Ask M. White for help with French translation

I had also heard the 'D' was for démerde. Google showed me a few people using this amusing construction: Planète débrouille,Système D.

It has nothing to do with Eddie Izzard. He just has a routine about trying to use his schoolboy French to communicate.

Yeah, also démerde.

Izzard's shtick is pretty funny, though.

It's great. I think the premise is different from the usual, it's not just "Oh, these crazy Frenchmen."

Yeah, the whole francophobic English shtick is so played out. His is more about the funny limitations of trying to communicate in another and only partially mastered tongue - that can be comedy gold. I had a friend who got pissed in Paris that even little kids spoke better French than he did.

Fwiw:

Foreign language screw-ups

Yeah, exactly. He's not pretending to be dumb- he can speak French!- he is just talking about the inevitable missteps and underpreparedness and whatnot, especially at the beginning.

I had a friend who got pissed in Paris that even little kids spoke better French than he did.
I got pissed that the bums spoked better than I did when I saw two guys arguing and one said to the other Désolé, Monsieur, je suis désolé.

(Your link is blocked)

It is? It worked for me.

http://www.somethingawful.com/d/comedy-goldmine/foreign-language-screwups.php

It's blocked for me. I'm still in the boulot phase of my day. I'll check it when I'm on to typo, before dodo.

I'm still in the boulot phase of my day

J'en suis profondément désolé.

Et moi, je suis navré.

Tu m'étonnes. ;)

Where did you pick up your francique, btw?

Dans le coin.

Frankreich?

Je pense que j'ai déjà raconté ma triste histoire autre part.

Je ne m'em souviens pas, hélas.

M WHITE: I'm writing a letter to someone in Francophone Africa. I ran my English version through Google translate, but my skills aren't really up to figuring out whether or not it ~really~ makes sense. HALP
---------------
(I have included a French translation below---J'ai inclus une traduction en français ci-dessousz)

Hi there,

My name is ________, and I'm a medical student at the University of __________). A filmmaker friend of mine directed me to your project's website, and suggested I get in touch with you.

Another student and I are hoping to make a film about healthcare in Congo this summer. We had originally hoped to go to Goma, but I understand that travel to and from can be very difficult, and possibly dangerous. We've got other business in Uganda (working and filming with _________), and would be traveling from there.

Do you know the best way to travel from Uganda to Congo? We've heard that the best and safest way is through Rwanda, and into Bukavu, but I also understand that it takes quite a long time, possibly days.

I've been very impressed with what the Goma Film Project has accomplished, and would love to hear more about your experiences. I hope this finds you well, and I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

___________

Salut,

Mon nom est _____, et je suis un étudiant en médecine à l'Université de _________. Un ami cinéaste m'a dirigé vers votre site web du projet, et m'a suggéré de prendre contact avec vous.

Un autre élève et moi-même sommes l'espoir de faire un film sur les soins de santé au Congo cet été. Nous avions espéré se rendre à Goma, mais je crois comprendre que Voyage à destination et en provenance peut être très difficile, et peut-être dangereux. Nous avons d'autres entreprises en Ouganda (de travail et de tournage avec le _________), et de voyager à partir de là.

Connaissez-vous la meilleure façon de Voyage à partir de l'Ouganda au Congo? Nous avons entendu dire que le meilleur et le plus sûr moyen est par le Rwanda, et dans Bukavu, mais je comprends aussi qu'il faut un certain temps, peut-être jour.

J'ai été très impressionné par ce que le projet du film de Goma a accompli, et aimerait en savoir davantage sur vos expériences. J'espère que cela vous trouve bien, et je vous souhaite tout le meilleur.

Cordialement,

__________

Hey gbx - went through that translation quickly. It's not the greatest but here is a better version (I'm a native french speaker)

Bonjour,

Je m'appelle _____, et je suis un étudiant en médecine à l'Université de _________. Un ami cinéaste m'a dirigé vers le site web de votre projet, et m'a suggéré de prendre contact avec vous.

Un autre élève et moi-même essayons de faire un film sur le système de santé au Congo cet été. Nous avions prévu de nous rendre à Goma, mais je crois comprendre qqu'un tel voyage peut être très difficile, et peut-être dangereux. Nous avons d'autres affaires à régler en Ouganda (tournage avec le _________), et nous pourrions partir de là.

Connaissez-vous le meilleur moyen de se re,dre d'Ouganda au Congo? Nous avons entendu dire que le meilleur et le plus sûr moyen est par le Rwanda, même si cela peut prendre un certain temps, voire des jours.

J'ai été très impressionné par ce que le projet du film de Goma a accompli, et aimerait en savoir davantage sur votre expérience.

