French vs. English

I always get a laugh out of the ones in Wales, especially : -

GOLF CLUB / CLWB GOLFF

I always think - why bother ?

 

Quite right. French is often simpler, e.g. French for 'mow the lawn' is 'cut de grass'.

In England when you reach a road junction you may see a sign scripted 'STOP'. In Scotland it's 'HOOTS'.

No.9

 

Wrong! It is translated as "Nous avons nôtre Force de Frappe à nous et les Américains peuvent aller bouffer de la m..."

Simple, isn't it?

 

Here's an example of what I mean-
Scots language page at Holyrood

In fairness, this seems to have been written by someone reading Burns, since a lot of the vocabulary is ancient....and bloody patronising too.
Still a fair approximation though.
This one is particularly patronising/amusing* (*delete as appropriate)
Languages Policy

[ 26. March 2006, 07:15 PM: Message edited by: The_Historian ]

 

In Norway we have two official versions of Norwegian, plus the language of the Lapps.

In the south they have stopped learning the kids the "new Norwegian" compiled in the in 1880ies based on the old dialects. The other Norwegian is Danish that has been turned into Norwegian.

The languages are quite similar, but obviously the little snots to the south cannot be expected to learn what we in the north (that is everyone north of the Sinsen Roundabout in Oslo) must.

The Sami language is not compulsary, but made official to preserve their heritage.

 

Same problem here, Jaeger. The Politbureau's going mad trying to promote Gaelic, but not that many years ago any kid answering a school teacher in Lowland Scots could expect to be ridiculed in front of the entire class. I well remember some old bitch telling everyone I would never amount to anything, since I couldn't even master English!
Now they're promoting Scots (and Doric, the Aberdeenshire version), Gaelic, the Isle of Man is teaching Manx again, and they're trying to reintroduce Cornish.

 

Here in Quebec, we have the both language as official French and English. I sayed that about 70% french and 30% english.

It has some good sides like that we have to speak the both language....
But some bad sides like the constant conflicts between french and english...

Thank you

 

That's not French what you folks speak in Québec… it's like a French version of the Texan language!

 

You beat me to it Freddy!
I met a couple visiting there from Paris and they were having trouble. He, the Parisian, called it 'horse French'

It may be 70/30 in Quebec City, but it's the other way round in Montreal, certainly around St. Patrick's.

No.9

 

yeah maybe in St.Patricks there's a bigger proportion of english people in montreal....but in general it stick to these proportion....

And by the way....I don't whant to start anything with the french...but here we don't use as much english word in our french than they did, and it is quite normal they got some difficulties to understand..they have difficulties understnading the own Marseille people!!!

 

Quite right Platton, my friends in Québec Province have given me plenty of information and explanation about French Canadian politics which is best left to those who have to live there.

Regarding Québec City, when I visited for the Carnaval, it was one of the most enjoyable trips I’ve ever made, and I always strongly urge folk to have at least one holiday there. It’s something that is never promoted in Britain and if it wasn’t for an invitation of people I knew there, I doubt I would ever have considered it. The snow and ice were no problem as, even though the temperature was low, I found it a clean dry cold and easy to handle.

I enjoyed watching all the events and displays, including the old style of ‘hillbilly’ dancing. I don’t remember the proper name but it reminded me of Southern US ye-ha style when the acoustic instruments kick off. I have to draw the line at eating Poutine and gravy – but then I wasn’t brought-up on this.


The hot Caribou drink was ‘interesting’ – certainly warming. Not sure if thereafter I couldn’t feel the cold, or I couldn’t feel anything?

Fitted in all my history interests. Would loved to have stayed at the Frontenac, (where the Quebec Conference was), but could only afford to have tea there. Seeing the St. Lawrence frozen and the aspect of the Citadel fortress was outstanding, and, Québec city being the last preserved walled city in North America. Incidentally, the Citadel must have been built to some sort of pattern of the time, as you can see another example in Plymouth, England, which is currently the base of 29 Commando Royal Artillery.

Of course, they don’t have a Bonhomme, and Freddy hasn’t sung there yet!


Chateau Frontenac


_________Quebec Citadel__________________ Plymouth Citadel

No.9

 

I had forgotton Poutine and gravy. The Cajuns love to eat that with crawfish. I think Cajun is a mix of French and English and Texan.
I guess you did not try any crawfish heads either.

 

Always try and sample regional food TA, but crawfish (crayfish? crawdads?) heads are not known to me? Looking up through Google, it appears the ‘heads’ (which seems to include body shell) are stuffed with a filling of body meat plus preferred whatever - which you then suck out?.

Certainly would love to try them given the opportunity.


Don’t remember crawfish being offered with the Poutine in Quebec, but then again this was January/February? Saw plenty of people fishing on the frozen waters. I was told folks haul shacks onto the ice, and from inside cut a hole through the ice and fish away. Also told every year some misjudge the thaw and a few shacks and 4x4’s just float away.



No.9

 

Perfectly true....no crawfish in the quebec poutine and every some shacks, 4X4, atv, ski doo goes down in lake....

But now winter is almost finish in Montreal, what a wonderful sensation

Thank you

 

TA, "Cajun" is a corruption of the word "Acadian", meaning from Acadia in Canada, northeast of Quebec City on the St. Lawrence River. A large group of these folks migrated to Louisiana back in the 1700's, I think. Their form of French became even more distinct due to their isolation. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with Texas.

You can read more about this here:

http://www.acadian-home.org/frames.html

 

I would not say that in the Houston Texas area and the areas near Beaumont and Port Arthur. Also they get upset if you mistake a Creole for a Cajun.

 

Holy cow, I've been googling for poutine and I wonder what that tastes like! Should be good!

No objection to the stuffed crawfish too, yummy!

 

"Holy cow, I've been googling for poutine"

Must have been difficult, I'd have thought your browser would keep directing you to Putin?

No.9

 

You are underestimating the Powers of Google!