Well I went to the first class last week. We were all asked what meals we enjoyed from France. People came up with stuff I couldn't even say let alone cook. My favourite French meal is French Toast and even saying it as Francais Toasts does not make it sound anymore codrdon bleu. We were all asked what our current level of French is (I was tempted to do the Basil Fawlty 'I get by' response) but realised that apart from Va Va Voom, Wenger and Platini, my overall french is a little lacking to say the least. One of the English guys introduced himself as Jean Paul, now that is plain cheating, he has a French name, it is like learning to be a member of the mafia and finding out one of the students is called Don. In fact I did not detect one English sounding name apart from my own. One girl named Clarisse who is from Beccles (not the Longchamp of East Anglia by any means) started conversing with me in a broad Norfolk accent but spoke to me in broken English, I think she thought I was Russian or something. Anyway why do people think that broken English would be easier for a non speaking person than correct English? Anyway the first lesson was to ascertain our previous knowledge and if Mrs T hadn't once ordered snails I would have been special needs. Anyway you can learn any language up to the age of 7 and no language after the age of consent (by which time for most men speaking is an irrelevance). I have to say the French teacher is adjustment wel (or well fit as we say in Liverpool) so the view alone might be worth staying for a few more ouis. After French I will learn Spanish so I can tell Fernando Torres what I really think of him first language style.
Adieu Mes Amis
Jean Belle
Good luck with the French, John, Is there a reason for this?
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