by Anne Swardson | Mar 17, 2024 | France, French, Paris
Reprinted with permission from The Washington Post. See below for a response from the grown-up Louise. October 5, 1997 PARIS — Less than a month into the French equivalent of second grade, my daughter has met the enemy and it is a fountain pen. Wrestling with... 
by James H. Schwartz | Nov 13, 2023 | Architecture, France, French
Ahhh, the infinite joys of French. The irregular verbs! The exceptions to every règle! The rarely used (but aptly named) imperfect subjunctive! And, as Anne explored here in August, the veritable feast of words that strike native English speakers as vague,... 
by Chris O'Brien | Oct 31, 2023 | France, French, Paris
When preparing for my French citizenship interview, I had to learn all the major symbols of the Republic. La Marseillaise. Marianne and the Phrygian cap. The Gallic Rooster. One could even throw in the Fleur-de-lis. Or the Eiffel Tower. No matter which list I studied,... 
by Anne Swardson | Aug 14, 2023 | France, French
“Every sensible and rigorous theory of language shows that a perfect translation is an impossible dream. In spite of this, people translate.” – Umberto Eco, “Experiences in Translation” Now, they tell us, AI will take over translation from people. Tourists in Paris...