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Entries from June 2005

un bout

bouteille = bottle (c) Kristin
Syrup for sale at a local farmer's market

un bout (boo) noun, masculine
  1. end; tip; bit

Citation du Jour:
Mon fils, si tu as besoin d'un coup de main dans la vie, n'oublie pas de regarder au bout de tes deux bras. My son, if you need a helping hand in life, don't forget to look at the end of your two arms. --Andrée Maillet

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A Day in a French Life...
Do not miss the story that originally accompanied this edition.

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Expressions and Terms:

un bout de temps = a little while
faire un bout de chemin = to go part of the way
d'un bout à l'autre = from one end to the other
au bout de la rue = at the end of the street
au bout d'un moment = after a while
au bout du compte = all things considered
au bout du fil = on the other end (telephone)
à bout de forces = exhausted
à bout de souffle = out of breath
à bout de bras = at arm's length
joindre les deux bouts = to make ends meet
pousser quelqu'un à bout = to push somebody too far
venir à bout de = to succeed
voir le bout du tunnel = to see the light at the end of the tunnel

A Message from KristiOngoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.

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le nombril

Colorado provencal
"Le Colorado Provençal" in the Lubéron National Park (SE France)

le nombril (nohn-breel) noun, masculine
  1. navel, belly button

Terms and Expressions:

le contemplateur de nombril = navel-gazer
contempler le nombril = omphaloskepsis or to contemplate one's navel, to navel-gaze
se regarder le nombril = to look at one's navel, to be overly interested in oneself
se prendre pour le nombril du monde = to think the world revolves around oneself

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Proverb:
Au-dessous du nombril, il n'y a ni religion ni vérité.
Below the navel there is neither religion nor truth.

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A Day in a French Life...
On Saturday morning we reached "le Far West Français."* Instead of Stetsons and spurs, we sported Panamas and penny loafers. A vrai dire,* some among us--and not all--wore such incompatibles (and I won't hide my glee at catching the French commit a garment gaffe). Les Français, who are apparel-adroit for most occasions, are sometimes thrown off hanger in matters of sportswear. But back to our story...

"Le Far West" is just another name for "le Colorado Provençal," which is just another appellation for part of the splendid national park of the Luberon. Surrounding towns in this part of southeast France include Apt, Cavaillon, Menerbes, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Saint Saturnin les Apt and Saignon--the last of which being where we would hang our hats at the end of the day.

We left our cars in the village of Rustrel and stopped in to a closet-sized épicerie* to buy bananas, apples, two boxes of cookies and enough water for a dozen adults. The twelve trekkers mentioned are our traveling pals who happen to live in or near our village here in the Var. This périple* to the neighboring department of the Vaucluse marked our 4th annual voyage together.

A ten kilometer parcours* was chosen and we stayed on track by following les balises bleues.* Hiking at the same pace, but in ever-changing-ever-tchatching* clusters, we advanced into the palette of Provence; "palette" for the two-dozen or so shades of ochre which are visible throughout the canyon (hence the name "Colorado Provençal").

We marched along the limestone path, flanked by fields of budding lavender and wheat, toward the colorful cliffs. Soon, the fragrant maritime pine and chestnut forest engulfed us. When temperatures rose les nombrils* got exposed as t-shirts were lifted or altogether eliminated. Three-quarters of the way into our trek we pulled off to the side of the trail for a welcome repos.* Out came chilled white wine and the boxes of cookies.

Another group of hikers filed past us, slowing only to say "Bon appétit," reminding me that we were nowhere near the Colorado of my childhood but most assuredly in France--the only place on earth where complete strangers will stop to enthuse, "Enjoy your meal!"
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Words_in_a_french_life Words in a French Life: "...a heart-winning collection from an American woman raising two very French children with her French husband in Provence, carrying on a lifelong love affair with the language."

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*References: le français (m) = French; à vrai dire = to tell the truth; une épicerie (f) = grocer's shop; le périple (m) = voyage, trip; le parcours (m) = trail route; la balise bleue (f) = trail or road marker; tchatching (Franglais from the French verb 'tchatcher') = to chat; le nombril (m) = navel; le repos (m) = rest

A Message from KristiOngoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.

