From A to Z All These Little French and American Words…

March 21, 2016 by

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From April 1st to April 30th, I will write every day, but Sundays, following the alphabetical order, about one of these little French and American words that don’t always mean the same thing whether they are used in France or the USA.

Due to the predominance of American words used in France in comparison to the number of French words used in the USA, I won’t always be able to alternate between the two languages. In some cases I found more than one word, so I will sometimes offer you two for the price of one.

On the other side, I’m still missing a few words for a few letters.

If anyone is willing to help out, it would be awesome. I’m looking either for a French word used in the USA or an American word used in France that starts with the following letters:

J, K, Q, U, Y, X, Z.

If I cannot find any good match, I’ll go ahead with an idiom, different from the ones I selected for the 2015 A to Z Challenge.

As always I welcome your comments, suggestions and support.

The more the merrier.

I’m also looking forward to seeing what you are up to for this 2016 A to Z challenge.

 

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Du 1er au 30 avril j’écrirai un billet chaque jour, sauf le dimanche, suivant l’ordre alphabétique, à propos de l’un de ces petits mots français et américains qui ne veulent pas toujours dire ce qu’ils sont supposés signifier qu’ils soient utilisés en France ou aux Etats Unis.

Pour ce nouveau challenge il me sera parfois difficile de publier alternativement en français et en anglais, du à la proéminence de mots américains dans la langue française en comparaison avec le nombre de mots français utilisés aux Etats Unis. Dans certains cas, cependant, j’ai trouvé plusieurs exemples pour la même lettre. Je vous en offrirai donc parfois deux pour le prix d’un.

Par contre il me manque encore quelques mots pour les lettres suivantes: J, K, Q, U, Y, X, Z.

Si vous voulez m’aider à trouver soit un mot français utilisé aux USA ou un mot américain utilisé en France, je vous en remercie par avance.

Si je ne trouve rien je choisirai une expression idiomatique comme je l’ai fait en 2015 pour le Challenge de A à Z.

Comme toujours je suis ouverte à vos commentaires, suggestions et encouragement.

Plus on est de fous plus on rit.

Je suis impatiente de lire ce que vous aurez vous aussi concocté pour le challenge 2016.

 

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What if You Went to a Book Festival?

February 22, 2016 by

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Most writers I know would rather stay home or in the corner of their favorite library or café to write. But once in a while we all need to get our introvert selves out there. Me included.

Last Saturday, I joined more than one hundred authors who participated to the annual Amelia Island Book Festival in Fernandina Beach, Florida.

It was my first time and I was filled with anxiety. What if I got lost on my way to an unknown place? What if I didn’t find a parking spot close enough to the venue? What if I had to make several trips to unload my books and my material? What if nobody stopped by my booth? What if I spent the next eight hours alone?

“What if” is a good question to unstuck our brains and unleash our imaginations but totally worthless on the road.

This is what really happened on Saturday.

I almost got lost. There was unexpected fog and roadwork. But I made it way ahead of time to the Fernandina Beach Middle School where high school students unloaded my trunk and carried my books, my material, and even my lunch to the table I would share with another children’s book author. Meanwhile I parked under an oak tree laced with Spanish moss.

Inside the school I met volunteers who welcomed me with warm smiles and led me to the multipurpose room, already buzzing with activity. Authors were unpacking and organizing their table. Most had great promotional displays. Mine were modest in comparison, and yet everyone congratulated everyone’s books. My right and left side neighbors were super friendly and shared their chocolate and mint candies with me.

Starting around ten o’clock, visitors, many with kids of all ages, swarmed the place. Most stopped by my table and many bought my books. I spoke with all of them and was so grateful for their interest, curiosity, and warmth.

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We live in a world that focuses too much on what goes wrong. Many things go wrong and we need to address them. But many things go right, too. Lots of people are hungry for stories, for them, for their children, their grandchildren, and any child in their lives and beyond their lives. Stories remain a universal human link that ties all of us.

Saturday was the proof (if I ever needed one) that books are alive and well alive.

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An awesome addition to this kind of event is also the chance to meet other writers. Although we love the safety of our caves, we also know that we can be ourselves with people who share the same passion for stories and won’t judge our awkwardness.

The camaraderie between authors who write for children and teens is a well-known fact. The generosity when it comes to sharing our struggles, successes, and dreams is genuine.

 

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At some point, I felt a little lightheaded. No wonder: It was one o’clock and I ate breakfast around six. I took a lunch break (Volunteers could man authors’ tables during breaks. How cool is that?)

I stepped outside, blinded by the light. I sat on a stone bench near a grouping of trees. My shoulders relaxed under the warmth of the sun. It was a crisp day for Floridians, I heard. Perfect for me. Despite the beautiful day, I ate my sandwich faster than I had planned.

What if I missed any of the fun?

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Goodbye 2015

December 31, 2015 by

A year ago my blog post explained why I stopped making New Year’s resolutions.

It is true than I am more and more appreciative of small successes, small gifts, small moments, small life pleasures.

