Jeremiah asked me this morning if I speak French. I said, "Un peu." Then when I got to my computer to write my blog, Blogger was waiting for me in French. Fortunately I figured out how to change it back to English so I could write an entry. Because I should have said, "Un petit peu." when he asked me do I speak French.
I remember a very little from Junior High and High School French. I mostly remember I adored my French teachers and have run into both of them since moving back to Uppity Town Normal. I saw Madame Gore nee Woods at a play at Heartland Community Theater and reconnected with her there. She and my High School Chemistry teacher, Mr. Gore, moved to Florida a few years ago but still send me a card every year at Christmas. And last year I found Madame Kalbacken, my very first French teacher at Chiddix, living at Luther Oaks Retirement Community where she writes children's books, in English I believe, that actually get published.
While learning Spanish I used to complain that my old French was in the way, but really it served me well. I had some idea how to conjugate verbs and the grammar of the two languages is, of course, almost identical. And if I'd studied Spanish I wouldn't have met those two remarkable women.
I do remember a few phrases in French that are useful. One is "I don't speak French." (Je ne parle pas francais.) and the other one is "Go to h*&%." (Allez al enfer or something similar.)
I'm sure neither of my teachers taught me that phrase.
2 comments:
Is it possible your mischievous, technologically savvy son changed the language on your computer and then asked the question to give you a hint? Did he wink?!
Jeremiah says OUI! You are right!
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