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le champ

Champdefleurs
Un champ de fleurs -- A field of flowers near a farm in the Lubéron

le champ (shom) noun, masculine
  1. field;  area; scope

Also:
les champs = countryside
le champ de courses = hippodrome, racetrack
le champ de bataille = battlefield
les fleurs des champs = wild flowers

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Expressions

avoir du champ = to have elbowroom
avoir le champ libre = to be free to do as one chooses
le champ est libre = the coast is clear
prendre du champ = to stand back, to give oneself plenty of room
sur-le-champ = immediately

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Citation du Jour
Sème du bonheur dans le champ du voisin, tu seras surpris de constater ce que le vent fera produire au tien.

Sow happiness in the neighbor's field and you'll be surprised to note what the wind will produce in your own.
--Juliette St-Gelais

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A Day in a French Life...

Twelve friends, two days and three colors: le rouge, le vert et le jaune.*

Rouge:  for les champs de coquelicots* and plump red cerises* which weighed down tree branches and had them languidly sweeping the Luberon's dusty floor.

Green:  for the leafy grapevines, chestnut trees and maritime pines--the scent of which perfumed the Vauclusien* air as we hiked through a canyon of ochre.

Yellow:  for the sweet-scented flowering genêt,* the abundant soleil* and the powdery mustard-colored earth which covered our skin as we kicked up puffs of the fine powder during our trek along the sentier balisé.*

More on our parcours* to France's "Colorado provençal" tomorrow...

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References: le rouge, le vert et le jaune = red, green and yellow; le champ de coquelicots (m) = field of poppies; la cerise (f) = cherry; Vauclusien = of the Vaucluse (department in SE France); le genêt (m) = broom (plant); le soleil (m) = sun; le sentier balisé (m) =  marked footpath; le parcours (m) = journey

A Message from KristiOngoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.

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le parcours

Comedy Wine Bar in Cannes (c) Kristin Espinasse
A bar à vin / wine bar in Cannes

le parcours (par-koor) noun, masculine

  1. distance; journey, route
  2. course, round
  3. mileage; fare

Related Expressions and Terms

le parcours de golf = golf course
le parcours de santé = fitness trail
le parcours de combattant = obstacle course
le parcours politique = political career
payer le parcours = to pay the fare

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Citation du Jour
Les parcours sinueux sont ceux qui atteignent les sommets.
It is the winding roads that reach the summit.
--Jean-Charles Ducoulombier

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L' EMBARRAS DU CHOIX (SPOILT FOR CHOICE)
by Barbara Barles    

(Read this article in French)

In France (but surely elsewhere, too) going shopping puts us before a permanent dilemma as to the choice of the best product; this, even more so, as we are constantly presented all kinds of new things.

Under these conditions, filling up one's shopping cart puts us back onto the obstacle course!

Take deodorants, for example.  The choice between a stick, a spray, or a roll-on turns out to be difficult enough, but it is even more so now that the "no mark" deodorants exists (permitting avoiding white traces atop dark-colored clothing). Existing only in spray, it forces the stick and roll-on enthusiasts to have two bottles in their bathroom, one for dark days and one for the other days.

In cleaning products it's the same thing.

If only a few years ago a good-sized barrel of powder let one wash the whole family's laundry, today it is necessary to multiply one's weapons to overcome the problem of stains.

That is why, to the traditional powdered detergent, it is advisable to add a special detergent for dark clothes (designed so that the dark clothes don't turn grey); special detergent for white clothes (formulated to avoid their turning yellow); special detergent for synthetic materials (ideal for sportswear) and special detergent for woolen or delicate fabrics.

And if, despite all of this paraphernalia, certain stains still resist, then it is necessary to purchase a series of little magic bottles, yet making sure not to confuse grease stains with colored stains (fruit, wine, blood), or with ink or rust stains (each among them needing its own specific product).

And if the French pull their hair out or turn grey facing all these choices, all they need to do is to take a look at the shampoo section where they're sure to find their happiness among shampoo for "hair loss"; "colored hair" and others "fine" or "curly" hair!

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Words_in_a_french_life Words in a French Life: "...a heart-winning collection from an American woman raising two very French children with her French husband in Provence, carrying on a lifelong love affair with the language."

