Monday, December 11, 2006
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Accents in France.
Really, a French accent doesn’t exist in France but, rather a great deal of accents according to the different regions. We can consider there are two “families”:
- In the south just under the Limoges-Grenoble line, the accent is said to be the “accent du midi” (southern accent)
- Above this line, people from the south of France say “accent pointu” (northern French accent). I don’t know why!
Of course within these two families there are differences according to the place in these regions, the people who speak and if they live in a town or in the country.
The southern accent is a ‘sing-song accent’ where people say all the vowels in the words distinctly, often stressing them. This accent is more or less harsh if you are in certain areas and in the area of Narbonne, for example, a lot of people roll the rs. If you are not accustomed to this accent, it is difficult to understand, sometimes even for French people! Between Bordeaux and Marseille there are differences but it is almost the same way of speaking.
Above the line, people living in Alsace have a strong accent very close to the German accent. In the other areas there are differences. For example, we can recognise people living in the north of the Alps, Brittany, and in the area of Lille… Of course, in the country, accents are more stressed and sometimes melted into a provincial dialect.
In France, some people say that it is in the area of Tours that people have the best French accent (the purest accent). I don’t know why we say that! On the contrary, in the south of France people say they have the loveliest accent. I think it is a question of taste.
For a foreigner, the accents add difficulties to learning the language, but French people have the same difficulties with the English language! It would be interesting to have diction courses on both sides of the channel taking this data into account.
The different French accents tend to be softened probably because of TV where we don’t normally hear strong accents, the journalists and artists…mainly speak with the ‘Tours’ accent.
Claude
How the wine is produced
I know that many English people drink wine but I don’t know if they know how it is produced. Before drinking wine, there is a lot of work to be carried out. The technique depends on the variety of wine: red, white or rosé.
1. Red wine:
After picking red or black grapes (not white), the grains are crushed a little so that the juice can flow out naturally. In order to do this, the grapes are passed through two revolving, fluted rollers each spinning in the opposite direction. The grapes and the juice are then put in big, open barrels and stay there for around fifteen days allowing the mixture to ferment. (We sometimes say that it boils!) With the modern technique, the barrels are vats and the fermentation is temperature-controlled by adapted devices (cooling or heating). This sometimes makes the wine better.
Then, the grapes are removed from the big barrel and put into a wine press and all the juice is extracted. After that, the wine is put into smaller wooden barrels so as to allow the suspended particles to settle at the bottom and the wine to take on a little bit of the taste of wood (important parameter).
After some weeks the wine is removed from the top of the barrel, which allow the particles (we say sometimes the mud) to be removed. The wine is put back into the barrel and stays like this for a few months. Then the bottles are filled with this marvellous drink! And the best is to leave the wine in a cellar for a few years before drinking it.
In industrial processes, the wine is not put in barrels but stays in big vats before bottling. Sometimes, wood shavings are put in the vat to add a taste of wood. It is forbidden in France!
2. White wine:
In this case, after picking the white grapes, the grapes are directly pressed and only the juice is put in big barrels or vats so that fermentation takes place. After that, we find almost the same process as for the red wine.
3. Rosé wine:
The process is the same as white wine, but using red or black grapes.
Other processes exist for example for Champagne, sparkling wine, wine obtained with late grape-picking…but they are specific products.
Claude.
1. Red wine:
After picking red or black grapes (not white), the grains are crushed a little so that the juice can flow out naturally. In order to do this, the grapes are passed through two revolving, fluted rollers each spinning in the opposite direction. The grapes and the juice are then put in big, open barrels and stay there for around fifteen days allowing the mixture to ferment. (We sometimes say that it boils!) With the modern technique, the barrels are vats and the fermentation is temperature-controlled by adapted devices (cooling or heating). This sometimes makes the wine better.
Then, the grapes are removed from the big barrel and put into a wine press and all the juice is extracted. After that, the wine is put into smaller wooden barrels so as to allow the suspended particles to settle at the bottom and the wine to take on a little bit of the taste of wood (important parameter).
After some weeks the wine is removed from the top of the barrel, which allow the particles (we say sometimes the mud) to be removed. The wine is put back into the barrel and stays like this for a few months. Then the bottles are filled with this marvellous drink! And the best is to leave the wine in a cellar for a few years before drinking it.
