22 décembre 2006
My best friend - Mon meilleur ami
Dear all,
Have you ever heard about the new film from Patrice Leconte? It is
called in French "mon meilleur ami, "my best friend" in English.
I recommend it to you for two reasons.
Firstly, the topic of the film is related to friendship and let us ask the question "what is a best friend? how can we recognize him/her? what worths friendship?".
Served by two exceptional actors, Daniel Auteuil and Dany Boon, this film points out human feelings and selfish from each of us.
The
bad guy is represented by Daniel Auteuil who plays an art merchant,
familiar with the Hotel Drouot in Paris for sales by auction.
The
sincere and gullible fool (naif) character (personnage) is played by
Dany Boon. Everyone would like to get a friend like him as he is so
cute, sincere and has such an unconditional admiration for "his best
friend" who does not deserve (meriter, etre digne de) so many kindness
(gentillesse, bonte)!
Pitch extracted from the Toronto International Film Festival :
Mon meilleur ami is a uniquely entertaining buddy (copain) film. The
twist? The buddy is missing! François (French mega-star Daniel Auteuil)
is a middle-aged antique dealer. He’s got a stylish apartment and a
fabulous life, but at a dinner with a group he considers his dearest
acquaintances (connaissances), he is blindsided by the revelation that none of them
actually likes him. He’s arrogant, self-centred and harsh (bourru), and they
don’t believe he even has a friend. His business partner Catherine
(Julie Gayet) makes him a bet (pari): if he can produce his meilleur ami, she will let him keep the massive Greek vase he acquired that afternoon on the company tab. If not, it’s hers.
Having accepted the wager (pari), François naively tears through his address book, trying to shoehorn (chausser) an increasingly unlikely series of contacts into the all-important role. Moving through Paris, he keeps encountering a trivia-spouting, magnanimous cabbie (chauffeur de taxi) named Bruno (the adorable Dany Boon). Bruno’s chatty (bavard), lowbrow ways grate (grincer) against François’s designer temperament, but he covets (convoiter) the other man’s finesse with people. He convinces Bruno to teach him how to make friends and sets about learning the “three S’s” – being sociable, smiling and sincere – though they don’t come easy. Is the answer to François’s problem sitting beside him in the taxi?
Secondly, Patrice Leconte is a good director
(realisateur). I had the opportunity to take part to this film as a
simple walk-on part (figurant) in one scene, the one of the sale by
auction in Drouot. I was two ranks behind Daniel Auteuil and Julie
Gayet, playing a potential art buyer and art lover (amateur d'art).
I
noticed that nearly all the walk-on parts were in a fuzzy image (image
floutee) on the film. Bad luck for us even if it was a great experience
to work under Patrice Leconte's instructions.
How did I get this job? Quite easy, just looked at an ad at Drouot and sent a mail to the casting production with the below picture.
A few days after, one lady from the production company called me and
gave me an appointment for January 6, 2006 at the Hotel Drouot. When I
arrived, I had to sign my contract and wait in a room with other
colleagues. Some of them were dressed and has their hair done (se faire
coiffer).
We waited long time to meet and be directed by Patrice
Leconte. Very professional and precise! Daniel Auteuil had a good
humour sense and I was quite surprised about it as he seems to be so
serious!
I met some guys who were used to take part to films and the atmosphere was quite nice...
Recently, Patrice Leconte declared he will only realize three more films before retiring.
Even
if it is true he did some commercial films like Les Bronzes, he also
realized a treasure which is not so famous and it is a pity. I really
appreciated it during the Adventure Festival at Le Grand Rex in Paris
this year. The title of this film/report is "Dogora".
The filmmaker presents a series of striking images of the land and
people of modern Cambodia, set to the composer Etienne Perruchon's
piece, "Dogora". To discover if you have never heard about it as it is a sensitive work (oeuvre).
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=58823
http://wwws.warnerbros.fr/movies/dogora/
http://www.spiritofbaraka.com/dogora-movie-dvd-french.aspx
For further details about Patrice Leconte:
http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=99108&mod=bio
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800024229/bio
http://cineuropa.org/interview.aspx?lang=en&documentID=70520
About Daniel Auteuil:
http://worldfilm.about.com/cs/actor1/p/Danielauteuil.htm
http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/fulldetail/id/196065
About Dany Boon:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0200702/
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1804556722
So, just one word let us go to the cinema...
Wish you a Merry Christmas and talk to you shortly!
With best wishes,
Ceraulen
19 décembre 2006
Focus on some adjectives
Dear readers,
Let us look at some adjectives and expressions today! For some of you, it will be just a way to revise, for others maybe a discovery. Hope they will be helpful to each of you!
