Author Archives: Tournesol

Un grand indécis

Posted on 30 April 2012 by Tournesol

Être comme l’âne de Buridan : Un grand indécis est comme l’âne de Buridan, il ne sait jamais quelle voie choisir entre toutes : Anyone who cannot make up their mind is like the donkey of Buridan, they are incapable of choosing which … Continue reading →

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Quand on parle du loup…

Posted on 29 April 2012 by Tournesol

Two more French expressions: Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue : Literally: When one speaks of the wolf, one sees his tail: Talk of the devil (and he’s sure to appear). Plus ça change, plus c’est … Continue reading →

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‘Grass stains’ by Simon Parke

Posted on 27 April 2012 by Tournesol

This week Simon suffers a joke: ‘Yeah, so how do you feel about grass stains on your knees, Si?’ asked Stav (the self-appointed gagmeister). ‘Sorry?’ I am genuinely thrown. ‘Grass stains on your knees. Is it a big issue for … Continue reading →

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Vrai travail, faux travail

Posted on 27 April 2012 by Tournesol

There are fierce debates raging in the French elections at the moment, over immigration and ‘vrai travail, faux travail’ : real work, false work. People are asking ‘what is false work?’. I shall have to keep listening to europe1.fr (LW 185) … Continue reading →

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Pas de souci

Posted on 26 April 2012 by Tournesol

Pas de souci – No worries     (‘un souci’ is a worry and a marigold) En effet, le ‘pas de souci’ se répand depuis quelques années Je reprends systématiquement les étudiants qui entrent dans mon bureau avec un ‘Monsieur, j’ai un … Continue reading →

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Mice and smiles

Posted on 22 April 2012 by Tournesol

The difference between a mouse and a smile: ‘Une souris’ is a mouse (only one in spite of the final s). The computer mouse as well as an animal mouse. ‘Un sourire’ is a smile. ‘Sourire’ is also to smile. … Continue reading →

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Le délit…

Posted on 22 April 2012 by Tournesol

Examples of ‘False Friends’: Le délit des sales figures : NOT ‘the delight of sales figures’ but: The crime of (having) dirty faces. Fat avec emphase : Not ‘fat with emphasis’ but: Smug and pompous.

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‘La blague’ par Simon Parke

Posted on 19 April 2012 by Tournesol

L’étiquette de la blague : Simon considers the etiquette of being told a joke twice! I wonder what the joke will be today. It was the one about the disabled prostitute yesterday, and he may simply have forgotten he’s told … Continue reading →

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Un café serré

Posted on 19 April 2012 by Tournesol

Three phrases that are not quite what they seem: Un café serré : Literally: a tightly-gripped coffee: A strong coffee. Ne te casse pas la tête : Literally: don’t break the/your head: Don’t waste your time. Tu as peut-être frappé … Continue reading →

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L’Arlésienne

Posted on 17 April 2012 by Tournesol

Dans le langage familier, ‘arlésienne’ se dit d’une personne ou chose dont on parle tout le temps mais qu’on ne voit jamais venir, faisant l’objet d’un sujet de conversation qui occupe tous les esprits : in informal language, an ‘arlésienne’ … Continue reading →

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