In industrial processes, the wine is not put in barrels but stays in big vats before bottling. Sometimes, wood shavings are put in the vat to add a taste of wood. It is forbidden in France!
2. White wine:
In this case, after picking the white grapes, the grapes are directly pressed and only the juice is put in big barrels or vats so that fermentation takes place. After that, we find almost the same process as for the red wine.
3. Rosé wine:
The process is the same as white wine, but using red or black grapes.
Other processes exist for example for Champagne, sparkling wine, wine obtained with late grape-picking…but they are specific products.
Claude.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Inspector Barnaby from the other side of the channel.
Each Sunday afternoon a popular English series is broadcast on TV: Inspector Barnaby. In spite of the theme, a lot of French people watch this series. What attracts the viewers? I think we are experiencing an atmosphere we are not accustomed to seeing in France. Horrible crimes are committed in dream-like places where people are very polite. The castles and cottages are beautiful with marvellous, cosy interiors. Generally, people are more from the upper or middle classes where everybody thinks particularly leisure and parties! For a good story, there are at least four murders…In my opinion what pleases people is that the crimes don’t seem real. Characters don’t lose control of themselves. It seems like an intellectual game without consequences on the viewer’s behaviour.
I would say: it is so British.
Claude.
I would say: it is so British.
Claude.
Brian's interests
My name is Brian Dummigan. I am 66 years old. I have retired from work, so I have quite a lot of time to do the things I like.
I love classical music. I have a big collection of records and CDs, and I go to concerts two or three times a month. With a couple of friends, I also travel to places like Leeds, York, Newcastle and Scarborough to see plays, operas, ballet and art exhibitions.I read a great deal - novels, detective stories, poetry, non-fiction, in fact, anything I can get my hands on!
For exercise, I swim 800m. twice a week, but I am not a very good swimmer. I go for fairly long walks as often as I can, and there is always a lot of work to do in the garden.
I love languages, and as well as French I know some Spanish, Italian, and German, and a (very) little Russian.
I love classical music. I have a big collection of records and CDs, and I go to concerts two or three times a month. With a couple of friends, I also travel to places like Leeds, York, Newcastle and Scarborough to see plays, operas, ballet and art exhibitions.I read a great deal - novels, detective stories, poetry, non-fiction, in fact, anything I can get my hands on!
For exercise, I swim 800m. twice a week, but I am not a very good swimmer. I go for fairly long walks as often as I can, and there is always a lot of work to do in the garden.
I love languages, and as well as French I know some Spanish, Italian, and German, and a (very) little Russian.
Brian's thoughts about Big Brother!
Quelques Pensées au Sujet des Caméras de Surveillance
Je ne suis pas à l’aise avec l’augmentation de la surveillance par les autorités, sauf pour la détection des crimes sérieux. Je crois que l’application de cette technologie pour reprocher tous ceux qui se comportent sans considération est l’utilisation d’une masse pour casser un noix, et un pas de trop le long d’un chemin dangereux. Sans la vie privée nous perdons nôtre liberté.
De plus, il faut nous souvenir que les surveillants ne sont qu’êtres humaines qui soient soumis à la tentation d’abuser l’information qu’ils obtiennent.
Je ne suis pas à l’aise avec l’augmentation de la surveillance par les autorités, sauf pour la détection des crimes sérieux. Je crois que l’application de cette technologie pour reprocher tous ceux qui se comportent sans considération est l’utilisation d’une masse pour casser un noix, et un pas de trop le long d’un chemin dangereux. Sans la vie privée nous perdons nôtre liberté.
De plus, il faut nous souvenir que les surveillants ne sont qu’êtres humaines qui soient soumis à la tentation d’abuser l’information qu’ils obtiennent.
Brian French 5
Some ways I pass my time.Now that I am retired,I am not as agile as I used to be and my hobbies reflect that fact.I still enjoy short but easy walks in the coutryside, and I like to spend my time doing my gardening, especially in the summer, when the weather is warmer.
My other pastimes are more sedentary now. I love reading, and I prefer to read Historical Biographies, and other types of true stories, which I find fascinating.
When I am in the mood, I like to draw using pencil or felt-tipped coloured pens. I also paint with water colours. the subject I paint more than any other is birds. I think they are all so beautiful, and I adore their colours and shapes. For amusement, I often draw cartoon type pictures for my friends.
I have bought my first computer this year. I have been attending classes each week, to learn how to use my computer properly. It is complicated!!
