Experience Language: Experience Life!
Newsletter - February 2007

Bonjour and welcome to our February newsletter. Bonne lecture!

In this issue:

Exclusive New Course - French and Property in Aix
Cultural Faux Pas
A Pétaouchnok!
French Tongue Twisters

Exclusive New Course - French and Property in Aix

Are you thinking of buying a property in France?

This brand new course consists of French lessons in the mornings and an in depth property programme in the afternoons. The programme covers steps to purchasing a property in France, the role of estate agents and the notaire, the "compromis de vente" and French taxes. The course also includes practical advice on owning property in France such as dealing with electricians and plumbers, opening a bank account and looking for a French mortgage.

Click here for more details on the French and Property course.

Cultural Faux Pas

In the UK, we don't like it if a person jumps a queue. To avoid causing offence in France, voici quelques conseils:

Don't say 'tu' or use people's first name until they tell you it is ok to do so.
Don't cut your lettuce with a knife. You should fold the lettuce over and over with a fork.
Do eat your bread on the table. The French rarely have side plates for bread.
Don't help yourself to more wine. If you want more wine, finish your glass and the host will know to refill it.
Do put your hands on the table during meals but not your elbows. It is rude to leave your hands on your knees.

A Pétaouchnok!

Mais où est Pétaouchnok? You may have heard the expression 'à Pétaouchnok' and wondered where Pétaouchnok is. 'Pierre habite à Pétaouchnok', 'Ils sont partis à Pétaouchnok'. Well, Pétaouchnok is no where. It is an imaginary place used to mean in the middle of nowhere.

Below are a few more colloquial expressions to describe your whereabouts:

La cambrousse - la campagne (countryside).
Le bled, le patelin - le village (village).
Dans les parages - dans les environs (in the vicinity).
Etre du coin - venir de la région (to be local).
La France profonde - le coeur de la France (the real heart of France).

French Tongue Twisters

A great way to practice your pronunciation is to have a go at the following French tongue twisters.

Un chasseur sachant chasser sait chasser sans son chien de chasse.
(A hunter knowing how to hunt can hunt without a hunting dog)
Je suis ce que je suis et si je suis ce que je suis, qu'est-ce que je suis?
( I am who I am and if I am who I am, who am I?)
Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches? Archi-sèches!
(Are the socks of the archduchesse dry? Super dry!)
Ces six saucissons-ci sont si secs qu'on ne sait si s'en sont.
(These six sausages are so dry that we don't know if they are sausages)
Poisson sans boisson, c'est poison!
(Fish without drink, is poison)
Des blancs pains, des bancs peints, des bains pleins.
(White bread, painted bench, full baths)