It is unfortunate that the odd gros mot must creep into my blog now and again. However, this is unavoidably the case when it comes to explaining certain cultural and linguistic observations in France. I apologise if you are easily offended. I must admit though my sense of humour is partly to blame. Of course [...]
Toupie or not toupie, that is the question
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Our Christmas this year was dominated by the toy that has every French school-boy under the age of ten going nuts. They call it Toupie; and they play Toupie at breaktime, Toupie at lunchtime, Toupie after school and Toupie at home. It’s like a perpetual conker season without the conkers (buck eyes) [...]
The Eurozone crisis
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Having spent a two week period in the UK over the Christmas period it seems that my Britannic compatriots are under the impression that those of us living the other side of the channel are undergoing some sort of nuclear winter. What do they picture is going on exactly? Tumble-weed rolling across a deserted industrial [...]
The French for brassiere
Monday, December 19, 2011
It’s a remarkable feat. I’ve been in France for over six years and never once have I been tempted to look up the direct translation of brassiere (or ‘bra’ if you prefer). This was because I had assumed that ‘brassiere’ was itself a French word and therefore must mean the same thing. Not so.
In paying attention to the audio track of a TV spot for said undergarment last night (for which I usually focus my visual senses) I heard [...]
Ladies first? How to write your French surname.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
I discovered a little quirk recently that I thought I should share with you. It concerns the application of double-barrelled or maiden-name with married-name surnames. In France it is common place for women to retain their maiden name after marriage. This, one assumes, is primarily to leave a paper-trail as to their new-found identity and [...]
There must be a Politician in town
Friday, November 25, 2011
Judging by the number of hits on this site yesterday – there were obviously a number of people (journalists and researchers I assume) desperate to know more about the meeting of the three heads of government yesterday. In case you didn’t know, and if you’re a financial commentator it is unlikely, that Sarkozy, Merkel and [...]
You call this a Nativity?
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Students Fuck School
Thursday, November 17, 2011
As an expat you frequently have to put up with the locals butchering your mother tongue in person, (“Air io ingleesh?”), in punctuation (sandwich’s) and incomprehensible (mental wear, le fooding). Normally this doesn’t bother me. If anything, it reminds me that however bad my French may be it will never be as heinous as some of the locals’ English, and let’s be honest now – sometimes it can be quite amusing! [...]
Solving the Greek debt crisis
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The whole of the Eurozone ‘crisis’ is based upon the level of confidence the ‘markets’ have in the indebted countries being able to repay their debts. At the moment few believe that the Greeks will be able to repay anything any time soon. This is primarily because in being Greek, they are known more for [...]
Learning the hard way
Monday, October 24, 2011
This school year (année scolaire) is proving somewhat challenging for me so far. On the one hand I have made things difficult for myself by accepting my first ever English-teaching role at a private adult education college in Central Strasbourg. With a class of thirty or so overgrown adolescents … sorry, I mean young professionals [...]
The magic moustache of Marc Lièvremont
Monday, October 17, 2011
As an avid rugby fan I have naturally been following this year’s Rugby World Cup finals in New Zealand with more than a passing interest. Although unhappy to see my home nation capitulate to the French last weekend, I was glad to see les Bleus overthrow the Welsh on Saturday morning. Not because they deserved [...]
Turning Forty
Monday, October 10, 2011
The passing of my third full decade in existence has brought with it a few standard observations: Hair growth. While disappearing from my crown (as evident from recent high-angle photographs) my capacity for beard growth seems to have finally increased to the point whereby I actually need to consider shaving more than once a week. [...]
Mais, sans blague
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Il y a quelques mois quelqu’un m’a suggérée que si je voulais plus de trafic à mon site je devrais songer de changer la langue d’écriture. Mais, sans blague. C’est à discuter. Lorsque je ne me sens pas trop confortable en français, je me demande pourquoi pas? C’est clair que après, quoi, six ans en [...]
Don’t say it!
Monday, September 19, 2011
After three night’s performance with Quai des Prunes at the Kafteur I am finally able to wear green again with confidence, for the very word, green, is said to bring Francophone actors bad luck. I am not normally superstitious but having recently taken up acting (bilingually) I have been somewhat influenced by my fellow French [...]
Strasbourg’s other University
Monday, September 12, 2011
Although strictly speaking the Université Populaire Européenne (UPE) is actually part of the University of Strasbourg it is very much regarded as something entirely separate from the City’s sprawling educational establishment, which this year, as ever, is welcoming over 40,000 students. The reason being is that the UPE is where those of us whom have [...]
Music Schools in Strasbourg
Monday, September 5, 2011
For a city so small it is quite surprising to learn that Strasbourg has no fewer than 17 music schools within it’s boundaries. So if you, or your children (on Wednesdays for example), would like to learn an instrument, sing in a choir, play in an orchestra or simply study the art-form then you’re spoiled [...]
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