Languages are wonderful things, not just because you can speak to more people. In the act of learning a language, you create new space in your brain and lay all the new information down, creating more connections with different areas as you learn more and more.
But not all languages say the same things. The connotations and nuances of english and french are incredibly fine, and part of my intense struggle is trying to catch on to the different phrases, and the little stories behind them.
Some of my favorite french phrases and the best I can do to translate them.
Hallucination Olfactive: "Nasal Hallucination." When you think you smell something, but in reality nothing is there.
Dépaysement: The feeling of missing one's country, or not being in one's country.
Connaitre vs. Savoir: French distinguishes between different types of "knowing." The way you "know" a fact or piece of information is different from the way you "know" a person or a city.
L'esprit de escalier: Translates literally as "staircase wit." Describes the feeling you get after leaving a conversation and suddenly thinking of all the things you forgot or should have said.
Panne D'oreiller: Where you lack the ability to wake up on time, or with your alarm. Panne means "empty" or "lacking" and oreiller is your pillow. Lacking in pillow...
Oh la vache: translates as "oh the cow" but really means "holy cow."
Holy cow, it's my bedtime.
marielle, really enjoying your posts and wishing I knew french. I don't know anyone else who says "holy cow" is this a throw back to earlier times? :)
ReplyDeleteI SAY HOLY COW!
ReplyDeleteHowever, I tend to use an extraordinary amount of what one might call "grandparent slang." Proud of it too.