Monthly Archives: October 2011

Les cadeaux – presents

Posted on 30 October 2011 by Tournesol

Taken from Catherine Cusset: ‘Un Brillant Avenir’ La nuit tombe. Ils ouvrent les cadeaux. Des dizaines de cadeaux que la grand-mère a préparés depuis des années pour Alex et sa future épouse. Marie se rend compte qu’elle remplit un rôle … Continue reading →

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Intimer…

Posted on 30 October 2011 by Tournesol

False Friend alert…! From the context in which I was reading it yesterday, I could tell that ‘intimer’ does not mean ‘to intimate’. So back to the Roberts-Collins dictionary to see what it does mean: ‘to order, to summon, to … Continue reading →

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‘La Spirale’ par Simon Parke

Posted on 28 October 2011 by Tournesol

‘La Spirale’: La voie empruntée par le mystique n’est pas une ligne droite. Nous ne terrassons pas les dragons les un après les autres, procédant dans l’ordre chronologique vers l’accomplissement final. La voie empruntée par le mystique n’est pas un … Continue reading →

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Un Américan tranquille

Posted on 28 October 2011 by Tournesol

Can you spot a mistake in the above book title: Un Américan tranquille ? When I first borrowed this novel by Graham Greene (‘A Quiet American’) from Portsmouth and Southsea library I had to go to my Collins-Robert dictionary to … Continue reading →

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Un brillant avenir

Posted on 26 October 2011 by Tournesol

Un Brillant Avenir  par Catherine Cusset Ils traversent de vastes pelouses desséchées avant de parvenir au monumental palais du Peuple, blanc comme un gâteau recouvert de glaçage. ‘C’est plutôt beau,’ dit Marie. “Tais-toi,” ordonna Alex. Elle le regarde avec surprise. ‘Ceausescu … Continue reading →

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Gary McKinnon

Posted on 26 October 2011 by Tournesol

Aussi: le licenciement abusif : unfair dismissal: I was dismayed, but not surprised, to read this morning that this vile government (la coalition) is proposing to scrap the right to claim unfair dismissal. But what can one expect from a … Continue reading →

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Talk(sport) radio

Posted on 24 October 2011 by Tournesol

Apart from laughing at the Haka, I can’t say I am missing the rugby which finished yesterday. But bravo to France for getting to the final, and to New Zealand for winning. For myself I welcome the return to ‘normality’ of Talk(sport) … Continue reading →

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‘La Noyade’ par Simon Parke

Posted on 21 October 2011 by Tournesol

La noyade: “Il est tombé à l’eau !” s’écrie le petit garçon en accourant vers son père. Il veut que son père sauve l’homme qui est maintenant complètement disparu sous l’eau, coulant vers le fond, mais personne ne bouge, tout … Continue reading →

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Muammar Gaddafi

Posted on 21 October 2011 by Tournesol

Un tyran de moins – one tyrant less. Quiconque se servira de l’épée périra par l’épée – he who lives by the sword dies by the sword. Now I’m waiting for a smart alec (M. Mme. Mlle je-sais-tout) to tell … Continue reading →

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La gauche molle

Posted on 19 October 2011 by Tournesol

‘La gauche molle’ is an expression I heard a lot of yesterday on europe1 French radio from Paris. I bridled up, thinking the political commentators were calling the French ‘left wing’ ‘feeble, soft, spineless’. The names of François Hollande and … Continue reading →

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