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French Property Consultation: Your Complete Solution to a New Home in France...
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Dear Parler Paris Reader,

Sure, today I should be writing about "Halloween" in Paris, but now I know it as "La Toussaint" (All Saints Day). That's because I'm losing the English language.

La Toussaint is November 1st, when French Catholics celebrate their illustrious saints. That makes sense: "tous saint" or "all saints." It's fairly literal -- no wonder why it sticks on the tongue.

So many French words do...now that my level of French has improved and the English translation can be easily forgotten. In a conversation last night with a New York friend who spends a few months a year here in her "pied-à-terre" (apartment which serves a 'foothold' in Paris) with a beautiful view on the "Marais" (district in Paris that centuries ago was swampland) just "en face" (in front) of the Saint-Paul "Métro" (subway) station, it was difficult to come up with the English words for much of my own dialog.

It's not that I speak French so much. In fact, it's really rather pathetic how bad my level of French is considering a 15-year full time residence in the land of Francophones. As an Anglophone, one can exist here his entire life with barely any French at all. (The French have become quite fluent in English and love to show it off.) But I must admit, it wouldn't be quite as much fun as it is mixing and matching the languages to suit one's own expression.

There simply are lots of words in French that have no good English equivalent. For example, now that I'm knee deep in the construction dust of the renovation of my studio and "studette" (very small studio apartment), words that apply to the project seem to roll off the tongue in French easier than in English. The "chantier" (construction project) is what everyone calls it as if it were as "formidable" (grand) as "un château" (castle). The "plombier" (plumber) wants to know where to install the "robinet" (tap) and the "massons" (masons) are about to lay the "chape" (coating or covering), in this case of "beton" (concrete) before laying the "carrelages" (tiles) on the "sol" (floor).

The "Franglais" seems to be creeping into my vocabulary more and more, just as English has infiltrated the French language, too. Newly created French words pop up everyday as the French adopt the words in English for which there is no good equivalent in French. "D'accord" has easily become "okay" and "le weekend" became "au courant" (fully familiar) for exactly what it is long ago. Instead of "les nouvelles" you will hear someone ask a friend, "Donne-moi de tes 'news.'" And now with the world of "cyberspace," "courrier électronique" or "courriel" is now of course, "email" (which in French 'used' to mean "enamel!").

There's a long list of words we have shared for centuries such as "armoire," "cliché," "entrepreneur," "liaison" and "rapport" -- words that clearly had no good equivalent in English so we adopted them as our own. This crossing or "mariage" of cultures is being expressed in the language every day so that at some point perhaps we won't recognize the difference between the French and the English at all.

That's what's happening now to tie my tongue. I'm having a personal cross-cultural experience -- it's tough to even discern the difference between the French and the English term in some instances. You may recall it happened a few months ago to the Parler Paris "Newsletter"...when it became the Parler Paris "Nouvellettre®" (although this one cannot be blamed on the French as it's a creation of mine with the help of some friends).

"A la prochaine"...(till the next time)

Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris

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P.S. If you're in Paris on Toussaint, then make it a special day by laying flowers on the grave(s) of some of your favorite ghosts. A great list of Paris cemeteries can be found at http://www.pariscemeteries.com/

 

 

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Tomorrow Night..."Rythmes Urbains" by Michael Honegger

At Café d'Avant, 35 rue Claude Bernard, in the 5th Arrondisement, with music by the Jeff Suzda trio. Join Michael for the "vernissage" (opening) this Thursday, October 29th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The show runs until January 5th, 2010 in case you miss the opening (but don't!). For more information, visit michaelhoneggerphotos.com

 

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You don't need to be rich to dine well in Paris - you just need to know where to go.

Insider Paris Guide for Good Value Restaurants
The first online restaurant guide to Paris! Published since 1996.
Written and Regularly Updated by Adrian Leeds

For more information, visit Insider Paris Guides at InsiderParisGuides.com

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Le Palace des Vosges

It's Called French Property Fractional.

If you are interested in traditional fractional ownership properties currently offered by our Fractional Ownership partners, visit: French Property Fractional for more information.

 

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Watch Adrian Leeds and French Property Consultation on
House Hunters International - New Dates

***"Vacation Home in Paris" - Episode HHINT-1A05***

AIR TIMES:
November 23, 2009, 12:00 PM ET/PT
House Hunters International Episode HHINT-402

***"Settling Down in Paris" - Episode HHINT-1A05

AIR TIMES:
December 4, 2009 7:00 PM ET/PT
December 14, 2009 12:00 AM ET/PT

House Hunters International Episode HHINT-402

To learn more, visit AdrianLeeds.com or email Adrian Leeds, at adrian@adrianleeds.com

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Find the courage, the inspiration, and the time to write about what matters most to you...The Essoyes School announces Writing from the Heart...in the Heartof Champagne 2010, April 13-19, 2010

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A Photographic Project-Journey through Volunteering in Cambodian Orphanages

Click here for more information and to learn how to receive Erica Simone original prints when you make your pledge.

Visit: Erica Simone Photography or email Erica: es@ericasimone.com

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Book your personal consultation with Adrian Leeds.

French Property Consultation
Your Complete Solution to a New Home in France..
Let the Adrian Leeds Group guide you through the process with ease and peace of mind... to have your very own pied-à-terre in Paris or home in the French countryside.

Visit frenchpropertyconsultation or email info@adrianleeds.com

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