The French Journal

The man behind "Petit Robert"

The Petit Robert, is such a fixture on the French language scene that it's difficult to believe that it hasn't been around for centuries but, in fact, the dictionary is just forty years old. France magazine offers us an interview with a man who helped to create it, Alain Rey, and who now serves as creative director. Rey has a common sense approach to the French language and its changes. He believes that the Petit Robert is popular among non-native speakers because it has new, everyday words, and -- perhaps more importantly -- features phonetic pronunciations of its entries. The interview covers topics like why he includes verlan (a French slang) and his approach to foreign terms, interesting stuff that makes me regret not buying that copy of the Micro Robert that I had in my hands in Cambridge the other day. Back to the book store!

French speakers: there's a Le Robert website, mostly devoted to sales and background. The on-line dictionary requires a subscription.

Jim Becker's "Super French Web Sites"

Haven't gone meta for awhile, so lassies and laddies, lemme introduce you to Super French Web Sites, the produce of Jim Becker, "professor emeritus" of the University of Northern Iowa. Here's a page of links -- hundreds of 'em -- about France. Language mavens will be particularly gratified: there are links about grammar, links to quizzes, links to dictionaries, exercises for children, etc. There are links leading to search engines, Paris sites, Pen Pals, Food. There are even several links to pages that will lead you to several links. A weather site. Featured sites. A link to an updating list of the most popular websites in France.

Graphically, it's a gaudy place, but if you're having a slow day at the office, and you're a Francophile, I've just given you enough to keep you busy for several hours.

Blog life: Links, items of interest

Goings-on in the French blogosphere:

• Craig McGinty of This French Life has discovered Imagiers, a YouTube page with dozens of little videos to help you learn the language.
• Charles Bremner of The Times (London), one of the best of us, has a list of what France is talking about this month. Topics include high prices, Sarko swearing a farm show, mayoral elections, Ingrid Bettancourt, and Marion Cotillard. Charles got his info from Paris-Match, which got it from IFOP. Let's see how many degrees of separation we can manage.
• Looking for a gay bar in Paris? Hidden Zipper goes to Raidd. Intense eye candy. HT Marjorie @ My Inner French Girl.
• Added some new links to my sidebar, including Walt's Another American in France, which aligns nicely with Living the Life in Saint-Aignan.
• Thanks to the redesigned SuperFrenchie for adding me to his blog roll.

Rerun: La Langue

It seems as if I’ve been trying to learn how to speak French for decades, and if you count intervals, I have. I could almost write a version of The Twelve Days of Days of Christmas:

Twelve language CDs

Eleven little textbooks

Ten adult classes

Nine private lessons

Eight Champs Elysses

Seven Paris Matches

Six dictionaries

TV5!

Four years of high school

Three terms college

Two workbooks

And a neighbor who comes from Canada!

There will be nombrilisme*

Patching together a post out of odds and ends. Look for thematic connections only at your peril.

• Sarko's work ethic. After rallying the troops during his election campaign with declarations that France needs to devote itself to hard work, it does seem as if the omnipresident has lost his way, doesn't it? I suppose if you want to become a jet setter, the French presidency is as good a platform as any.
• French soap. So I said to myself this morning, what haven't you written about? And I responded, "Soap." Easier said than done. To be continued...
• Reading the dictionary. My favorite on-line French-English dictionary is WordReference.com. Beyond its functionality,the word forums are a fun spot to linger and get help if you need help with translating.
• Montpelier. A brief visitors' guide, courtesy of The Telegraph. I couldn't get too excited about the article, but someone out there may find it useful.
• Gay, American, living in Toulouse? That would be CyberFrance.
• By the way. Anyone know anything about French soap? Other than L'Occitane?
• "I got carried away." That's my favorite (alleged) quote (as reported by The Daily Record) from Jérôme Kerviel, the Soc Gen trader whose deals at one point may have exceeded the entire worth of the bank. You know how these things are.
• You can take the boy out of Utah. Mitt Romney couldn't leave the presidential race without one last swipe at the French. (HT Miquelon.)
• Well, Mitt Romney isn't doing anything these days. A British poet, a candidate for membership in the prestigious l'Académie française, failed to get the required number of votes. But so did everyone else who was up for election. (BBC & Le Figaro.)
• Ending on a positive note: 100,000. The French Journal had its 100,000th hit last night, probably around 8:00 PM. I had intended to celebrate but missed the event. Whoever you were, I love you.

* = Navel gazing.

Cruisin' the blogs: They've scratched my back...

