Author Archives: Tournesol

Chassez le naturel…

Posted on 12 February 2012 by Tournesol

Two more French phrases: Chassez le naturel, il revient au galop : Literally: Chase off what is natural and it comes galloping back: The leopard cannot change its spots. Pratiquer la politique de l’autruche : Literally: To follow the strategy … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

‘Babs et Shazy’ by Simon Parke

Posted on 9 February 2012 by Tournesol

Babs et Shazy : La haute finance : Babs and Shazy: High Finance: From ‘Shelf Life’ by Simon Parke First we must meet the Money Girls – new arrivals in our story of supermarket folk. The money girls are called … Continue reading →

Posted in Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Les mouches – The flies

Posted on 9 February 2012 by Tournesol

If you want to know more about flies, here are two more French phrases: Il prend une massue pour tuer une mouche : Literal translation: He takes a club to kill a fly: To use a sledgehammer to crack a … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

En flagrant délit

Posted on 8 February 2012 by Tournesol

Au violon : Le violon désigne la prison en général, ou, plus précisément, une cellule du poste de police, avec grille, où sont enfermées provisoirement les personnes prises en flagrant délit : ‘Le violon’ designates prison in general or, more … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Tomber comme un cheveu…

Posted on 8 February 2012 by Tournesol

If you want to say ‘A blot on the landscape’ in French, you should say: ‘ Tomber comme un cheveu sur la soupe’. Literally this translates as: ‘To fall like a hair in the soup’. And for  ‘To carry coals to Newcastle’, … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Du dit au fait…

Posted on 8 February 2012 by Tournesol

Two more French expressions for you: Du dit au fait, il y a un grand trait : Literally: From speech to action is a long gap: Fine words butter no parsnips. Trop parler nuit, trop gratter cuit : Literally: Too … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

‘Shelf Life’ by Simon Parke

Posted on 2 February 2012 by Tournesol

Edna and Margaret: my favourite customers: mes clientes favorites :      Hurry takes us out of the present, and makes monsters of us all. But, thankfully, Edna amd Margaret are never in a hurry. They are two sisters in their … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Une Pipelette : A chatterbox

Posted on 31 January 2012 by Tournesol

Concierge et bavarde impénitente, elle est l’auteure de commérages à répétition : A conciege and unrepentant prattler, she is the instigator of gossip to be repeated. “En dépit de la classique pancarte accrochée à la pomme de la rampe, la … Continue reading →

Posted in Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Les vieilles poules…

Posted on 31 January 2012 by Tournesol

Deux phrases un peu grossières et une qui est ennuyeuse aujourd’hui : Two rather rude phrases and one that is annoying today: Mêle-toi de tes oignons : Literally: Look after your own onions: Mind your own business. Les vieilles poules … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Saisir la balle au bond

Posted on 30 January 2012 by Tournesol

Saisir la balle au bond : Literal meaning: To seize the ball on the bounce: Strike while the iron is hot. La chance sourit aux audacieux : Literal meaning: Fortune smiles at the bold: Fortune favours the bold. Virgil: Aeneid: … Continue reading →

Posted in French, Writers | Tagged , | Leave a comment