Le Café des flamants roses has a small garden where people can talk English to ask questions about what is being said in French in the café

Cabbie21

I sometimes forget which thread I am in and use the wrong language.

Why not? That's good. No one minds.

Lucca

Cabbie21

I sometimes forget which thread I am in and use the wrong language.

The thread titles are too similar.

They are deliberately similarly named so that the concept is clear that they are related to each other.

I think it is fine to chat about any aspect of the language that we find interesting. I do this a lot with my U3A students and rely on them to point me in the right direction about current usage. I had been reading about the colloquial use of "perso" at the start of a sentence for "personellement je pense que...." No you can't say that, they said, we are much too old. ?
I read The Local on line and they have a section devoted to colloquial usage and well-known sayings.

ElderlyPerson

Lucca

Cabbie21

I sometimes forget which thread I am in and use the wrong language.

The thread titles are too similar.

They are deliberately similarly named so that the concept is clear that they are related to each other.

Yes but they both start the same so it’s easy to click on the wrong one. But never mind, just my opinion.

Lucca

ElderlyPerson

Lucca

Cabbie21

I sometimes forget which thread I am in and use the wrong language.

The thread titles are too similar.

They are deliberately similarly named so that the concept is clear that they are related to each other.

Yes but they both start the same so it’s easy to click on the wrong one. But never mind, just my opinion.

Your opinion is valued.

I wonder how many levels of quote stacking or whatever it is called this message system can handle!

ElderlyPerson

Lucca

ElderlyPerson

Lucca

Cabbie21

I sometimes forget which thread I am in and use the wrong language.

The thread titles are too similar.

They are deliberately similarly named so that the concept is clear that they are related to each other.

Yes but they both start the same so it’s easy to click on the wrong one. But never mind, just my opinion.

Your opinion is valued.

I wonder how many levels of quote stacking or whatever it is called this message system can handle!

Not just the system EP - my brain! ??

Ellianne

We have to make the distinction between those who baturally want to discuss the French language at a very high level, and who are bilingual, compared with some who want to chat for fun and who might feel inhibited.
Maybe separate threads?

I do think you have a point Ellianne
When I taught MFL there was often at least one bilingual student and they could inhibit the others who felt self-conscious about making mistakes.
But that does not mean I am objecting to native speakers here - by no means- I just hope they will be patient.
I remember a lunch (long and very drunken) in Normandy where one of the guests was a retired HMI now living in France. The French guests fell about laughing when he used something like an imperfect subjunctive ”We don’t say that!” they hooted -“No but you should do as it is correct” he thundered!
It’s like English though, how seldom we hear “whom” used in a sentence, or how often do we put a preposition at the end of a sentence. Our more grammatically accurate non-native English speaking friends would spot that at once.
But it’s not how we say it!

I mentioned earlier that I never studied French at school or anywhere else, it’s just what I have picked up on holidays etc. I have always liked languages and just want to say that though I do not feel confident to join a complicated discussion I do enjoy reading the comments and am very pleased when I actually understand these posts more than I would expect.
So continue—ay s’il vous plait.

Elianne ' You have moved the discussion onto a much much higher level. '

au contraire, bien au contraire. C'est la communication simple et efficace qui compte- et le passé simple est difficile, archaïque et ne s'utilise plus. C'est à un niveau beaucoup plus haut, mais .. qui ne sert pas à grand chose. La simplicité c'est toujours mieux pour bavarder.

Ellianne

We have to make the distinction between those who baturally want to discuss the French language at a very high level, and who are bilingual, compared with some who want to chat for fun and who might feel inhibited.
Maybe separate threads?

Which way do you suggest?

Maybe a thread for absolute beginners where both English and French can be used.

Alors on papote - en toute simplicité- avec des erreurs, sans soucis.

Le Café des flamants roses has a small garden where people can talk English to ask questions etc

Did you read what it said on the tin?

I understand how people may wish to show their fluency in French, but I too thought this thread was meant to be in English and the other one in French.
It could be inhibiting and off putting for those who wish to learn French or have questions answered.
I suspect Google translate may be oversubscribed at the moment by those who have difficulty translating.

Cabbie21

Yes. I studied French, I taught French, and now i am retired, so my experience wont be same as someone studying it today.
My granddaughter has opted to include French in her A levels, plus Maths, Physics and Chemistry. She is good at all four, but thinks sciences will offer better carreer propsects.