In this aspect I’ve been lucky. The last two weeks at my home have been filled with some of my very favorite five life ingredients:

  • Family time (meaning my kids were home with my husband and me)
  • Late nights watching movies, playing games and reading
  • Long walks
  • Great homemade meals
  • Meaningful gifts

Since I spend a lot of time writing it was fun to check my five posts that got the most views in 2015:

People from 125 countries stopped by. Since I am French American and write in French and English it is not a surprise that my most regular readers live in France and in the USA. Considering that my top five posts illustrate my affection for my native and adoptive land, it is also pretty clear that my dual identity attracts people.

By the way, I hadn’t planned to do the A to Z Challenge again, but should I reconsider? Really?

I’ll leave you with no resolutions for 2016, but with my five small (who said small wasn’t big?) moments of 2015 in photos.

photo(44)Baltimore. My daughter’s new college home.

photo(112)Still writing.

photo(33) Los Angeles. My son’s college home.

 photo(148) Starting yoga.

photo(128)Two daughters graduating with a BA and a Master. For privacy purposes I can only show one!

And my small gift to wish each and every one of you a safe end of 2015 and a very happy New Year 2016.

photo(166)My Maine little pond.

See you soon on your blog!

 

 

 

 

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Kaleidoscope, the New Anthology from Writers Abroad Is Now Available

October 12, 2015 by

Kaleidoscope, the fifth anthology published by the online, ex-pat writing community Writers Abroad is now available for purchase on Amazon (The link is for Amazon in the US, but you can order a copy of Kaleidoscope from your own country, wherever you live). The anthology is also available on Lulu.

I am pleased to announce that my short story City of Lights is included in this anthology. Hope you will enjoy. I certainly appreciated the opportunity to write about the theme of light. You can read the press release, right below, to find out more.

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a dazzling collection of flash fiction, short stories and poetry, written by expats (or former expats) around the world on the theme of light, as 2015 is the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies.

The stories and poems selected for Kaleidoscope evoke many varied interpretations of light: from a force that dispels evil or illuminates to one that can be destructive, from sunlight to firelight, or from the glow of an Arctic summer night to the brilliance of a Mediterranean afternoon.

This anthology is dedicated to two writers and members of Writers Abroad, Mary Davies and Jäny Graf, who both died in June 2015 during the planning of Kaleidoscope. Two pieces written by them are published in the anthology.

Author Chris Allen, who lives in Germany, has written the foreword. His writing has appeared in a wide range of publications. A finalist at Glimmer Train in 2011, Chris Allen has been nominated for Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize twice.

All proceeds from the sale of Kaleidoscope will go to Room to Read, an international charity striving for a world in which all children can pursue a quality education, reach their full potential and contribute to their community and the world.

Kaleidoscope contributors live in, and have written about, more than 30 countries across every continent. To find out more, and for a complete list of contributions, please go to the Writers Abroad website, www.writersabroad.com

Thank you for your support!

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Take your iPad to Paris and Normandy For Free Until Labor Day

July 24, 2015 by

To introduce my Young Adult and Middle Grade novels to the readers who cannot travel without their iPad, I’m offering Trapped in Paris and Chronicles From Château Moines for Free on iBooks until Labor Day.

Enjoy! Spread the news! Leave reviews!

Happy Reading to All of You From my Favorite Summer Writing Spot in Maine!

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Soundtrack to the French Idioms From A to Z

May 12, 2015 by
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Of all people I know that the spelling of a word doesn’t always match the way native-speakers pronounce that word.

When it comes to popular expressions the challenge can be greater.

This is why I have recorded the twenty-six French idioms from A to Z.

You can listen to them by clicking on the A to Z New Category that I added to my blog.

Let me know if you enjoy the idea.

Promise: No Oral Test on Monday!

 

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Sentiments or Feelings Post A to Z Challenge

May 5, 2015 by

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From April 1st to April 30th I posted every day but Sundays a French idiom, its literal translation, and its best American English equivalent.

 

  • I had previously considered writing about French popular expressions but always postponed the task. It’s only when a friend of mine asked me to join her for the A to Z challenge that I finally wrote A Month of French Idioms.

Like anyone else I benefit from an occasional Coup de Pied aux Fesses or Kick in the Butt.

  • The response from the people who already read me but also from new readers was positive, encouraging me to explore similar themes for my blog.

Receiving good feedback Donne des Ailes or Give Wings.

  • I never blog on a daily basis and don’t plan to do so, but during the month of April my productivity in other areas of my writing increased.

Sometimes Travailler Contre la Montre or Working Against the Clock is good.

  • These idioms had been with me since a long time. In fact I realized that I used at least one in my two novels Trapped in Paris and Chronicles From Chateau Moines.

Ne Sois Pas une Poule Mouillée : Don’t Be a Wet Hen or Don’t Be a Chicken.

  • Thanks to Mary’s suggestion I am now recording the idioms for your enjoyment.

