JohnD Posted January 17, 2023 Author Share Posted January 17, 2023 Once again, rosbif, merci beaucoup! I have leant another word, "maréchaussée", 'constable'! Soirée, tout! Attention comment tu vas! PS The origin of the word is obscure! "maré" - tide, "chaussée" - 'pavement' (so a 'causeway'? A dry road across the tide, the good way through evil??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Cook Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 Back in 2002, a couple of weeks after I bought my GT6, I embarked on a tour of Jacque Tati film locations (Jour de Fete and Les Vacances de M.Hulot). I asked my friend Steve, how his French was..."err". I offered my best phrase (circa 1965 at school) "Ju suis la fenetre in la jardin". This didn't look good! As we were on the ferry Steve offered me these phrases he'd picked up from a couple of songs:- "Chanson d'amour (ra da da da da)" "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?" A few months later we drove the GT6 to Sweden and then to Poland; everyone spoke English in Sweden while we got by with hand gestures in Poland. Never let language hold you back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted January 17, 2023 Author Share Posted January 17, 2023 (edited) Au contraire, mes vieux! I always try to learn at least the politenesses in the language of my next country. Hello, pleased to meet you, what time ?, My name's is, and of course, please and thank you! In Poland, they said I was the first Englishman who was so well equipped! But I met a new colleague who asked might we speak French instead, as he couldn't explain in English? After a few minutes he said that his English was better than my French! And Portuguese for the Rio Olympics. My landlady was so impressed by my existing basics that she gave me lessons so that I could get about the City of God! (Portuguese, and 'Keep your phone in your pocket!!") Universally, most people are very kind and many know English. But they like it even more when you learn their tongue - and it's polite to do so, even a few words! John PS. Duolingo online very useful, and free! https://www.duolingo.com/ Edited January 17, 2023 by JohnD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbif Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 25 minutes ago, JohnD said: But they like it even more when you learn their tongue - and it's polite to do so, even a few words! Absolutely! Makes a big difference and shows you have made an effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchiemk2 Posted March 11, 2023 Share Posted March 11, 2023 On 17/01/2023 at 16:41, Rosbif said: Add to that Police Municipale, employed and controlled by the city/town council. Gendarmes as you say are military, Police Nationale are civil (and as such are allowed to belong to a union unlike military personnel). Both come under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior. Their roles are the same, and again as you say, the Gendarmerie is found in rural areas such as where I live and the Police Nationale in urban areas. Both armed as standard. The gendarmes are the descendants of the maréchaussées, created during the 100 years war to police the conduct of the army - hence why they are military - their role was extended to civil duties in 1536. France does like to make things complicated whenever it can 🙄 Well the Gendarmes are military, under Armies ministry and it's true that they're mostly deployed in rural areas, but also the only ones on higways (with tolls) and also in urban areas with PSIG and airfields or portuar areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchiemk2 Posted March 11, 2023 Share Posted March 11, 2023 On 06/01/2023 at 11:01, JohnD said: Many years ago, the 10CR was supported here by a glossary of terms and words from the vocabulary of car parts and their ills, in several languages, to assist the participants in case of need. That list has long gone, but does anyone have copy, please? I ask, because I'm improving on my school French, in preparation for the next Classic Le Mans. My team colleagues had none, and my school memories were concerned with the cake on the table, with how many glasses of wine. I could recall 'pneu' and 'essence', but the French for spark plug or track rod end was as Greek to me. That list would save me a long search through the dictionary, before I could even start to learn the words! Thank you! John John, if you need help or anything in France, feel free to ask. A bit far from Le Mans to help (250Km south). I advise you to get familiar with common words of the semantic field of cars/engine race with youtubes videos in french + auto translate. But don't forget most french have learnt english enventough they have difficulties to understand or speak, mainly because of accents and speed of speech. Speak slowly is the key. Maybe old educational and formative bords and also those online documents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 Je vous remercie, sincèrement, Frenchie! Alors, comment t'appelle en vrais, si tu plais? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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