A Message from KristiOngoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.

Ways to contribute:
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2.Paypal or credit card
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For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety


un embarras

      Cat Minding the Cheese
                 Siesta in Taradeau... at a honey and cheese farm.

My friend Barbara, who contributed several expression-packed articles last year, is back with a humorous look into the difficulty in choosing; see her article "Spoilt for Choice". Today's photo, of the cat minding le fromage (a bit off-topic) was taken at the honey and cheese farm in Taradeau--the one Barbara invited me to discover last April. Enjoy today's story in French--tomorrow it will appear in English. Amicalement, Kristin

un embarras (om-bah-rah) noun, masculin
1. a difficulty, worry; a predicament; an uncertainty
2. an embarrassment
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Expressions:
être dans l'embarras = to be in a predicament
faire des embarras = to lack simplicity or ease in decision making
avoir l'embarras du choix = to be spoilt for choice, to have too much to choose from
tirer quelqu'un d'embarras = to get someone out of a tight spot
mettre quelqu'un dans l'embarras = to put someone in an awkward position
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Citation du Jour
La nécessité nous délivre de l'embarras du choix.
Necessity delivers us from the difficulty of choice.--
Vauvenargues

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L' EMBARRAS DU CHOIX
by Barbara Barles

En France (mais certainement ailleurs également), faire ses courses aujourd'hui nous place devant un dilemme permanent quant au choix du meilleur produit, et ceci d'autant plus que toutes sortes de nouveautés nous sont sans cesse proposées.

Dans ces conditions, remplir son caddy relève du parcours du combattant !

Pour les déodorants par exemple, le choix entre un stick, un vaporisateur ou un roller s'avérait déjà difficile, mais il l'est encore plus depuis qu'existe le déodorant « anti-traces », permettant d'éviter de laisser des traces blanches sur les vêtements de couleur foncée, mais n'existant qu'en vaporisateur, et obligeant donc les adeptes du stick ou du roller à avoir deux flacons dans leur salle de bain, un pour les jours en noir et un pour les autres jours !

En matière de lessive c'est la même chose.

S'il y a quelques années encore un bon gros baril de poudre permettait de laver le linge de toute la famille, il faut aujourd'hui multiplier ses armes pour venir à bout des taches !

C'est pourquoi à la traditionnelle lessive en poudre, il convient d'ajouter la lessive spéciale vêtements noirs (destinée à éviter qu'ils virent au gris), la lessive spéciale vêtements blancs (destinée à éviter qu'ils virent au jaune), la lessive spéciale textiles synthétiques (idéale pour les vêtements de sport), et la lessive spéciale lainage ou linge délicat.

Et si malgré cet attirail, certaines taches résistent encore, il faudra alors investir dans l'achat de petites bouteilles magiques, en veillant toutefois à ne pas confondre les taches de gras avec les taches colorées (fruits, vin, sang), ni avec les taches d'encre ou de rouille, chacune d'entre elles ayant son produit spécifique.

Et si les Français s'arrachent les cheveux ou se font des cheveux blancs devant tant de choix, ils n'auront qu'à aller faire un tour au rayon shampoing, ils y trouveront certainement leur bonheur parmi les shampoing « anti-chute », « cheveux colorés » et autres « cheveux lisses » ou « bouclés » !

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A Message from KristiOngoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.

Ways to contribute:
1.Zelle®, The best way to donate and there are no transaction fees. Zelle to [email protected]

2.Paypal or credit card
Or purchase my book for a friend and so help them discover this free weekly journal.
For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety


Volume I

Wiaflvi_1 An inspiring collection of French vocabulary and stories from the early editions of French Word-A-Day.

151 pages brimming with fun and useful French expressions, thoughtful French quotes, and insights into France and French culture. Learn about French customs, enjoy the charm of day to day life in the South of France, understand lifestyles we share with the French and appreciate our cultural differences.

