Now, the title of my blog might seem a little strange (what's new), but it has reasoning. France was a big move for me, something I've always wanted but not something I honestly thought I'd accomplish by the ripe old age of just 22. Let's be honest, I nearly fell flat on my face. I'm not going to lie to you. I almost had several melt downs, even once declaring that I hated France and wanted to shut up shop and go home. Don't misunderstand. I love my job, I love my friends and I love Paris but France has this wonderful way of making it almost impossible for you to do ANYTHING without paperwork. In a way it's a good system, people walk in and out of the UK and just pick up free health care as easily as they'd pick up a take away from your local Indian restaurant on the corner. In France, this is impossible. Everything requires paperwork and there is often a strange logic behind acquiring the paperwork which means you can't get your hands on that paperwork without doing something ridiculous. Anyway...this isn't supposed to be a rant about France because let's face it, I'm here and it's my home now and I have to respect their laws which is fine...most of the time. The important thing is I finally feel like I'm standing on my own two feet, (for honestly, the first time in my entire life). I'm a fairly dependent person and it wasn't the best quality I found out I possess. So to finally achieve things 'toute seule' has made me feel weirdly liberated. My internet finally works (as you can see) AND I managed to negotiate a 63 euro refund. My health card is taking it's time (of course paper work is involved) but it's coming together. My bank is done, my apartment is functioning fine (meaning I haven't broken anything yet). Maybe I chipped a plate but who's counting that eh? I also have about a million things to look forward to in this next month so in general things are really great and my confidence in myself, life in general and the French language are all growing at a healthy, steady rate. Alors, on that subject c'est tout.
Anyway...my blog was actually supposed to be about idioms. Yes I'm an English teacher but no I'm not going to give you a lesson on idioms, I'm not that much of a closet geek don't fret. So...last week I did a class on idioms as part of my tea time, and really, it was such a laugh. Trying to explain some of the idioms just made me realise how complicated languages can really be. Some were (thankfully), exactly the same such as 'don't add fuel to the fire.' Whereas others varied just with one word...apparently in English when you say 'a leopard doesn't change its spots' the French say that a 'cheetah' doesn't. Where we say 'I could eat a horse' the French say that they have 'the appetite of a wolf' or that they could eat a 'vache' (a cow) which is funny because we don't actually eat horse meat and the French do. I started to realise that although these idioms have some logic and are really fun and interesting to learn they make a language so difficult. It made me think about all the idioms we use on a daily basis. These are just a few situations where I have used or heard idioms:
- When I was a child I would always pester my grandfather about where he was going if he tried to leave the house. He would always say "I'm going to see a man about a dog." Now...he lived on a farm (still does actually) where they often took in dogs from the shelter so this seemed like a normal response. It was only recently that I realised that a) he never did come back with a new dog and b) he was obviously using it because as all children are I was always curious and frankly a bit nosey. This response meant he didn't really have to tell me what he was doing or where he was going at all. An adult's right I suppose. Took me almost 15 years to realise this. Thank you gramps for always keeping me in line :-)
- "You can't have your cake and eat it too." Something that I've said to many girl-friends and that many of my friends have said to me and it's ALWAYS about men. It's almost used as a comfort, just to remind each other that you can't be greedy in life so whoever this man is who is trying to be greedy you should get rid of him asap.
- "A leopard doesn't change it's spots." My mother said this to me only last week, sometimes you need to remind each other that people don't normally change, however much you want them to. (This quote actually gave me the idea of doing idioms with my students which they all loved so thanks Mum!)
- "A chip on your shoulder." A favourite of my dad's, often used to describe old boyfriends of mine from university. Believing that someone is always resentful about things that have happened in their life instead of being positive and looking towards the future. This makes my dad sound like a severe man but he isn't, he just doesn't believe in blaming your circumstances and situation for the path your life takes. My dad is living proof that no matter what background you come from you can achieve anything.
- "A cock and bull story." One of my personal favourites. Basically when a person tells an unbelievable story which is clearly a lie. We call it a cock and bull story because we're English and we don't like to curse. So excuse my French while I translate, it means that what the person is saying is total and utter 'bullshit.'
- "Excuse my French" is actually an idiom which as you can see I just used...meaning excuse me for cursing (using a gros mot) No idea why we say this, honestly but it makes me laugh.
- "Are you pulling my leg???" Meaning simply, are you joking? I said this to my colleague only yesterday. It's almost when you can't believe something so to stress how much you can't believe it you ask if your leg is being pulled...makes perfect sense...right?
I could go on for days....(I won't) but you see my point. There are HUNDREDS, I don't think I even know them all and I'm English born and bred. How are we supposed to learn them all in different languages, oh....................wow. I'll stick with my French without the idioms..........for now.
I also had a hilarious run in with a student who kept asking Jack and I on repeat what the word
"teeeeeeeeear shiiiiiiiit" meant
We came up with - toilet paper (Jack) and to tear a piece of paper (me). The word was in fact TIME SHEET. I love the French accent and how much entertainment simple things can provide. Even the student was laughing, he knew he was saying a swear word but he couldn't not say it, his accent was just superb.
Wow...long blog, in the words of the looney tunes - that's all folks!
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