Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Tarnishing the Rrrromantic French Language - Preparing to Sail (Part 1)


I opened up my Facebook inbox a couple of months ago to an offer that threw me onto the middle of the fence - Ouch! To go to the South of France and sail around on a 50 foot yacht or stay in Melbourne for winter? Umm, argh. No, seriously, I really did umm and argh over this decision for over a month as my head and heart battled it out to come to what I think is the right decision: to go or aller en francais.


Now for the planning of a fabulous trip, as good times don't just happen from sitting around moving only your index finger for the Foxtel control. The yacht sleeps 8 people and my Parisian friend,Gregoire, is happy for me to have 6 (girl)friends on the lurve boat. Who am I to argue with such a request?




Step 1: I organise a Facebook group to discuss anything and everything from destinations to pull up, the party crew and we can even do a 360 virtual tour of the P-Diddy like ride, thanks to G-homme (Gregoire) posting a video from the yacht's website.


It's here that we arrive at our first hurdle - teaching a perfectly tailored Frenchie ourAussie slang. Excitement and banter is escalating on the Facebook group now and proper Jane Austin-esque english is forgotton.


Gregoire was left puzzled with our following statements:


"Gregoire u must be stoked but not as stoked as i am!!!"

"Right... I need to start smashing the gym"

"Folebags" (I don't expect anyone to understand this one as it is a nick-name).


Gregoire did take the initiative to look up the meanings of words like 'stoked' but his best lesson in Aussie slang will be hanging out with us for 3 weeks on the Mediterrean Sea. My worry is that we will tarnish his dreamy vocubarly and pronounication that I do so appreciate very much while chatting on the phone about all the important plans for the trip e.g. drinking mojitos at exclusive beach clubs in St Tropez...



I think it is only fair that we try to speak a little of the language

While on French soil and sea

Tip number One:

Oui Oui is pronounced 'weh weh' not 'wee wee.'

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