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| Thread ID: 150785 | 2022-07-13 22:13:00 | la Fête Nationale | Roscoe (6288) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1487353 | 2022-07-13 22:13:00 | The media (radio in particular) in this country make a big deal of July 4th each year, but how many have heard of France's la Fête Nationale? It is France's national day - Bastille Day, July 14th. But why should we be interested? Well, for a start, about 45% of the English vocabulary originates from the French language, either directly or indirectly. In New Zealand the French were among the earlier European settlers and established a colony at Akaroa on Bank's Peninsular. When travelling through the streets of the town you will see most street signs prefixed with "Rue de la . . ." In 1838 Jean François Langlois, commander of the whaling ship Cachalot, embarked on a grandiose scheme for a French colony at Akaroa. After a dubious land purchase from Māori he established the Nanto-Bordelaise Company in France in 1839 to carry out the project. King Louis-Philippe agreed to provide assistance. Captain Jean-François-Marie de Surville is the first known Frenchman to have visited New Zealand, in 1769, and by the 1830s, French whalers were operating off the Banks Peninsula. And if you were at high school in the 50s and 60s one of the languages that you could study was French. The French are not the most friendly people you could meet, particularly if you do not speak French. When in France a few years back I needed directions and asked passers by, "Parlez-vous Anglaise?" Everybody just ignored me. I was in the railway station and had to go back to the ticket office where I knew the girl there could parlez-vous Anglaise and she told me where I needed to go. But that does not mean that we did not enjoy our time in France. We had a great experience, but it did help to know a few phrases. "Bonjour" and "comment allez vous?" along with "s'il vous plaît" and "merci beaucoup" were all helpful, although most people just said "merci." And, of course, how could you forget the TV show "'Allo 'Allo" and the English Gendarme who thought he could speak French: "Good moaning" and "I was just pissing by the door.":lol: Do you celebrate la Fête Nationale? Even if you don't you should at least acknowledge that the French played a minor part in this country's colonial past and at least be nice to all the French on their special day.:) |
Roscoe (6288) | ||
| 1487354 | 2022-07-13 22:41:00 | Name of the whaling ship is "Cachalot", that's funny. | zqwerty (97) | ||
| 1487355 | 2022-07-14 01:59:00 | - Bastille Day, July 14th . about 45% of the English vocabulary originates from the French language, either directly or indirectly . Er . And Greek, Latin, Norse, and of course the original - German . But this is NZ, let's stick with our own holidays . |
piroska (17583) | ||
| 1487356 | 2022-07-14 03:25:00 | I knew the girl there could parlez-vous Anglaise and she told me where I needed to go. Se faire bourrer, Monsieur. :horrified |
WalOne (4202) | ||
| 1487357 | 2022-07-14 04:11:00 | Er. And Greek, Latin, Norse, and of course the original - German. But this is NZ, let's stick with our own holidays. Just Matariki and Waitangi day then? |
the_bogan (9949) | ||
| 1487358 | 2022-07-14 07:19:00 | Well since Bastille day always happens during the Tour de France and a Frenchman always tries to win on this day how can I ignore it. Although today the race finishes on top of Alpe d'Huez the second highest finish this year. | gary67 (56) | ||
| 1487359 | 2022-07-14 20:44:00 | Se faire bourrer, Monsieur. :horrified Pourquoi dites vous cela? Essayer d'être drôle?:) |
Roscoe (6288) | ||
| 1487360 | 2022-07-14 20:54:00 | Le rire est la meilleure médecine | Blue Druid (4480) | ||
| 1487361 | 2022-07-14 21:27:00 | Translation..... " G'day bro, have beer" Ken :) |
kenj (9738) | ||
| 1487362 | 2022-07-14 22:04:00 | Le rire est la meilleure médecine Je suis d'accord. |
Roscoe (6288) | ||
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