I am really enjoying learning the French language, and our weekly classes are always interesting, with lots of interaction and discussion. Now that I can access my computer, I am able to enjoy reading all your correspondance from Bourges.
VERONICA French 5
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Sue Carling's interests
Dear SylviaThank you for posting so many interesting articles on the blog. Peter has asked our class if we could write a few lines about our hobbies. Obviously, one of mine is learning French. I really enjoy meeting the other students as well as learning more about France and the French language. I also like gardening (but only when the sun shines – we call this ‘fair weather gardening’ round here). I also enjoy walking with friends in the countryside, or with my dog. I love books and reading – luckily I work in a library. If I get a quiet few moments to myself, I like to do cross-stitch embroidery; I am not very artistic, I can’t paint or knit or sew, so this is my only creative outlet!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
And some more reaction!
Les cameras de surveillance
Je pense que c’est triste que nous avons besoin des cameras de surveillance. Pour moi c’est une question avec deux opinions.
D’une part, je pense que si on ne fait jamais qu’est tort, on n’a rien à peur.
Mais, d’autre part, je m’inquiète que ces cameras peuvent suivre les mouvements de chaque individu.
Les gens qui font marcher ces cameras peuvent ramasser beaucoup d’information d’un individu. Sont ces gens dignes de confiance ?
Je pense que c’est triste que nous avons besoin des cameras de surveillance. Pour moi c’est une question avec deux opinions.
D’une part, je pense que si on ne fait jamais qu’est tort, on n’a rien à peur.
Mais, d’autre part, je m’inquiète que ces cameras peuvent suivre les mouvements de chaque individu.
Les gens qui font marcher ces cameras peuvent ramasser beaucoup d’information d’un individu. Sont ces gens dignes de confiance ?
Patricia
And some more reaction
Bien que les cameras de surveillance dans notre centre ville a Middlesbrough est très importante, je n’aime pas cette nouvelle idée de utiliser les haut paroles.
A mon avis c’est trop embarrassant pour les personnes et si on a utilisé fréquemment il deviendra une distraction aux personnes qui fait les courses.
Walter.
A mon avis c’est trop embarrassant pour les personnes et si on a utilisé fréquemment il deviendra une distraction aux personnes qui fait les courses.
Walter.
More reaction to the cameras!
Bonjour Claude.
Je m'appelle Susan. Je suis étudiant de Peter et je viens de lire votre extrait au sujet des appareils photo parlants de surveillance en Middlesbrough. Je suis tout à fait d'accord avec l'utilisation d'eux.
Je souhaite que nous en Angleterre n'ont pas laissé tomber les détritus. Les Français qui ont toujours le respect. Je crois que si on n'a fait rien tort puis on n'a rien de peur.
Je m'appelle Susan. Je suis étudiant de Peter et je viens de lire votre extrait au sujet des appareils photo parlants de surveillance en Middlesbrough. Je suis tout à fait d'accord avec l'utilisation d'eux.
Je souhaite que nous en Angleterre n'ont pas laissé tomber les détritus. Les Français qui ont toujours le respect. Je crois que si on n'a fait rien tort puis on n'a rien de peur.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Quels sont vos loisirs?
C'est une question simple que nous (professeurs) posons souvent à nos étudiants ou futurs étudiants pour ainsi les lancer dans une conversation et tester leur niveau de langue.
Mais aussi à travers cette question nous établissons un premier contact sympathique et entre eux les étudiants apprennent aussi à se connaître et parfois ils se découvrent des passions communes.
Aujourd'hui je vous propose de découvrir à travers ces quelques photos les passions de Marie-Pierre et de Danielle qui ont décidé il y a deux ans d'apprendre l'anglais et doivent maintenant partager leurs temps de loisirs entre exercices d'anglais et activités artistiques.
PS: J'espère que le 'slide show' va bien fonctionner c'est mon premier essai!
Mais aussi à travers cette question nous établissons un premier contact sympathique et entre eux les étudiants apprennent aussi à se connaître et parfois ils se découvrent des passions communes.
Aujourd'hui je vous propose de découvrir à travers ces quelques photos les passions de Marie-Pierre et de Danielle qui ont décidé il y a deux ans d'apprendre l'anglais et doivent maintenant partager leurs temps de loisirs entre exercices d'anglais et activités artistiques.