J’ai du Pain Sur la Planche : I Have some Bread on the Wooden Board or I Have Some Significant Work to Do.

  • Would I do it again or am I disappointed?

Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.

 

 

What do you think of the A to Z challenge if you participated? If you didn’t, did it trigger your desire to give it a try next year?

And to each of you who kindly stuck with me for a month: Thank you. Merci. See you soon. A bientôt.

 

 

Filed Under: French & American Cultures, Latest Post, Writing in a foreign language Tagged With: ,

Zero Plus Zero Equals the Head of Toto or a Month of French Idioms From A to Z

April 30, 2015 by

Today marks the end of the series a Month of French Idioms From A to Z.

Through familiar French expressions and their equivalents in American English, I’ve shared for twenty-six days my affection for my two favorite countries on earth.

Languages and cultures may vary from one place to another, but the need for human beings to use metaphors and visuals to express ideas is the same.

The last French idiom du jour illustrates, in my opinion, how language and culture make one and how making them yours can take some time.

 

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ZÉRO PLUS ZÉRO ÉGALE LA TÊTE À TOTO

ZERO PLUS ZERO EQUALS THE HEAD OF TOTO

 

 

La Tête à Toto or The Head of Toto is a school game that was very much part of my French childhood.

It starts with this equation :

0+0=0

This how it works: You write the equation as a drawing and as you draw you recite.

 

photo(63)ZÉRO

photo(62)PLUS

photo(61)ZÉRO

photo(60)ÉGALE

photo(59)LA TÊTE À TOTO

 

Since Toto’s head equals zero, his intelligence is also zero.

Toto was a popular character in my elementary school culture. There were also many Toto’s jokes.

The equivalent of the French Toto’s jokes would be for me the American “Knock Knock” jokes.

 

I didn’t find an American equivalent to this unique French idiom/game.

Wherever you live or are from, did you play a similar childish game that was part of your culture?

Since I brought up my children in the USA, I’d love to know if today French kids still play 0+0= la Tête à Toto and if the Toto’s jokes are still around.

Les Français? Est-ce que les enfants jouent toujours à la tête à Toto?

 

Although daily blogging is not my cup of tea (See? I have a hard to time to stop the flow of idioms!), I am very grateful for your company and have been looking forward to your visits and comments.

I especially thank the bloggers and readers who have stuck with me for the whole month of April.

Your support, your fun and also relevant comments have made this challenge much more interesting.

Bravo to each blogger who made it to the final line of the 2015 race through the alphabet.

 

See you soon for a Recorded Version of this Series of French idioms!

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Fried Whiting Eyes or a Month of French Idioms From A to Z

April 29, 2015 by

As I wrote the literal translation for the French idiom du jour, I learned the proper name for the fish called “Merlan” in French.

For some reason I tend to mix and match the French and American names for the countless varieties of fish.

 

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YEUX DE MERLAN FRIT

FRIED WHITING EYES

MOON EYES

 

 

Since the end of the 19th century this expression is used to describe the adoring and a little stupid way people in love can sometimes look at each other.

In the 18th century the comparison was made with a carp and not a whiting.

This kind of look was especially used in old silent movies.

I find the English expression a little more accurate than the French one, although the literal translation made me smile.

 

P.S. The fish above is not a Merlan or a Whiting but a bass, caught (and released) by my son at our Maine cabin last summer.

 

 

A to Z Challenge

See you tomorrow!

 

Filed Under: A to Z, French & American Cultures, Latest Post, On the Run..., Writing in a foreign language Tagged With: ,

Bijou, Caillou, Chou, Genou, Hibou, Joujou, Pou: a Twist to a Month of French Idioms From A to Z

April 28, 2015 by

Unless you know of a French idiom starting with the letter X, I must give a twist to the expression-du-jour.

I owe the idea to my husband. He masters the French language like a French native and finds a solution to any problem like an American. Merci, thank you, for letting me off the hook with this suggestion.

 

The majority of French nouns mark their plural with the letter S, matching the English most common way. However, like irregular plurals in English, there are some exceptions in French, too.

 

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The most notorious are seven nouns that as a child I learned by heart, in alphabetical order, almost like a short poem.

 

 

BIJOU: JEWEL

CAILLOU: PEBBLE

CHOU: CABBAGE

GENOU: KNEE

HIBOU: OWL

JOUJOU: TOY (a small toy, or a babyish way to name a toy)

POU: LICE

 

These seven nouns ending with the letters O and U don’t mark their plural with an S but an X: Bijoux, Cailloux, Choux, Genoux, Hiboux, Joujoux, Poux.

 

Now, I’m asking my French friends:

Do kids still learn them the same way? Les enfants français apprennent-ils encore ces pluriels irréguliers par cœur?

 

Promise, I’m returning to the French Idioms series tomorrow!

 

A to Z Challenge

 

Filed Under: A to Z, French & American Cultures, Latest Post, On the Run..., Writing in a foreign language Tagged With: ,
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