What readers say:
Kristin, I absolutely love Words in a French Life! It's the best book I've ever read that covers the French! I've read everything I can get my hands on...I finally realized why I liked yours the best. You are an American trying to fit in and you're young! I always feel the way you do whenever I am in France. I put on my jeans and tennis shoes to go exploring Paris and the concierge at the hotel says, "Vous faites de l'alpinisme aujourd'hui?" I can't wander through the streets in high heels but the beautiful French women do! Thanks for all your hard work! Is there Volume II that I can buy? --Paula Gyllenborg

I already ordered one of your books several weeks ago and have decided to buy several more to use as gifts. Others I know will greatly appreciate your work. ----Ed Byczynski

I received your book yesterday when I returned home from work. Instead of starting dinner, I started reading it. I was having such a nice time reading the book that it was difficult to put it down and start dinner. Thank you for signing the book and for your appreciative words. --Helen Wong

Update: Volume One is now sold out. Selected stories from Volume One can be found in this book:

Words_in_a_french_life Words in a French Life: "...a heart-winning collection from an American woman raising two very French children with her French husband in Provence, carrying on a lifelong love affair with the language."

A Message from KristiOngoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.

Ways to contribute:
1.Zelle®, The best way to donate and there are no transaction fees. Zelle to [email protected]

2.Paypal or credit card
Or purchase my book for a friend and so help them discover this free weekly journal.
For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety


un gancho

  Agayfence
                           Sur la plage--On the beach in Agay's bay

Today's word appears to be regional and is difficult, if not impossible, to find in a French/English dictionary... That's not to say you should miss out on the fun of using it!

le gancho (gen-shoo) noun, masculine
  1. "le crochet" or hook, peg

Expressions and Related Terms:
faire le gancho = to pick up on someone, to ogle or "eye up" a girl (from the action of squinting, or "winking")
un ganchou = someone who is "twisted". One who behaves like un ganchou would be acting in a maladroit or twisted (strange, odd) manner

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Citation du Jour:
S'accrocher au connu, c'est rester prisonnier de l'ignorance.
To cling to the known, is to remain prisoner of ignorance.
--Yvon Rivard

Column
Seated on a cool chaise-longue facing the sea, I listen to the cry of French seagulls and the soft crash of Mediterranean waves. Our friends Véro and Tony are having breakfast sur le sable;* I watch the latter divide up an ananas.*

"Tu voudrais un morceau? Would you like a piece?" he says.

I accept a thick yellow disk and settle back into my chair, keeping two feet in the sand so as to have all my senses reeling, especially to the sound of le goéland,* the feel of so many tiny round warming beads under toe and, now, the sweet and sour taste of exotic fruit. Vacation is a time to come back to one's senses, the very receptors that get muddled and sometimes numbed in the train-train* of daily life which rushes by.

Tony is a docker at Europe's third largest port--Marseilles. As we enjoy the ananas he explains that "le gancho" is the the union emblem on the T-shirts worn by his colleagues. With that, he raises a muscular arm, crooks his forefinger and elaborates:

"Le gancho is the hook we use to pull in 80-kilo sacks from the ship's cargo."**

"Gen-shoo," he repeats, helping me to understand the word's pronunciation, which sounds more like Japanese than le Français:* like a fizzy, ginger-based power drink one might down before a grueling climb up Mount Fuji, or a tongue-burning condiment to accompany a fish-backed ball of sticky rice.

Next, Tony squeezes one eye shut. "It's also the word for someone without an eye, or someone cross-eyed. Imagine a hook landing in your eye..."

On that note, he turns to the beautiful woman sitting beside him.
"But there is one more expression we use in Marseilles..." he says, eyeing his wife. "Faire le gancho."*

The couple's eyes hook just then and a long, nostalgic gaze ensues, making me wonder about their meeting over a decade ago.

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*References: la chaise-longue (f) = deckchair; sur le sable = on the sand; un ananas (m) = a pineapple; le goéland (m) = seagull; le train-train (m) = the humdrum routine; le français (m) = French; faire le gancho = to pick up on someone **see an image of the gancho in action (at the following website, go to "photos"; click "cafe" then click on center image http://dockermarseille.free.fr)

A Message from KristiOngoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.

Ways to contribute:
1.Zelle®, The best way to donate and there are no transaction fees. Zelle to [email protected]

2.Paypal or credit card
Or purchase my book for a friend and so help them discover this free weekly journal.
For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety