taquiner
Friday, June 13, 2008
Near Montpellier, in the Hérault department: the mountain of Pic Saint-Loup.
taquiner (tah-kee-nay)
: to tease
French idiom: taquiner le goujon = to go fishing
:: Audio File :: Hear French
Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the French word taquiner and read the idiom: Download taquiner.mp3 . Download taquiner.wav
Rule No. 1: A French Farmer must dress like a French Farmer and not like a fancy-schmancy Phoenician...
* * *
Not all of the grapevines that surround this farmhouse belong to us... which explains why once a month or so, a beat-up van, a couple of roaring tractors, and a regular ol' bagnole* become a part of the changing pastoral picture outside our kitchen window.
Recently, that scene became animated when a few seasoned farmers (dressed in fading farmer threads, faces burnt tomato red) began to tease my newbie farmer husband (sporting a tan and dressed in a hand-me-down polo from my American brother-in-law, and chinos... the pants are souvenirs from Jean-Marc's white-collar days.)
Here, now, is a scrap of that conversation, for your own amusement:
Thread-bare Farmers, shouting taquineries* from across the field:
"Oh eh! Il faut travailler. Ce n'est pas le club méditerranée ici!"
(Hey you over there! Time to get to work! This isn't Club Med, you know!)
Jean-Marc (feathers slightly ruffled... having taken the bait):
"Mais... Je suis allé VENDRE du vin ce matin!"
(But... I've been out SELLING my wine this morning...)
Thread-bare Farmers' rip-roaring riposte:
"Oh eh! Ce n'est pas le Club Med ici! Hehehehehe!"
Rule No. 2 : A Newbie French Farmer Must Never Explain (lest he be teased again and again).
* * *
Post note: Jean-Marc took a rare day off yesterday and, along with friends, we visited Anne-Marie and Christian Mocci of Domaine du Mas de Martin (beneath the picturesque Pic St-Loup, not far from Montpellier. Their wines, olive oils, and secluded rooms for rent are recommended:
On our way home, we stopped by Chateau Gres Saint Paul (in the town of Lunel) for some lively, round-table conversation with the winemakers. If ever in the Hérault region, check these places out!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~References~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
la bagnole (f) = jalopy (car) ; la taquinerie (f) = teasing
The Way of the World: Originally published in 1963 under the title, L'Usage du Monde, the book became a cult classic in France and was translated into several European languages. Because it covers countries that have become accessible to all peoples through world events and the media, it seems appropriate that the book is available for the first time in English. -Library Journal
My French Coach by Nintendo. Playing My French Coach for 15 to 20 minutes a day is all you need to become fluent in French, no matter your age. The simple touch screen interface lets you spend less time learning the game and more time learning French.
In French Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Winner, Golden Globe Awards, Best Picture of the Year)
A Message from Kristi: Ongoing 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
Comments