More pie

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Spanky
That is pretty much the crux of the problem. Some of us are trying to forget the French exist. Correct pronunciation pulls us out of our denial bubble.

I haven't spent that much time there, but the small amount of time I have spent in France I have enjoyed immensely. The food was good, the architecture was beautiful, the shops were lovely, the beaches were nice, the train was easy to navigate. The people were so-so. I disliked the people in Athens much more than I disliked the people in Paris, even though the people in Paris pretended not to speak English.* With the possible exception of the Italians (and the staff at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin) I've never really been impressed with European customer service.

All in all, I like France, and I vote we keep it.


*I, an ugly American, only speak English. And Spanish. The former is a detriment, the latter I use to pretend I'm from some unknown Latin American country. My accent is always identified as Mexican by those who speak Spanish, though. None of this is particularly useful in France.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I haven't spent that much time there, but the small amount of time I have spent in France I have enjoyed immensely. The food was good, the architecture was beautiful, the shops were lovely, the beaches were nice, the train was easy to navigate. The people were so-so. I disliked the people in Athens much more than I disliked the people in Paris, even though the people in Paris pretended not to speak English. With the possible exception of the Italians (and the staff at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin) I've never really been impressed with European customer service.

All in all, I like France, and I vote we keep it.

The French are wonderful. It's the Parisians who suck. It's just like the USA and NYC. Except that I hate middle America. And New Yorkers. And Southerners. And West Coasters. And the Dutch.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski

and PS: I can't change my avatar- it won't let me. Penske's revenge?

NOOOO!!!!!!!

That avatar has been fucking with me all day.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I haven't spent that much time there, but the small amount of time I have spent in France I have enjoyed immensely. The food was good, the architecture was beautiful, the shops were lovely, the beaches were nice, the train was easy to navigate. The people were so-so. I disliked the people in Athens much more than I disliked the people in Paris, even though the people in Paris pretended not to speak English. With the possible exception of the Italians (and the staff at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin) I've never really been impressed with European customer service.

All in all, I like France, and I vote we keep it.

Just don't ever rely on getting a taxi in Paris on July 31. Fuhgeddaboutit.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I understand what you are saying, but what I don't understand is why we think it is pretentious when someone pronounces a french word the way it is supposed to be pronounced in french (leaving aside how people feel about the french in general).

I get confused by the Americanization of french words because in Canada sometimes we pronounce them more closely to the french. For example, I pronounce "foyer" as "foyay" because that is how I learned the word (in English) and people here actually say foyerrr. It sounds funny.

If I told you I spent my vacation in "Paghreee", instead of "Paris", wouldn't you find that a little weird?

Unless the original pronunciation is in general use, as with foyer, I find it pretentious. Homage is a good case in point. (Though I can't speak as to what they do in Canada, where the more common use of French would, I think, make things more complicated.)

I would also find it silly if a Frenchman pronounced words like "television" the American way.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by nononono
Well, not really.

But I don't care! Enough meta-conversations, please.

No, no -- let's analyze this some more. It's just getting interesting.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
If I told you I spent my vacation in "Paghreee", instead of "Paris", wouldn't you find that a little weird?

Unless the original pronunciation is in general use, as with foyer, I find it pretentious. Homage is a good case in point. (Though I can't speak as to what they do in Canada, where the more common use of French would, I think, make things more complicated.)

I would also find it silly if a Frenchman pronounced words like "television" the American way.

That's why I will write homage, but say tribute.

Although I always order Kwoissants and Yeeros, just to be a tool.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
So it's Cinnabon with a hard "n," as in bun. Noted.

And what do we do with Au Bon Pain? Do we pronounce "Pain" like pain in the ass? It gets tricky.

[patentparanyc]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
That's why I will write homage, but say tribute.

Although I always order Kwoissants and Yeeros, just to be a tool.

it is so not GYyyyroooo so yero is corr greek pro.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
If I told you I spent my vacation in "Paghreee", instead of "Paris", wouldn't you find that a little weird?

Um, yes.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
That is pretty much the crux of the problem. Some of us are trying to forget the French exist. Correct pronunciation pulls us out of our denial bubble.

Yeah, why would we keep a country with great food, gorgeous women, and beautiful sights?

Oh, right -- they didn't believe that Iraq had WMD. Bad people.


(Sorry for posting this on the wrong board)

[nononono]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I haven't spent that much time there, but the small amount of time I have spent in France I have enjoyed immensely. The food was good, the architecture was beautiful, the shops were lovely, the beaches were nice, the train was easy to navigate. The people were so-so. I disliked the people in Athens much more than I disliked the people in Paris, even though the people in Paris pretended not to speak English. With the possible exception of the Italians (and the staff at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin) I've never really been impressed with European customer service.

All in all, I like France, and I vote we keep it.

Second. I never found the French unpleasant, and generally more-than-helpful. Maybe it helped that I do or did speak French, I guess, and usually they would not guess me to be American, perhaps also a help.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
That's why I will write homage, but say tribute.

Although I always order Kwoissants and Yeeros, just to be a tool.

And nyocki.

[patentparanyc]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
And what do we do with Au Bon Pain? Do we pronounce "Pain" like pain in the ass? It gets tricky.

Pahn.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
The French are wonderful. It's the Parisians who suck. It's

I hate to admit it but this is true. When I lived in Paris, I couldn't believe how nice people got when I left the city.