...so I'm scratching theirs. Here are some blogs which have recently mentioned or linked to The French Journal that you may find of interest:

• Secrets of Paris. Heather Stimmler-Hall, author of an upcoming book, Naughty Paris, as well as a Michelin guide to the city, offers an "alternative insider's" view of the City of Light. She seems to have a great ex-pat life there, and her site is a treasure trove.
• Learn French with the Bible. And why not? Lest you think that checking out the site will automatically make you a target for proselytizing, it seems to be a creative way to learn the language, if that -- and the Bible -- are interests of yours.
• Amy Rigby's Diary. Rigby is a smart, witty pop rock artist living in France. Perhaps this is the first time she's been juxtaposed with the Bible.
• CC Style. I certainly am tapping into a Francophile sub-culture of fashion followers. Carmen Colletti is a designer living in Dallas.

Those links should help to keep you busy until the five'o'clock whistle starts to blow.

Added to my "to-do" list: Reorganize my links and create more categories (Paris? Fashion? Travel?). But not today.

Some links (Paris shopping, language, a chateau) and Feedblitz

Here are some various links for you to enjoy:

• I know lots of people go to Paris for shopping, so the blog Chic Paris Shopping, with its regular hints on where one can spend money, will probably tickle the hearts of many a lad and lass.
• Language, language, always the language. The Learn French Guide has many useful links to resources, and suggestions for where you can go to learn the language abroad.
• One very kind reader from France suggested that armchair travelers can get a vicarious thrill by visiting the site of Chateau du Rivau in the Loire Valley.

Lastly, for those of you who want The French Journal delivered to your mailbox, I've added a Feedblitz widget for subscribers. I'm testing the waters here. If any issues arise, make sure you let me know.

Trucs: 'Kozy's date of the week, links, accents, and more French culture

Today is full of minor distractions, so to fulfill my daily -- often unmet -- goal of three items, I'll rush to press with these quickies:

• This week's report on the love life of M. le Président has him connected to model and singer Carla Bruni. The two of them had a date at Disneyland Paris (AP). Before you accuse Sarkozy of abuse of power -- I mean, Disneyland??!!??? -- they were reportedly accompanied by children. In the past, Bruni has dated Mick Jagger, Donald Trump, Eric Clapton, and Buzz Lightyear, which further explains the Disney trip.* Her song, "Quelqu'un m'a dit" is a catchy ditty, which you probably don't realize you know, and which you can watch on the following video.

• If you've been paying attention, you've noted that I added lots of new links on The French Journal's sidebars. Most of them I've mentioned in past posts, but there's at least one new one: Les Accents des Français, which allows you to hear samples of accents from different regions of France. It's in French, but easy enough to maneuver around. Just click on one of the regions on the left sidebar and then select any item listed under "et à écouter." I found the site during a search for explanations about the other kinds of French accents (the ones used in spelling)...still searching for that resource.
• A link that I haven't added yet is a newcomer: French Culture Now, a slick site with feeds on French news, culture, food, and more. I always question my willingness to promote somebody who does what I do but better; maybe I'm a masochist. And then I comfort myself: blogging is not a zero sum game. So good luck, French Culture Now.

* = Bruni didn't really date Lightyear. Nevertheless, her eclectic taste in companions suggest that such a match is possible, after this week ends and Sarkozy moves to his next high profile date.

French Language Podcasts

As I become more skilled in using my husband's iPod -- keeping in mind that "more skilled" is relative and not the same as knowledgeable -- I've started to enjoy the French Podcast Classes which Sebastian, a Frenchman studying in California, produces. Lessons last around 45 minutes, and the gentle, helpful approach of the teacher makes them go down easy. They are a good distraction while I walk around a nearby lake during my feeble attempts at exercise. There are already 90+ modules; some supplemental material is available for free, and additional stuff can be had by subscription. Likewise, the podcasts themselves are free, and I subscribe to them through the iPod store, but there are other ways to download them, like through Yahoo!. Listening on-line, however, doesn't seem to be one of them. P.S. Be sure to check Craig McGinty's comment about listening on-line.

Word games for French beginners (plus a note of congratulations)

For new French speakers, the site Digital Dialects has a number of easy computer games that can help you learn some of the basics of the language. It's simple stuff, with more advance learning games on the way, but beginners might have fun. There's similar help available on the site for dozens of other languages if you're planning a side trip to another country while visiting France.

This resource came to my attention through Craig McGinty and This French Life, a site which is celebrating its fourth blogaversery. Craig is a true gentleman blogger, always ready with helpful suggestions. If you have a chance, stop by and wish him many happy returns!