Excuse My French!: Fluent Francais Without the Faux Pas

by Rachel Best, Jean- Christophe Van Waes

Life together, in a bi-lingual relationship, for Rachel and Jean-Christophe created many amusing miscomprehensions and often sheer bewilderment. How do you translate, "Don't beat around the bush," and why does, "to be left high and dry," in English, become, "rester en carafe," in French? Excuse My French! is their solution to all this conversational confusion. The book comprises 700 expressions in English and in French, divided into 12 chapters, which cover all the essential topics in life-including food and drink, money, business work, and sex. It presents the essential idioms and metaphors of the 'other' language in a fresh, light-hearted way that won't make you feel like you're back in a classroom. Packed with quizzes, glossaries, and interesting detail on the historical contexts for how phrases were coined, and illustrated throughout with line drawings, it will improve language skills and promote the Entente Cordiale between tourists, students, and business associates, as well as encourage relationships to blossom between les Gaulois et les Rosbifs all over the world!

Genres: Language, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2013

Reviews

[S.W. Gordon]

Not what you'd think from the title, this book describes the different etymologies of various "sayings." While in Paris, I kept saying, "Je suis plein" after eating a big meal but this actually means "I'm drunk." Oops! J'ai fini.

[Alice Jackson]

Would recommend to anyone taking A-Level French; particularly useful for brushing up on speaking idiomatically every now and again in conversation.
Beware incorrect idioms (directly translated from English) - use this book!