- What is the difference between "accountable for" and "accountable to"?
"Accountable for" means you take the responsability for something, to be responsible for... "responsable de" in French whereas "accountable to" means "responsable devant".
- Same question for "angry about" and "angry with"
When you are angry about, there is an event or something which troubled you and made you enrage (rendre quelqu'un furieux): furieux a cause de.
When you are angry with something/someone, there is a strong notion of opposition, contrast: furieux contre.
- anxious about / anxious for
When your friend is anxious about her looks, she takes care or has a particular interest in her looks: qui se preoccupe de.
When your brother is anxious for promotion, he is waiting impatiently for it: qui attend avec impatience.
- concerned about - concerned by - concerned with
If Mummy is really concerned about Dad's health, that means she is worried about her husband's health: qui s'inquiete de.
If you are not concerned by this decision, this decision will not have any effect on you, your behaviour: concerne par.
On the contrary, if he is more concerned with efficiency than prestige, it means his interest is based on/he is more interested in efficiency than prestige: qui s'interesse a.
- good at - good to - good for
She is good at maths but her English level is terrible: bon en.
My grandmother was good to me because she was quite nice towards me: gentil avec.
Practising sport is good for health as it makes you breath: bon pour.
- mad about - mad at - mad with
I do not know why but I have the feeling that he is clearly mad about her. She does not care! (fou de)
Yesterday he was mad at me for telling Dad, he was so angry with me! (furieux contre)
He was mad with rage (fou de).
Some expressions to keep in mind:
- at a pinch: a la rigueur
- at will: a volonte
- at your disposal: a votre disposition
- for want of: a defaut de
- in the long run: a long terms
- in my opinion: a mon avis
- in turn: a son tour
- on no account: a aucun prix
- on condition that: a condition que
- on the radio: a la radio
- on second thoughts: a la reflexion
- on TV: a la television
- on foot: a pied
- at random: au hasard
- at least: au moins
- at worst: au pire
- at the latest: au plus tard
- in case: au cas ou
- in view of: au vu de
- on the whole: dans l'ensemble
- over the years: au fil des annees
- with Ford: chez Ford
- in the hope of: dans l'espoir de
- by my watch: d'apres ma montre
- by next Thursday: d'ici jeudi prochain
- by day: de jour
- from an economic point of view: d'un point de vue economique
- in a loud voice: d'une voix forte
- in preference to: de preference a
- on behalf of: de la part de, au nom de
- at present: en ce moment
- at risk: en danger
- at odds: en desaccord
- at issue: en discussion
- at war: en guerre
- at stake: en jeu
- at the same time: en meme temps
- at peace: en paix
- in advance: en avance
- in charge of: en charge de
- in comparison with: en comparaison de
- in compliance with: en conformite avec
- in exchange for: en echange de
- in addition to: en plus de
- in proportion to: en proportion de
- in reply to: en reponse a
- on arriving: en arrivant
- on good terms (with): en bons termes (avec)
- on fire: en feu
- on the move: en mouvement
- on average: en moyenne
- on account of: en raison de
- on the way: en route
- on holiday: en vacance
- under way: en cours de realisation
- under repair: en reparation
- by heart: par coeur
- by mistake: par erreur
- for example: par exemple
- for instance: par exemple
- for lack of: par manque de
- out of interest: par interet
- in the meantime: pendant ce temps
- over the weekend: pendant le week-end
- in earnest: pour de bon
- for the time being: pour l'instant
- in the rain: sous la pluie
- at once: tout de suite
- in accordance with: conformement a
- on Monday: lundi
- on one's own: seul
- by oneself: seul
EXCEPTIONS:
- at the end (of the text): a la fin (du texte)
- in the end (=eventually): au bout du compte
- in time: dans les delais
- on time: a l'heure
- at stake: en jeu (ce que l'on risque)
- at work: en jeu (en presence)
Now, you can use these expressions on the best way possible without hesitation!;-)
With best wishes,
Ceraulen
17 décembre 2006
Translation into mother tongue
Dear readers,
Well, today, we will study a kind of exercise you maybe did when you were in College : translation into mother tongue. The one I found is from A levels (baccalaureat) level. So, normally, it is easy for you. Let us start!
My first school
I was taken into a Form Room and told to sit at a desk. All the
other boys were out of doors, and I was alone with the Form Master. He
produced a thin greeny-brown, covered book filled with words in
different types of print.
"You have never done any Latin before, have you?" he said.
"No, Sir."
"This
is Latin grammar." He opened it at a well-thumbed page. "You must learn
this", he said, pointing to a number of words in a frame of lines. "I
will come back in half an hour and see what you know."
