Author Archives: Tournesol

Reculer pour mieux sauter

Posted on 9 October 2011 by Tournesol

‘Reculer pour mieux sauter’ literally translates as ‘to take steps backwards to get a better (run at a) jump’. But my Collins-Robert dictionary tells me that the real translation of this phrase is : ‘to put off the evil day’. … Continue reading →

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‘Un sage…’ par Simon Parke

Posted on 7 October 2011 by Tournesol

‘Un Sage au Travail’ : Voici l’histoire d’un sage. Elle parle d’un professeur fou. Le professeur fou était un homme brillant mais qui pouvait se perdre dans son propre bureau, ce qui prouve à quel point c’était le chaos. Heureusement, … Continue reading →

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Cinq mots de plus

Posted on 6 October 2011 by Tournesol

Five more words to take you closer to a perfect grasp of French: Un bourdon : a bumblebee and: ‘avoir le bourdon’ : ‘to have the blues’;        ‘un bougnat’ : ‘a coal merchant who also runs a small café’ – … Continue reading →

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Un instant de bonheur

Posted on 4 October 2011 by Tournesol

Un instant de bonheur par Yves Simon: Il esquissa un sourire et continua: “Je voulais depuis longtemps faire un film sur la vie d’Oscar Wilde…Vous connaissez bien sûr…  – Dorian Gray.  Le portrait de Dorian Gray, répondit l’actrice peu sûre d’elle … Continue reading →

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The eyes of the head…

Posted on 3 October 2011 by Tournesol

I’m not boasting (much) but I’ve just parcelled up and posted 40 copies of “False Friends: Faux Amis” to Australia (Canberra Alliance Française). Now to work (harder) on the UK branches, so that postage does not cost an arm and … Continue reading →

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Le sol/le soleil

Posted on 1 October 2011 by Tournesol

Jumeaux : twins. Words that are confusingly similar or, in fact, the same word with more than one meaning: Le sol/le soleil : the ground/the sun;        un souci : a worry and a marigold;        la tache/la tâche : the … Continue reading →

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‘Le courage…’ par Simon Parke

Posted on 30 September 2011 by Tournesol

‘Le courage sous la surface’ : Je contemple une fleur. Plus encore que sa délicieuse beauté, c’est son courage que j’admire ce matin. Voici une authentique histoire de courage qui va au-delà du sens du devoir. Je me rappelle quand … Continue reading →

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Cinq mots de plus

Posted on 30 September 2011 by Tournesol

Five more words: all that stands between you and perfect French – a good vocabulary: Une espagnolette : a (window) catch;   Une esperluette : an ampersand;   L’escrime (nf) : fencing;   s’escrimer : to wear oneself out (doing something);   un esclandre … Continue reading →

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Le parquet

Posted on 29 September 2011 by Tournesol

Don’t pop your eyes out if you read or hear: ‘Le parquet a décrété l’arrestation de l’avocat.’ : ‘Le parquet’ here is not parquet flooring (although it can mean that, too) but the public prosecutor’s office. So the translation of this … Continue reading →

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Une grasse matinée

Posted on 28 September 2011 by Tournesol

‘Une grasse matinée’ is a lie-in. ‘Faire la grasse matinée’ is to lie in, to sleep late into the morning. (Chance would be a fine thing.) I have just had ‘un café onctueux’. This may sound like an oily, greasy … Continue reading →

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