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Post by arrowcapet on Nov 12, 2007 12:43:34 GMT -5
The real lesson here is the importance of paying attention to exactly what it is one is speaking "of".
For instance, the word "seulement" means "only", and just as in English, one could say I speak only a little French, so the sentence above could employ the word "Seulement" by adding "un (petit) peu", or Je parle seulement un petit peu....(and/or the more modernly use "juste"...
And the confusion about francais(e) can again be clarified by knowing what we're talking about. When Francais is used to refer to the name of a language, it is, as Truffaut said, always masculine, but when it's used as an adjective to describe the word language (la langue), it does in fact, become feminine, which may be where Andi... gets a little confused, i.e., la langue francaise.
And just like in English, the words you use will change to reflect exactly what it is you are trying to infer.
(Sorry, I don't understand,) I speak only a little...
(Yes,) I speak a little...
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Post by andi on Nov 13, 2007 2:39:46 GMT -5
Thank you Shoesy! I fear I will need all the luck I can muster. My brain knows exactly what to say and how, but my mouth seems to talk a whole load of rot! And now it appears that my fingers do the same....... tee hee!  Arrow, thank you too for your explaination, I partly understand what you say but I have to admit that verbs, adverbs, nouns and pronouns etc, I struggle with in English......Can you teach an old dog new tricks?  |
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Post by Shoesy on Nov 13, 2007 3:06:02 GMT -5
Andi - I sincerely believe that you can teach an old dog new tricks, but since you're more like a "puppy" compared to some of us real oldies on the forum ;D, you definitely have nothing to worry about. I'm certainly not one to help you with your French, but if you have any questions regarding English grammar, I could probably answer them since I taught English as a foreign language for 29 years.
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Post by Truffaut on Nov 13, 2007 7:30:59 GMT -5
Gender agreement is one of the most difficult things for English speakers because we don't have it and there's no clever way to learn it besides memorization of the nouns. There are a few tricks but there are so many exceptions to the tricks, that they become frequently confusing.
I might have been confusing in my posting. Arrow's right that "français" changes like any other adjective depending on the subject to which it refers. But in this case, as he pointed out also, it remains without an ending because of the way its used.
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Post by Happygoin on Nov 13, 2007 8:59:10 GMT -5
Good luck on your test, Andi! (If you don't know the answer and can't make a good guess, try the OH BUGGER thing...maybe you'll get points for the comedy)
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Post by sistereurope on Nov 13, 2007 9:24:33 GMT -5
So...we should just say "Je parle un peu français, oh bugger"
(good luck on your test Andi!!)
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Post by andi on Nov 13, 2007 10:22:32 GMT -5
LOL you lot do make me laugh!..........thanks folks. ;D
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Post by susanb on Nov 13, 2007 19:02:02 GMT -5
Yes Andi, Good Luck on your test and remember, your taking this class for FUN! Some day, it will all come together, which just means you'll have to go to France more!!!
s
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Post by andi on Nov 14, 2007 17:19:46 GMT -5
Bonsoir mon petit canards!.................yes, in Stoke-On-Trent that is what we call everyone, be it male or female. Apparently in France you say "my little flea"
Just to let you know that the first test is over, it went really well. I am quite pleased. We need a 75% or greater score to pass. I know that I only made 1 mistake in my oral (I said "j'ai artiste d'tatouage"- I missed out.... suis) we also had to call a waiter, place an order, say we didn't want anything else and ask for the bill. I saw her mark it all down, so there I am ok. For the written part we had to fill out a form in French, straight forward enough nom, prenom(s), Nationalite, profession, numero de telephone etc. All good.....until our next test, tonight we also did directions and names of public places.
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Post by Shoesy on Nov 14, 2007 22:36:09 GMT -5
Well, I guess I'm the first "ducky" ;D to congratulate you for passing your test, Andi. I knew you could do it ! |
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Post by Anne on Nov 15, 2007 6:53:26 GMT -5
Félicitations, ma petite puce  ! (but that's female-only in French) This sounds like a very official test, what would have happened to poor you if you had failed it  |
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Post by Happygoin on Nov 15, 2007 7:58:36 GMT -5
Good for you, Andi...and I don't mind being called a duck (or a flea, for that matter) if it's in the interest of furthering your French education. ;D
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Post by sistereurope on Nov 15, 2007 9:07:45 GMT -5
Félicitations Andi! Ohhh, I can so relate to the mouth full of marbles...at least you don't have to overcome a Baltimore accent (which is the antithesis of a lovely French accent!) My class is over until January (when I attempt level III - which includes all kinds of grammar things like the pluperfect  ) We didn't have any kind of formal test...Whew! I salute you! ;D |
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Post by andi on Nov 16, 2007 18:03:02 GMT -5
As we would say in our neck of the woods "Cheers ducks!"  I imagine Ian would have some really amusing but useful sayings where he comes from that he could share with you all too......... It may have sounded a complex test but it was really nothing, we were in and out of the teachers office within 2 minutes. Apparently we have to do 4 of these exams within the 30 week course but there is not a final huge exam at the end, thank goodness. Oh and Anne, if we had failed we get 2 more chances before we are kicked out of the course. |
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! (but that's female-only in French)
)
I imagine Ian would have some really amusing but useful sayings where he comes from that he could share with you all too......... 
hahahha