Category Archives: French

Marcel Proust

Posted on 2 January 2012 by Tournesol

Ménager la chèvre et le chou : literally: to handle carefully the goat and the cabbage: En ménageant la chèvre et le chou, on ne heurte ni Pierre, ni Paul, pourtant opposants, et on s’attire les bonnes grâces des deux. … Continue reading →

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Back to the nitty-gritty

Posted on 2 January 2012 by Tournesol

Revenons à nos moutons : literally: let’s get back to our sheep: The nearest English translations: To get back to business, back to the nitty-gritty, back to the subject, back to what we were discussing. Taken from: Don’t toss Granny … Continue reading →

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St Sylvestre : Jour de l’An

Posted on 1 January 2012 by Tournesol

St Sylvestre : Jour de l’An : New Year’s Day Un Sésame : Ce n’est pas un simple mot, mais une formule magique qui donne accès à ce qui est apparemment inaccessible, et ouvre miraculeusement les portes : It is … Continue reading →

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Let sleeping dogs lie

Posted on 28 December 2011 by Tournesol

Let sleeping dogs lie: Il ne faut pas réveiller le chat qui dort :     literal translation: one must not waken the sleeping cat. Taken from: Don’t toss Granny in the Begonias: faut pas pousser mémé dans les bégonias. Par Marie-Helène … Continue reading →

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Une Kyrielle

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Tournesol

Une kyrielle désigne une longue suite de paroles qui se répètent, une série d’êtres ou de choses qui n’en finissent pas : A ‘kyrielle’ describes a long string of repeated words, a series of beings or things that never end. … Continue reading →

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Curiosity killed the cat

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Tournesol

Curiosity killed the cat: Entre l’arbre et l’écorce, il ne faut pas mettre le doigt : don’t poke your finger between the bark and the tree. This is also expressed in an Arabic proverb as ‘Don’t get between the onion … Continue reading →

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Mener une vie…

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Tournesol

‘Mener une vie de bâton de chaise’ : ‘to lead a debauched, dissolute life’ (!) “Non, mon vieux, c’est sérieux et il faut que je t’engueule. Tu mène une vie de bâton de chaise. Tu te perds.” : “No, old … Continue reading →

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‘The Unmarked Tins’ by Simon Parke

Posted on 22 December 2011 by Tournesol

“Johnny, what have you done in the kitchen?!” “What do you mean?” “I can’t find anything! I mean, what’s in this tin?! Peaches? Tomato soup? Mushy peas? How am I supposed to know? It’s hopeless! And you just back from … Continue reading →

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Le pouce (the thumb)

Posted on 18 December 2011 by Tournesol

‘Un pouce’ most usually means a thumb. But also it is the big toe, and an inch. Expressions using ‘pouce’ : Se rouler or se tourner les pouce : to twiddle your thumbs         mettre les pouces : to give in or give … Continue reading →

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To learn by heart

Posted on 18 December 2011 by Tournesol

Pourquoi dit-on “apprendre par cœur ?” Cette expression est née au Moyen Âge. Depuis l’antiquité, le cœur était souvent considéré comme le siège de l’intelligence, de la mémoire et des sensations (sans doute à cause de l’accélération du rythme cardiaque … Continue reading →

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