Author Description

As any francophone will tell you, translating from the French is a simple, three-step process: 1. Pick a French phrase. 2. Grab a French-English dictionary. 3. Make a complete idiot of yourself. Yes, the language of the Frogs is full of traps for young players, and literal translation of idiomatic expressions is sure to lead to both confusion and hilarity. In the hands of an expert with the three-step translation method, the sentance "J'ai tout lieu de croire que c'est une grosse legume" will become "I have all place to believe that he is a big vegetable", as French teachers throughout the English-speaking world will sorrowfully confirm. Here Jean-Loup Chiflet presents some particularly choice morsels of French idiom and translates them using this tried and trusted recipe for disaster, with amusing results. And for those in serious pursuit of a grasp of the French language, he also provides the correct translation. So, whether your wish is to laugh or to learn, '' 'a la bonnne votre!" Or, as they say in English, "at the good yours!"