Wednesday, January 30, 2013

(Le) Touchdown!


I keep waiting until I have time to finish writing longer posts and meanwhile weeks go by and I panic because the blog looks so lifeless.  I did begin to post things on Facebook (bonjour mama DC) and Twitter (bonjourmamadc) but there are only so many things you can say in a tweet. So this will be short and sweet, but not as short and sweet as a tweet (sorry). 

Anyway, this is what I wanted to post:  I found a basic list of French vocabulary for what we Americans call Football (the Super Bowl, hand-held, helmet-wearing kind -- not the rest-of-the-world's oddly named game, mostly played with the foot.) 

[By the way, most of this list came from Foreign Language House - a site maintained by teachers where they post lots of awesome low-cost teaching materials;  they evidently made a cheat sheet in honor Sunday's big game]


français
anglais
le ballon
the ball
le terrain de sport
the field
la zone dʼen-but
end zone
le casque
the helmet
bloquer
to block
attraper
to catch
courir
to run
plaquer
to tackle
lancer
to throw
le stade
the stadium
le touchdown
touchdown
jouer
to play
lʼéquipe
the team
lʼarbitre
the referee
Le fan
The fan
Crowded
Bondé
Marquer
Score
Chicken wings
Aile de poulet

Pretty basic, but it's a start. Now let’s see what fun we can have in French with this.

Regarde, le stade est bondé!
Look the stadium is packed!

Il va marquer un touchdown!
He’s going to score a touchdown!

[Now, because, knowing my child, the naughtier and funnier the dialog the more likely we are to sustain it en francais]:

Arbitre, tu es nul! Qu’est ce que tu racontes?
Ref, you're an idiot! What are you talking about?

Qui va gagner le match? Ben, c’est evident – les 49ers (quadrant-neuf-ers?)
Who is going to win the game? It’s obvious – the 49ers!

-Quoi? Tu rigoles! Les Ravens vont gagner les doigts dans le nez!
-What? You can’t be serious!  The Ravens are going to win hands down!

And last but not least: 

Please pass the chicken wings!  
S’il te plait, passé-moi les ailes de poulet.

[Because in the end it's really about the food, n'est-ce pas?]


Happy Superbowl Dimanche!

P.S. If there are any French-speaking Superbowl fans out there (and for that matter, English-speaking-- I have no clue how to do game commentary) please correct my mistakes and/or help ADD to the dialog! Comment here or post something on Facebook – we will definitely need more words to shout out at the TV!

P.S.#2: let me know it this frequent use of italics annoys you. I read someone's blog lately and they used them a lot, but I really like it. However, I realize not everyone might. Let me know.


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Bonjour Books!




I have French-language children's books for sale!

For now, I am only selling in person and at local markets, but I hope to make them available online, with shipping options for those of you farther afield soon. Scroll down for list of titles currently in stock. I also hope to offer many more titles soon, including some for Maman et Papa!

To browse and/or purchase, contact me at 240.383.9163 or via email: bonjourmamadc@gmail.com.   Also feel free to drop by my first official book sale on Sunday, January 13th in Bethesda:

French and English Children's Book Sale!
Sunday, January 13th
10am-4pm
7155 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
(corner of Wisconsin and Willow, across from Starbucks)

I also have a large selection of English-language Usborne books -- beautifully written and illustrated books for children of all ages! The complete catalog can be viewed at:  www.zachsbookstore.com



I'll share more on what prompted me to try this in another post (it has to do with the Usborne books, Zach's allergy to libraries and obsession with Barnes and Noble, and my dependence on books for French language-learning at home). 

In the meantime, bonne lecture!



FRENCH BOOKS FOR CHILDREN (currently in stock):


TITREPRIXTRANCHE D'AGEEDITEURCOLLECTION
Caillou: dans mon petit lit$13.950-3 ansChouette Caillou
A Table! Binou et M. Mou$8.500-3 ansDominique et CompagnieBinou Tout Doux
Ou est mon ours?$13.950-3 ansUsbornetout doux
Un caillou dans la soupe$5.250-4 ansDominique et CompagnieA pas de souris - lis et raconte
Des taches$5.250-4 ansDominique et CompagnieA pas de souris - lis et raconte
C'est un vrai zoo$11.500-4 ansDominique et CompagnieAutrement dit
Atchoum$7.500-4 ansDominique et CompagnieBinou
Stella, princesse de la nuit$11.500-4 ansDominique et CompagnieBroche
Galette et ses amis fêtent Noël!$8.500-4 ansDominique et CompagnieGalette
Bouge avec Galette!$8.500-4 ansDominique et CompagnieGalette
Le train a vapeur$36.950-4 ansUsborneJOUET/LIVRE
Caillou: ma boite a histoires$13.953-6 ansChouette Caillou
Caillou range ses jouets$5.253-6 ansChouette Caillou
Caillou et le bonhomme de neige$5.253-6 ansChouette Caillou
Alex et la belle sarah$8.506-9 ansDominique et CompagnieRoman - A pas de loup
Alex et l'incroyable secret$8.506-9 ansDominique et CompagnieRoman - A pas de loup
Lorina et le monstre de jalousie$9.506-9 ansDominique et CompagnieRoman Rouge
Planete Terre$9.506-9 ansUsborneDoc a Doc
Les dechets et recyclage$9.506-9 ansUsborneDoc a Doc
Le soleil, la une et lesplanetes$8.506-9 ansUsborneDoc a Doc
Les egyptiens$9.506-9 ansUsborneDoc a Doc
Pourquoi faut-il manger?$9.506-9 ansUsborneDoc a Doc
Le journal d'Alice - Big Bang$15.959-11 ansDominique et CompagnieGrands romans
Nuit noir$15.959-11 ansDominique et CompagnieGrands romans
J'habille mes amies les danseuses$11.50Usbornejeux educatifs/ stickers
Activites avec les chevaliers$12.50Usbornejeux educatifs / stickers