FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Kristin,

I love your virtual addition of '1 heaping, HOLLERING teaspoon' of "engueulades". After all, it's only a teaspoonful, so, about six grams (?) - not that much, but enough to get the right balance with the 'sweet' arguments.

My husband has "une patience d'ange" and never raises his voice at anyone, so, "jamais d'engueulades entre nous". We do argue, discuss, throw our different opinions, I do raise my voice but no yelling. In other words, we try to find good compromises, but, "sans élever beaucoup la voix" (= without raising our voice a lot).

Arguments I used to have with my teenage daughter would sometimes end up with "des engueulades magistrales” (“magistral” = masterly, remarkable, brilliant).
She would yell back at me and get angry at the whole world! Never quite sure who started yelling first. Oh! blessed staircase that would carry her final shouting to her bedroom on the first floor. She would reach her room and would slam the door - final procedure that meant the end of the storm! She would reappear 1/2 hour to an hour later, "comme si de rien n'était" (as if nothing had ever happened).
The best was not to mention anything at all about the (still hot) yelling scene, as this would have been as bad as "jeter de l'huile sur le feu" (adding fuel to the flames).
No more crises of that nature these days...

Cher Kristen, Merci Beaucoup por votre reciept for a happy marriage!!
Maureen and I have the same one. I think it works for both of us!!
It was so nice to share time with you & JM the other day! Our guest left today for Aix & Nice, great fun but today is for relaxing!
Kisses Maureen & Lee

This is what I found for "engueuler comme du poisson pourri":
= to tear a strip off somebody / to scold vigourously
= to tell off, using insults, swearing and a lot of shouting.
This is surely nastier than when simply yelling at each other. It's when “les engueulades” become really rude and nasty!

... "comme du poisson pourri"? The 'rotten fish' here makes an allusion to the women who used to sell fish on the market (fishwives would be a bit derogatory...). They were all very famous for bawling when 'inviting' people to buy their (dead!) fish.
'to bawl' = "brailler"

I love your revised recipe. I know it's beyond my character to include 0kg d'engueulades. I'm not even sure I believe in the oft recommended bit of marital advice - "never go to bed mad." Sometimes it just seems better to get some sleep (even if you really don't sleep well after an argument) and face the situation with a new day and a new perspective.

Hissy wife and huffy husband? maybe... from time to time... but the recipe does work... and I'm absolutely sure "les engueulades" are not that frequent and they never reach a degree of bawling and insults!

Ahaah! I've just written a comment on a photo in CINÉMA VÉRITÉ. You really ought to see that priceless picture of both of them.
Highly recommended!
Premier Prix!
You'll love it!
Have I convinced you?

I understand hissy wife, but I never seem to have a huffy husband. At times I wish he would especially when I am hissy. But then it passes as quickly as it came.

I agree with Newforest you must check out the beautiful picture.

Very cool for this time of year in Phoenix today. Yesterday wind and cool temps came in at around 80 degrees, unheard of for May.

Life takes so much out of us sometimes, and demands so much from us, and situations can be enervating and frustrating . . . it's hard not to lose your temper with anyone, children as well as spouses.

I think if couples agree they will not raise their voices, and are willing to talk, differences can usually be resolved. The point above about not going to bed mad makes sense. Somes when husband and I weren't totally in sync, I'd lie down for a little nap instead of arguing, which usually helped.

Other useful questions to ask are, "What is it like to be married to me?" or "What is it like to have me as a parent?" Put yourself in another's shoes, and try to see what he/she sees. You will want to be your best self.

Oh Kristen, ENGEULADE is a wonderful word! French Canadians dearly love to argue too.
I'll take this opportunity to announce that mine died in February, aged 90. He had a sweeter nature than I (no PMS). He was in a home for dementia, but cause of death was a kidney infection. When he was in early stages of that cruel disease we had some beauties, and the way he acted the morning after (as if nothing had happened) was my clue that his memory was gone. I know - too soon old, too late smart. Your blog is the best thing I've found on the net.
Dorothy

Hi Kristin,
I love the happy union recipe. Tell Jackie "merci" for pronouncing today's word. I would have said it wrong....on-glaad.
Is the photo taken at the same Chateau Miraval that is owned by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie?

Very useful indeed, Suzanne. If we followed the written pronunciation, "eu" would have been missed out and "engueulade" would have sounded like "englade", (and not understood!) instead of:
- en .... nasal "en"
- gueu .. pronounce hard "g" + "eu" (gue)
- lade .. with "a" as in 'fAther', as Suzanna said, (or, as in "pApA"). Elision of final "e".
“Engueulade” comes from gueule, hence "gueuler", "dégueuler", "engueuler" (so gueu + l... not gl..and the sound “eu” must be kept)

I just listened to Jackie. She gave the right pronunciation. I noticed she detached "une" from "engueulade". She could have made a liaison, starting with "u", then linking "n" with "en" ... but here, it's ok.

Suzanne, I had a quick look at your webside and was dazzled by all your astrological treasures!

I cannot get the pronunciation of the word of the day to download correctly. Any suggestions? Comment vont Smokey et Braise?