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English as she is spoke (written) abroad

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grandtanteJE65 Sat 22-Jul-17 13:46:06

Franglais is what the French think is English. Sometimes you need a fairly comprehensive knowledge of French (or one of the other Romance languages) to work out what they actually mean. Here are some examples from my own experience.

The harbor is open between 08h30-11AM and 14h30-19 PM

What they meant was that the harbour master’s office was open at the above stated times; you could sail into the harbour at any time you pleased.

Accostage and water drink They meant "mooring and drinking water" the heading was followed by a list of prices.

These examples are from Monthermé on the Meuse, one of the many small ports that cater to boaters on the French Meuse. I have others to share, if you find them funny.

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phoenix Tue 08-Aug-17 19:50:06

PS Nice to now I can still raise a smile or laugh on here, seems to have been a bit of a dearth lately

(Tin hat, behind the sofa, using Digby as a sandbag)

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grandtanteJE65 Wed 09-Aug-17 15:38:19

I could have understood it, if it had been a notice in the church porch! But I do understand how the misunderstanding occurred.

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grandtanteJE65 Wed 09-Aug-17 15:45:07

I have a little book called "Wicked French" which is screamingly funny. It has all the expressions you definitely should not use unless you really want to shock people

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