Monthly Archives: August 2011

Le chien et l’homme

Posted on 23 August 2011 by Tournesol

Bien entraîné, un homme peut devenir le meilleur ami du chien: Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend. Corey Ford

Posted in quotations | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Les yeux vv. 4 and 5

Posted on 22 August 2011 by Tournesol

Back by popular demand: “Les Yeux” par Sully-Prudhomme. verses 4 and 5 (end): Et comme les astres penchants/Nous quittent, mais au ciel demeurent,/Les prunelles ont leurs couchants,/Mais il n’est pas vrai qu’elles meurent: And as the shooting stars/Leave us, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Potable

Posted on 22 August 2011 by Tournesol

A half-way decent hotel is described as ‘potable’ (drinkable). But beware of l’Hôtel de Ville: this is the Town Hall. Do not try to book in or stay there.

Posted in Vocabulary | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Flippant

Posted on 21 August 2011 by Tournesol

I’ve just discovered a ‘false friend’ new to me: flippant. Looking in my Robert-Collins dictionary I find that the French version of the word means ‘grim/depressing’ in English. Having a weird sense of humour, I often aim to be flippant but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Vocabulary | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Fitness training

Posted on 20 August 2011 by Tournesol

Good to know Henry de Montherlant is appreciated…!

Posted in Vocabulary | Leave a comment

L’aigle – the eagle

Posted on 19 August 2011 by Tournesol

‘Le temps actuel a tendance à se glisser au futur.’  : ‘Time keeps on slipping into the future.’ – Steve Miller ‘La solution à cette énigme chronologique pour Steve Miller était de ‘voler comme un aigle.’: ‘Steve Miller’s solution to … Continue reading →

Posted in quotations | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Actuelle(ment)

Posted on 19 August 2011 by Tournesol

‘Actuellement’, instead of ‘actually’,  usually translates as ‘at this moment, now’. It can also mean ‘topical’. In a philosophical sense it can mean ‘actual’. Examples of ‘actuel/actuelle/actuellement’: À l’heure actuelle  : at the present time; à l’époque actuelle  : nowadays, in this day … Continue reading →

Posted in Vocabulary | Leave a comment

Ennui(s)

Posted on 18 August 2011 by Tournesol

Although ‘l’ennui (nm)’ means ‘boredom’, ‘les ennuis’ are difficulties, a nuisance, trouble. What a difference one letter can make…

Posted in Vocabulary | Tagged | Leave a comment

Albert Einstein

Posted on 17 August 2011 by Tournesol

“Il y a deux façons de voir la vie, l’une comme si rien n’était un miracle, l’autre comme si tout était miraculeux.” “There are two ways of looking at life, one  is to think that nothing is a miracle, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Vocabulary | Leave a comment

Anthony de Mello

Posted on 15 August 2011 by Tournesol

‘The Little Fish’ by Anthony de Mello from ‘The Song of the Bird’ “Excuse me,” said an ocean fish, “You are older than I, so can you tell me where to find this thing they call the ocean?” “The ocean,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , | Leave a comment