Je ne sais pas sur quel pied danser...I don't know which foot to dance on.
Which actually means to not know how to react or which side to take, which decision to make with regards to someone or something.
I like it in French - it sounds just a little bit whimsical. And of course it calls up an image. French is good for that, colorful expressions that easily lend themselves to images. There's actually an adjective that means just that - imagé - colorful but not in the full-of-color way. You know what I mean.
Anyway, back to dancing on one foot. Or the other. I've been doing it lately. And while I love to dance, I'd like to stop.
Showing posts with label a French word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label a French word. Show all posts
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
I learned today
Which is a good thing to be able to say about any day, I should think.
A new word. Retors. As in "Il est retors." Which is an unfortunate thing to have to say about anyone. But which, on occasion, is true. Whether it needs to be said or not is an entirely different subject.
The dictionary says crafty but it's a bit more pejorative than that. Maybe dipping a toe into shrewd or malicious. In any case, sly and probably underhanded.
Really, nothing you'd want to be around. But at least we know what it's called.
A new word. Retors. As in "Il est retors." Which is an unfortunate thing to have to say about anyone. But which, on occasion, is true. Whether it needs to be said or not is an entirely different subject.
The dictionary says crafty but it's a bit more pejorative than that. Maybe dipping a toe into shrewd or malicious. In any case, sly and probably underhanded.
Really, nothing you'd want to be around. But at least we know what it's called.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
From the rooster to the donkey
Passer du coq à l'âne. I love this expression, probably because I do it from time to time.
It's when you're talking about one subject and then you jump to a completely unrelated subject with no transition at all.
To be truthful, there is always a link for me, it just may not be apparent to everyone. And I am usually able to loop it back around so that, in the end, it all makes sense. I have a few friends who have similar conversation styles so they trust my sense of direction. Those who don't usually smile and watch me draw swirls.
Conversations are spirals and swirls, as opposed to straight lines, aren't they?
It's when you're talking about one subject and then you jump to a completely unrelated subject with no transition at all.
To be truthful, there is always a link for me, it just may not be apparent to everyone. And I am usually able to loop it back around so that, in the end, it all makes sense. I have a few friends who have similar conversation styles so they trust my sense of direction. Those who don't usually smile and watch me draw swirls.
Conversations are spirals and swirls, as opposed to straight lines, aren't they?
Monday, March 01, 2010
Give until it hurts
Donnant - donnant. Giving - giving. Used in situations where we would use give and take. Or tit for tat.
I have to say that I find it very interesting that the French express that concept in such a generous and optimistic way. And I only say that because they usually admit to being a glass-half-empty kind of culture. Sometimes I wonder if there wasn't a corner that led to the turn that led to the place they are now, a turn that required the loss of optimism. A revolution or something along those lines. Anyone who knows more about French history than me (that would be most people) - please feel free to name that corner.
And I wouldn't say that it's a selfish culture either. The S word is tossed around quite a bit - solidarity - but more as an accompaniment to hand gestures and grand theories than anything else. The fact is that solidarity is legally required here every day from nearly everyone, so spontaneous gestures of generosity are no longer commonplace. Which is not, of course, to say that French people aren't generous. Oh why oh why do I write posts that require qualifications and reassurances?
Anyway, giving and giving. I don't know. It just sounds a bit off. Is it very American of me to want it to be giving and getting?
I have to say that I find it very interesting that the French express that concept in such a generous and optimistic way. And I only say that because they usually admit to being a glass-half-empty kind of culture. Sometimes I wonder if there wasn't a corner that led to the turn that led to the place they are now, a turn that required the loss of optimism. A revolution or something along those lines. Anyone who knows more about French history than me (that would be most people) - please feel free to name that corner.
And I wouldn't say that it's a selfish culture either. The S word is tossed around quite a bit - solidarity - but more as an accompaniment to hand gestures and grand theories than anything else. The fact is that solidarity is legally required here every day from nearly everyone, so spontaneous gestures of generosity are no longer commonplace. Which is not, of course, to say that French people aren't generous. Oh why oh why do I write posts that require qualifications and reassurances?
Anyway, giving and giving. I don't know. It just sounds a bit off. Is it very American of me to want it to be giving and getting?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Baise-en-ville
I'm afraid to translate this one literally, I'll get reported for questionable content.
So the clean version is: sex-in-town.
It actually refers to a small bag, like an overnight bag or even smaller, in which one might carry all the necessary items one might need were one to decide to not go home one evening in favor of spending the night elsewhere pursuing pleasure.
How's that for clean? Very, I'd say.
It's the kind of word I love, not necessarily for what it represents, but simply for the fact that there is a word for such a thing. I love that about French.
I guess the next obvious question is what you would put into your baise-en-ville...
So the clean version is: sex-in-town.
It actually refers to a small bag, like an overnight bag or even smaller, in which one might carry all the necessary items one might need were one to decide to not go home one evening in favor of spending the night elsewhere pursuing pleasure.
How's that for clean? Very, I'd say.
It's the kind of word I love, not necessarily for what it represents, but simply for the fact that there is a word for such a thing. I love that about French.
I guess the next obvious question is what you would put into your baise-en-ville...
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Dodge this
Or we could also call this random.
1. Two more rainbows followed last friday's. Which means that St. Anthony thinks I've lost several things.
2. I've voted and sent off my ballot. The overseas American population votes fairly predictably. Military populations usually vote Republican and expat populations usually vote Democrat. I think I read somewhere that expat ballots got 'lost' 4 years ago. Of course, the military ballots were safely delivered and counted 3 times.
3. I really am going to get back to regular blogging. Starting Monday. It's my almost mid-October resolution.
4. I mentioned to a friend what a friend mentioned to me - Jung said that whatever you've stuck in a box and haven't dealt with becomes problematic after 35. So I'm currently trying to imagine these boxes I've got as lovely Christmas presents and not the time bombs in pretty wrapping that they really are.
5. Esquiver. To dodge or avoid.
1. Two more rainbows followed last friday's. Which means that St. Anthony thinks I've lost several things.
2. I've voted and sent off my ballot. The overseas American population votes fairly predictably. Military populations usually vote Republican and expat populations usually vote Democrat. I think I read somewhere that expat ballots got 'lost' 4 years ago. Of course, the military ballots were safely delivered and counted 3 times.
3. I really am going to get back to regular blogging. Starting Monday. It's my almost mid-October resolution.
4. I mentioned to a friend what a friend mentioned to me - Jung said that whatever you've stuck in a box and haven't dealt with becomes problematic after 35. So I'm currently trying to imagine these boxes I've got as lovely Christmas presents and not the time bombs in pretty wrapping that they really are.
5. Esquiver. To dodge or avoid.
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