Meilleures salutations,

Thank you so much! I forgot about all the native french speakers on ilx, sorry!

Sorry, gbx. I was detained elsewhere and just saw this.

c'est pas grave

I meant to revive this a while back to ask about how to pronounce "quatuor" but I think I figured it out.

Qwa-tyu-or

Yeah, that was it, thanks. The interesting part is that the "qu" is not pronounced as it is in most words in the French language because this is a borrowing from Latin, I guess.

TS mots fléchés contre mots croisés

they are a little different

http://media.teleprogrammes.fr/corporate/article/Gace47750beed1eb6b379de8a2805cb15.jpg

vs.

http://www.jouets-sajou.com/jeux/mots-croises/mots-croises-1.gif

oh if you already knew and just wanted an opinion...fleches

Why?

I dunno, the france novelty factor?

I know what you mean.

Hm, Wiki page says fléchés may be a little easier because not as much room for lengthy clues.

Yes that's the most important difference between mots fléchés and mots croisés. Also the only one I can actually think of, as a once avid mots fléchés addict.

Dear M. White,
Why do French speakers think turkeys come from India while English speakers think they come from, well, Turkey?

And why do Spanish speakers think it is a commoner's peacock?

As a French speaker, I find what you're saying surprising. I've always thought turkeys came from America. This because of a comic book, oompapah which took place in America and where surprised French people discovered turkeys. But whatever. I should ask my friends where they think turkeys come from, but I'm not really sure many of them would say India. So yeah, I was not really of any help to you there I guess.

B-b-but then why do you call them dindes?

Ha! Maybe because upon reaching America they thought they were in India. I'll go and see if I can find a better googlexplanation than that. But I would also be really sad if Oompapah lied to me!

Ad as usual google delivers. On a very credible blog written in comic sans ms ( http://myhome27.over-blog.fr/article-24752734.html ) the following explanation is given : early navigators reaching America thought they were in India, called turkeys "poules d'inde" (indian poultry). that was rather long to say, so it was shortened to "dinde". (Yeah I guess wiki could have answered my query, but who doesn't love random blogs giving you answers to random questions?)

Monsieur Blanc,

Magasin qui sert le meilleur café dans notre quartier?

Bonnes fêtes,

Stefan Shastois

Big fan of Five Star across Divis from the gas station. Santos is rad and you get a truffle w/your coffee. The Earl Grey is excellent as is the spicy one (forget the name).

Of course, taste is subjective. I'll just point out that I loathe over-roasted west-coast coffee, i.e., Pete's.

early navigators reaching America thought they were in India, called turkeys "poules d'inde" (indian poultry). that was rather long to say, so it was shortened to "dinde".

omg mind blown

michael, how would you say:

I love you my darling but I have chosen Black Metal

Et bonnes fêtes à toi, aussi, Etienne!

Nice! I am totally down with 5-star, I love his mocha (post-bike ride) because he uses the gourmet chocolate that is so rich and delicious.

Good to know dude! I always forget about that place, he keeps telling me he makes a killer sandwich too. He's such a bro.

Michael B,

Je t'adore, mon/ma chéri(e), mais j'ai opté pour le métal noir.

thanks!

Plus, Steve, there's a cafe across Oak, one up the street across from Falletti's, Pete's, the place up Divis where all your bicyclist bros hang, etc., and when a little Latino dude wants to open up a one-man, hole in the wall place AND serves me an excellent espresso and truffle, he gets my money every time.

my ex LOVED his truffles (she was raised in Paris and Brussels) and she couldn't believe how good they were.

I also secretly love that he's all artisinal about it but says 'handmade', instead.

My second favorite place for coffee is prob International, not because Zaara's coffee is memorable, or anything, but because it has that old time hippy/boho vibe, has live music on Saturday nights, and a back patio where I can smoke and read.

okay, my friend who just moved here wants to know where the famous SF "gourmet" coffee is in the hood and it all seems to be in the mission/hayes/soma (ritual, blue bottle, 4 barrel, philz, sightglass). i don't drink enough to be an authority but i know you are.

(sorry this has nothing to do with French translations)

No worries. If he wants real SF, send him to Blue Bottle over off of Octavia or Pete's or whatever. I used to work at Trieste as a teen (in Sausalito) and I have nothing against that old school vibe or the new environmentally and politically correct one, either, but the coffee is just too bitter for me.

Trieste is now Cafe Rome (?) now right? AlexInSF's wife LOVES the place across the street from there with a funny name, I still need to try it though.

The best part of Cafe Trieste (and whatever it's called now) was/is that iced coffee has FREE REFILLS which is awesome after riding 100 miles on a hot day and you still have to contend with that hill back up to the GGB and your legs are saying "oh hell naw".