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| 23 MAR 2009 at 12:10pm |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By Caroline (23 MAR 2009 11:35am)
Traveler
The French govt supports establishments in several cities around the world (including Adelaide) where subsidised French language lessons are held for the general public. Look up Alliance Français in the phone book and see if you have one. I have attended evening classes there to keep up my conversational French. They also run French film seasons and French cultural events such as gourmet fairs, etc. All done to promote France and the French language. (got to combat les Anglais somehow... )
It's not a difficult language but you do need to perfect the accent and if you had difficulties with German - which doesn't need an accent - you may not like French as much as you imagine. Still, I'd recommend you give it a go - as a fun activity.
Yes, sheer laziness on my part, Caroline. I have been vaguely aware of the existence of Alliance Francais for quite a few years now, since a French-speaking varsity acquantaince had urged me to look them up. But babies had kept me busy since we moved to our current city, although I'm aware they do have a branch around here somewhere. I just need to get off my lazy behind and look them up.
And seeing that I seem to have created the impression that I'm totally unfamiliar with French, - I'm not, I do have at least a rudimentary acquaintance with the language, and although the grammar is not really all that more difficult than any of the other Romance languages, the pronunciation is indeed a very subtle thing, and one does have to have a much better ear for it than one has to have with German. I never struggled with the German pronunciation and inflection so much, as that I simply do not like the sound of it as much as I like the sound of French. German is a much more guttural language, whereas French tends to be more nasal. It's just a matter of personal taste, I suppose.
Yes, and you have exposed me for the lazy bum that I am. If I went to Alliance Francais, I would not have difficulties with pronunciation as an excuse either. I plead guilty to a nefarious gaming addiction that sucks up all my spare time, and this addiction would throw all sorts of obstacles in the way of me actually driving out to Alliance Francais, and spend precious time away from my PC...
Btw, I'm not too sure what you mean when you say that "German doesn't need an accent" ? The inflection of their sentences is different to the way that Anglophones inflect, and there are also differences in the way that you pronounce certain vowels and consonants. Even syllables are inflected in a different way. I agree with you though, if what you were trying to say is that it is easier to acquire a more or less correct German accent, than a closely correct French one. How strange that the Franks actually invaded and settled England not too long ago, eh? You would have thought that the resulting English language would sound a bit closer to French. :-/
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| 23 MAR 2009 at 10:21pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | Traveler
First and most important thing I want to say is no way anyone could accuse you of being a lazy bum. So stop it. You are a working mother of two youngsters with a house to run, family to manage and a job to keep. Stop beating yourself up about studying foreign languages for which you have no immediate need. Enjoy your gaming time guilt free. (That's an order btw, from one Goddess to another.)
I went to Alliance Français for evening classes while my youngest was still at home as I needed to stimulate my brain. Rather sadly that evening a week was my entertainment. I also did Japanese for the same reason. Some women go bowling you know...?
So relax. I think you'd have no probs learning any local language if your hubby should relocate you - although I do think you might try to influence him towards an English speaking place (like Oz).
When I did German at school it only required our normal voices with different vowel pronunciation. French however, was a different kettle of fish as we had our very nasal Liverpool accent to overcome. Those who weren't prepared to adjust their voices and acquire the 'accent' failed miserably. I find the position of the tongue is very different in French.
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| 23 MAR 2009 at 10:43pm |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4038
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | I had two years of Latin and three of Spanish in high school. I think my love of linguistics came from Latin, and it certainly helped with Spanish.
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 24 MAR 2009 at 4:49pm |
Steve VSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 265
Joined: 16 MAR 2008
Status : Online | er, just to add to the confusion..
Vale has several meanings in Spanish, including Pal or Mate, but perhaps more to the point it also means 'Ok'? or 'Alright?' So the guy might just be wrapping up his column like that..
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| 24 MAR 2009 at 9:52pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | He doesn't use it all the time. I am leaning towards the 'final farewell' meaning. I suppose I could send him an email at the newspaper but he's such a nasty sarcastic bugger....
oh alright. I'll go see if I can find an addy for him.... :
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| 26 MAR 2009 at 6:33am |
| Deleted User | Caroline, dear, - you're simply going to have to ask this man what it really means, or I'm coming over and taking all your chocolate away. (I have spies, and I know where you hide it.)
You do have the means to find out, so don't leave us in suspense like this, Goddess. >
If he's sarcastic with you, forward me the mail, and I'll give him whatfor.
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