have Bradley Cooper tutor me... anyone remember THIS video of him promoting "The Hangover 2" and speaking PERFECT FRENCH? MON DIEU.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Why You Shouldn't Let Your Foreign Language Skills go to Waste
The other day I was proofing a piece of copy for a client, when I noticed some improper punctuation in the phrase, "à la ____."
Someone had marked the "a" with an accent aigu instead of an accent grave. OMGCANYOUEVENBELIEVETHAT??
As you can see, it was a very small +1 for me that day, but inside I was gleaming. Huh-ha!. Nine years of French and I finally got to use it on the job!, thought I.
And then I realized how many times I have made it a resolution of mine to "keep up" with my French; to keep it polished and to continue to learn new vocabulary, and to even remain informed of the politics and current events of France and other French speaking countries.
I decided to make a list of all of the reasons I find it important to hold on to those foreign language skills:
1. It's sexy.
Girls/guys-- everyone loves someone who can speak another language to them.
2. It makes you look smart at your job.
Let's face it- employers love to see language skills on a resume. Many companies prefer bilingual applicants for certain positions, but besides that, it proves that you are educated, and (at least at one point) were dedicated to learning about what's going on in the rest of the world.
3. It's not just a skill, it's an open door into other cultures and experiences.
If you're like me, then you didn't choose the language you were forced to learn in high school just because it seemed like the easiest one. You chose it because you were passionate about the food, the music, the history. You may have studied abroad, and met people who came from backgrounds completely different from your own. It encourages you to continue to travel the world throughout your life.
4. It's good for your brain.
According to Barbara Zurer-Pearson, Ph.D, "When a bilingual person speaks, she always makes a subconscious decision about which word or phrase to use in which language ... This constant mental exercise helps keep the brain sharp."
I am all about teaching children a second language at a young age. Much like learning a musical instrument, studies show that this can lead to higher standardized test scores, and the development of strong "executive function" skills -- an ability to maintain focus on one task when distracted by another.
So, with that, if you want to join me on my quest to secure this treasured knowledge, I recommend regularly doing the following in your language of choice:
And, keep a mini dictionary handy at all times :)
Someone had marked the "a" with an accent aigu instead of an accent grave. OMGCANYOUEVENBELIEVETHAT??
As you can see, it was a very small +1 for me that day, but inside I was gleaming. Huh-ha!. Nine years of French and I finally got to use it on the job!, thought I.
And then I realized how many times I have made it a resolution of mine to "keep up" with my French; to keep it polished and to continue to learn new vocabulary, and to even remain informed of the politics and current events of France and other French speaking countries.
I decided to make a list of all of the reasons I find it important to hold on to those foreign language skills:
1. It's sexy.
Girls/guys-- everyone loves someone who can speak another language to them.
2. It makes you look smart at your job.
Let's face it- employers love to see language skills on a resume. Many companies prefer bilingual applicants for certain positions, but besides that, it proves that you are educated, and (at least at one point) were dedicated to learning about what's going on in the rest of the world.
3. It's not just a skill, it's an open door into other cultures and experiences.
If you're like me, then you didn't choose the language you were forced to learn in high school just because it seemed like the easiest one. You chose it because you were passionate about the food, the music, the history. You may have studied abroad, and met people who came from backgrounds completely different from your own. It encourages you to continue to travel the world throughout your life.
4. It's good for your brain.
According to Barbara Zurer-Pearson, Ph.D, "When a bilingual person speaks, she always makes a subconscious decision about which word or phrase to use in which language ... This constant mental exercise helps keep the brain sharp."
I am all about teaching children a second language at a young age. Much like learning a musical instrument, studies show that this can lead to higher standardized test scores, and the development of strong "executive function" skills -- an ability to maintain focus on one task when distracted by another.
So, with that, if you want to join me on my quest to secure this treasured knowledge, I recommend regularly doing the following in your language of choice:
- read newspapers online
- watch movies
- find a local conversationalist group
- read books
- listen to music
- eat the food!
And, keep a mini dictionary handy at all times :)
Avignon, France
a montage of study abroad in France. Hello, 2007 Laura.
we obviously did a lot of studying.
Friday, June 14, 2013
How adorably adorable are these greeting cards from Rifle Paper Co.?
Je pense que j'ai besoin un de chaque!
Je pense que j'ai besoin un de chaque!
Friday, May 31, 2013
"I'm not sure what I'll do, but-- well, I want to go places and see people. I want my mind to grow. I want to live where things happen on a big scale." - F.S.F
I read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain a few weeks ago while traveling back and forth between D.C. and Oklahoma for job interviews and house hunts, so I'm kind of on a Hemingway/great-early-20th-century-American-authors kick lately.
image via wikipedia
....anyone else think Hemingway was kind of a babe?
If you're like me and you love historical fiction, then this should be your next read. The story chronicles Ernest Hemingway's early years, and his journey to becoming the celebrated American writer he is today. I guess I sort of connected with the way Hadley Richardson, (Hemingway's first wife) just up and moved from their familiar life in Chicago, all the way across the world to Paris to support Ernest's budding career. The couple truly lived life one day at a time- embracing the bohemian spirit, and taking advantage of every opportunity to travel the world and to fully experience it.
Plus, they drank a LOT of champagne.
Read the book, then go and watch "Midnight in Paris" (2011) featuring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. You will start to actually believe that you are a member of the "Lost Generation".
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