My DN did two languages and two Maths at 'A' level, languages at university then accountancy, now translates technical books. People educated and experienced in multi-disciplines are very much in demand.

When I was at school I had a dream of one day studying at the Sorbonne where my French teacher had studied but alas never did (family circumstances did not allow).

It's interesting that at school we probably learnt more French and Latin grammar, parts of speech, etc than we did English grammar.

We learnt English grammar at primary school but after that I think we had to learn English grammar by osmosis.
We learned the language of Shakespeare. Gadzooks!

MawBe

ElderlyPerson

Lucca

ElderlyPerson

Lucca

Cabbie21

I sometimes forget which thread I am in and use the wrong language.

The thread titles are too similar.

They are deliberately similarly named so that the concept is clear that they are related to each other.

Yes but they both start the same so it’s easy to click on the wrong one. But never mind, just my opinion.

Your opinion is valued.

I wonder how many levels of quote stacking or whatever it is called this message system can handle!

Not just the system EP - my brain! ??

I'm confused ?

Perhaps it might help if I turn my screen the other way up!

Yes ?

Kali2

Elianne ' You have moved the discussion onto a much much higher level. '

au contraire, bien au contraire. C'est la communication simple et efficace qui compte- et le passé simple est difficile, archaïque et ne s'utilise plus. C'est à un niveau beaucoup plus haut, mais .. qui ne sert pas à grand chose. La simplicité c'est toujours mieux pour bavarder.

Why not go on the original French one ? Or the past historic story one?

Mamie

I think my favourite expression is one often used by people in the rural village where we used to live - "il faut faire avec", normally accompanied by a big sigh.

My favourite is "pas de problème" used several times by several lovely, helpful French people when we had a disaster on holiday in France.

It became the DC's catch phrase for that year.

Callistemon

It's interesting that at school we probably learnt more French and Latin grammar, parts of speech, etc than we did English grammar.

We learnt English grammar at primary school but after that I think we had to learn English grammar by osmosis.
We learned the language of Shakespeare. Gadzooks!

I think we maybe only start to properly understand our own grammar once we learn a foreign language.

MawBe

^Le Café des flamants roses has a small garden where people can talk English to ask questions etc^

Did you read what it said on the tin?

Actually no- must admit I did not realise there were now several Caé des flamants roses threads. Confusing indeed.

As said on the other one- the Passé Simple is ver complicated and as it is no longer used, I personally think it is best left alone, and to concentrate on much simpler effective communication- mistakes and all. Communication is always the key with a language.

As for difficult structures which require the subjunctive- why not switch for simpler ones which are just as effective and correct. Like those requiring the very complicated subjunctive, or even the very difficult future, which can be switched with the verb 'aller' (a complicated one, but once you know it, that can be used again and again) + just add the infinitive- without loss of meaning.

So far for wanting to 'show off' - as a teacher, I like to show that some difficulties can be very effectively avoided, without spoiling quality at all.

C'est pas la mer à boire!

So I was taught, never ever say je suis chaud(e).
This is from The Local language tip today.
"Je suis chaud does not mean, “I’m warm”, as most people imagine when they begin learning French (that would be j’ai chaud).
To hammer this point home, your French teachers might have told you that Je suis chaud (or Je suis chaude for women) means you’re horny. And it can mean that, but there’s also a more common usage, because it’s a phrase you hear a lot in France and that doesn’t mean French people are always running around shouting about their sexual desires, even if the rest of the world may think otherwise.
If you hear someone say Je suis chaud, it usually means, “I’m up for it”. You can use it when somebody suggests a plan and you want to express your willingness and excitement. Equally, somebody might ask you, “Tu es chaud ?” (Are you up for it?).
In this case, you’re saying you’re warm in a similar way to an athlete who has warmed up before taking to the field. You’re ready to go!
You should still be careful, though, because in the wrong context it could be interpreted sexually, especially if you’re a woman.".
Interesting.

Mamie that reminds me that we were taught to say, j’ai assez mangé - I’ve eaten enough rather than, je suis pleine - unless you really are expecting!

LOL - MDR

Mamie

One of the first things I learnt when I stayed with a French family was not to say "Non, merci, je suis pleine" when asked if I wanted a second helping.