PS: J'espère que le 'slide show' va bien fonctionner c'est mon premier essai!
Flea markets.
I don’t know why we use this name to refer to a market selling a mess of old things, probably because they are infested by fleas! Now in France we prefer to say “brocante” (second-hand market) and flea market is used more for a permanent market, such as the one you can find in the north of Paris near the “porte de Clignancourt”.
These “brocantes” take place at weekends often outside, in villages, towns and are in fashion in France. It is a way to attract people to places where there are usually not many inhabitants. Sometimes it is the great annual event of the village! In our Department (Cher), we have at least about a hundred brocantes a year…
The biggest “brocante” is the one in Lille in the north of France with thousands of dealers and hundreds of thousands of people interested in this market. Maybe English people know this event better than I do because it is just on the other side of the channel and the Pound is overvalued against the Euro!
You used to be able to find a lot of second-hand objects on these markets, called “objets dans leur jus” (objects in their juice) that means without restoration (furniture, tools, crockery, cameras, clothes….) and you could do good business.
Today, it is a bit different because you find dealers selling restored things that look like objects which are usually sold at an antique dealer’s. And you also find what we call “vide-grenier” (empty-attic?). In this case the objects are sold directly by inhabitants who sell everything at a very low price but sometimes I wonder who are interested in these items! Dealers are often children who sell their toys, their books, their bikes…and know how to bargain!
Alas, now we rarely get good bargains because there are less and less interesting things to be sold and so prices are increasing…
The negative side of these “brocantes” is that it is a way for dishonest dealers to sell stolen goods. In France we have many examples!
Claude.
These “brocantes” take place at weekends often outside, in villages, towns and are in fashion in France. It is a way to attract people to places where there are usually not many inhabitants. Sometimes it is the great annual event of the village! In our Department (Cher), we have at least about a hundred brocantes a year…
The biggest “brocante” is the one in Lille in the north of France with thousands of dealers and hundreds of thousands of people interested in this market. Maybe English people know this event better than I do because it is just on the other side of the channel and the Pound is overvalued against the Euro!
You used to be able to find a lot of second-hand objects on these markets, called “objets dans leur jus” (objects in their juice) that means without restoration (furniture, tools, crockery, cameras, clothes….) and you could do good business.
Today, it is a bit different because you find dealers selling restored things that look like objects which are usually sold at an antique dealer’s. And you also find what we call “vide-grenier” (empty-attic?). In this case the objects are sold directly by inhabitants who sell everything at a very low price but sometimes I wonder who are interested in these items! Dealers are often children who sell their toys, their books, their bikes…and know how to bargain!
Alas, now we rarely get good bargains because there are less and less interesting things to be sold and so prices are increasing…
The negative side of these “brocantes” is that it is a way for dishonest dealers to sell stolen goods. In France we have many examples!
Claude.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Some reaction to the ,Cameras in Middlesbrough'.
Personne n'aime pas que les camèras de surveillance soi (oneself?) filment. Encore plus pire, si le camèra parle avec soi! C’est très embarrassant! Mais malheureusement, quelques gens de Middlesbrough et les environs se conduisent dans un façon inculte! (Nouveau mot,’ inculte’! Je l’aime.)
Si une personne jette son détritus sur le trottoir, les autres gens devraient dire à lui de le mettre dans une poubelle. Mais les gens ont peur de la violence ou des insultes. Voilà, voilà, un voix de l’air.
Je crois que c’est une situation triste mais nécessaire. Les bouteilles cassées, le fast food dégoûtant, les mégots, tout ce détritus est dangereux et vilain. Ça manifeste un manque de respect pour les autres et pour soi-même.
Sue F5 Octobre 2006.
Si une personne jette son détritus sur le trottoir, les autres gens devraient dire à lui de le mettre dans une poubelle. Mais les gens ont peur de la violence ou des insultes. Voilà, voilà, un voix de l’air.
Je crois que c’est une situation triste mais nécessaire. Les bouteilles cassées, le fast food dégoûtant, les mégots, tout ce détritus est dangereux et vilain. Ça manifeste un manque de respect pour les autres et pour soi-même.
Sue F5 Octobre 2006.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Les mois en « bre » changeons nos habitudes et mangeons des moules !
Et oui les mois en « bre » c’est bien connu il faut manger des moules car d’après le dicton c’est la meilleure époque pour les déguster. D’autres dictons aujourd’hui nous disent aussi que les huîtres c’est bon toute l’année. Peu importe. Mais au fait que mangeons-nous en France en ce début d’automne ?
Le temps est humide et se rafraîchit nous avons envie de plats cuisinés bien chauds comme les lentilles, le bœuf aux carottes et la soupe de potiron. Si nous avons la chance d’habiter dans une région à champignons nous pourrons nous régaler d’une petite omelette aux cèpes ou aux girolles.
Et bien sûr le plat du mois (et des mois suivants) les moules marinières et leurs frites, c’est obligé on ne mange plus de moules sans frites ! Personnellement je fais rarement des moules « marinières » je préfère les accommoder d’une sauce poulette au bleu. La sauce poulette c’est la crème anglaise des moules ! C’est très simple à préparer il faut 2 jaunes d’œuf et 150g de crème fraîche. Battre les jaunes, y ajouter la crème et quelques cuillérées de jus de cuisson des moules (les ajouter une par une), ensuite il faut faire chauffer tout doucement en continuant de remuer, comme pour la crème anglaise il ne faut pas la faire bouillir, et voilà à table c’est prêt ! Hummmm c’est si bon !
Sylvia
Le temps est humide et se rafraîchit nous avons envie de plats cuisinés bien chauds comme les lentilles, le bœuf aux carottes et la soupe de potiron. Si nous avons la chance d’habiter dans une région à champignons nous pourrons nous régaler d’une petite omelette aux cèpes ou aux girolles.
Et bien sûr le plat du mois (et des mois suivants) les moules marinières et leurs frites, c’est obligé on ne mange plus de moules sans frites ! Personnellement je fais rarement des moules « marinières » je préfère les accommoder d’une sauce poulette au bleu. La sauce poulette c’est la crème anglaise des moules ! C’est très simple à préparer il faut 2 jaunes d’œuf et 150g de crème fraîche. Battre les jaunes, y ajouter la crème et quelques cuillérées de jus de cuisson des moules (les ajouter une par une), ensuite il faut faire chauffer tout doucement en continuant de remuer, comme pour la crème anglaise il ne faut pas la faire bouillir, et voilà à table c’est prêt ! Hummmm c’est si bon !
Sylvia
Grape-picking in progress.
In our area (the Cher) we have many vineyards: Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Chateaumeillant often very well known by English people. They produce AOC wines (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée = Official Quality guarantee).
For two weeks, the grape-picking has been going on. Now the technique of picking the grape is not the same as it was before because the majority of wine growers (90%) use grape-picking machines. The result is that in the vineyards you can only see a few people (two or three people working the machine). Before there were “Armies” of people in the vineyards who cut the grapes, put them in baskets and after that in carts to carry the grapes to the cellars. A machine is able to replace around thirty people!
If the technique has changed, the result too. In the case of a machine, what is harvested are only the grains without the “stems”. The grapes are shaken with the means of two overlapped vibrating “combs” and the grains fall into chutes and are led into a tank located at the rear part of the machine.
When you make the wine (processes differ depending on the type of wine: white, red or rosé) the result is a bit different. The taste is not exactly the same. My opinion is that the wine is better: milder (it is only my opinion because wine growers who vintage in the traditional way say the opposite! Maybe it is for their business). Never mind both are very good!
This year the wine should be a “normal” year in quantity and quality.
Cheers!
Claude
For two weeks, the grape-picking has been going on. Now the technique of picking the grape is not the same as it was before because the majority of wine growers (90%) use grape-picking machines. The result is that in the vineyards you can only see a few people (two or three people working the machine). Before there were “Armies” of people in the vineyards who cut the grapes, put them in baskets and after that in carts to carry the grapes to the cellars. A machine is able to replace around thirty people!
If the technique has changed, the result too. In the case of a machine, what is harvested are only the grains without the “stems”. The grapes are shaken with the means of two overlapped vibrating “combs” and the grains fall into chutes and are led into a tank located at the rear part of the machine.
When you make the wine (processes differ depending on the type of wine: white, red or rosé) the result is a bit different. The taste is not exactly the same. My opinion is that the wine is better: milder (it is only my opinion because wine growers who vintage in the traditional way say the opposite! Maybe it is for their business). Never mind both are very good!
This year the wine should be a “normal” year in quantity and quality.
Cheers!
Claude
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