Behold me then on a gloomy evening, with an aching heart, seated in front of the First Declension.
mensa a table
mensa O table
mensam a table
mensae of a table
mensae to or for a table
mensa by, with or from a table
What on earth did it mean? Where was the sense in it? It seemed
absolute rigmarole to me. However, there was something I could always
do: I could learn it by heart. And I thereupon proceeded, as far as my
private sorrows would allow, to memorize the task which had been set me.
In due course the Master returned.
"Have you learned it?" he asked.
"I think I can say it, sir.", I replied, and I gabbled it off.
He seemed so satisfied with that that I was emboldened to ask a question.
"What does it mean, sir?"
"It
means what it says. Mensa, a table. Mensa is a noun of the First
Declension. There are five declensions. You have learnt the singular of
the First Declension."
"But", I repeated, "what does it mean?".
"Mensa means a table", he answered.
"Then why does Mensa also mean O table", I enquired, "and what does O table mean?"
"Mensa, O table is vocative case", he replied.
"But why O table?", I persisted in genuine curiosity.
"O
table, - you would use that in adressing a table, in invoking a table."
And then seeing he was not carrying me with him, "You would use it in
speaking to a table."
"But, I never do," I blurted out in honest amazement.
"If you are impertinent, you will be punished, and punished, let me tell you, very severely," was his conclusive rejoinder.
Such
was my first introduction to the classics from which, I have been told,
many of our cleverest men have derived so much solace and profit.
Winston Churchill, My Early Life, 1930.
Let us try to translate the text sentence by sentence:
- My first School ---- Ma premiere ecole
- I was taken into a Form Room and told to sit at a desk.
Je fus conduit dans une salle d'etude et dit de m'asseoir a un bureau (voix passive en anglais et impersonnel en francais)
- All the other boys were out of doors,
Tous les autres eleves etaient sortis
- and I was alone with the Form Master.
et j'etais seul avec le maitre d'etude.
- He produced a thin greeny-brown, covered book
Il sortit un petit livre couvert de couleur marron verdatre
- filled with words in different types of print.
rempli de mots, de differents types de caracteres
- He opened it at a well-thumbed page.
Il l'ouvrit a une page bien "poucee" (marquee d'un pouce)
- "You must learn this", he said
"Vous devez apprendre ceci", dit-il,
-pointing to a number of words in a frame of lines.
montrant du doigt une liste de mots dans un cadre.
- "I will come back in half an hour and see what you know"
Je reviendrai dans une demi-heure pour voir ce que vous savez
- Behold me then on a gloomy evening,
Imaginez-moi alors dans un soir lugubre
- with an aching heart,
avec le coeur douloureux (le coeur gros)
- seated in front of the First Declension
assis en face de la premiere declinaison
- What on earth did it mean?
Qu'est-ce que tout cela pouvait bien vouloir dire?
- Where was the sense in it?
Ou etait le sens dans cela?
- It seemed absolute rigmarole to me.
Pour moi, c'etait du galimatias.
- However, there was something I could always do:
Cependant, il y avait quelque chose que je pouvais toujours faire:
- I could learn it by heart
je pouvais l'apprendre par coeur
- And thereupon proceeded,
Et je m'employai aussitot,
- as far as my private sorrows would allow,
pour autant que mon chagrin le permettait
- to memorize the task which had been set to me.
a memoriser la tache qui m'avait ete impartie
- In due course the Master returned.
En temps du (a l'heure dite), le maitre d'etude revint.
- "I think I can say it, sir", I replied, and I gabbled it off.
je pense que je peux la dire, monsieur, repondis-je; et je la debirai d'un trait
- He seemed so satisfied with that
Il en semble si satisfait
- that I was emboldened to ask a question.
que je m'enhardis a lui poser une question.
- "Mensa, O table is the vocative case", he replied.
"Mensa, O table est le vocatif", repondit-il?
- But why O table? I persisted in genuine curiosity.
Mais pourquoi O table? persistai-je en toute curiosite.
- O table - you would use that in adressing a table, in invoking a table.
O table s'utilise en s'adressant a une table, en invoquant une table
- And then seeing he was not carrying me with him,
Et alors en voyant qu'il ne m'avait pas convaincu,
"But I never do", I blurted out in honest amazement.
Mais je ne le fais jamais, m'exclamai-je sincerement surpris.
- "If you are impertinent, you will be punished, and punished, let me tell you, very severely"
Si vous etes impertinent, vous serez puni et puni, permettez-moi de vous le dire, tres severement,
- was his conclusive rejoinder.
fut son verdict final
- Such was my first introduction to the classics from which,
Telle fut mon introduction aux classiques (aux etudes classiques), desquelles,
- I have been told, many of our cleverest men have derived
m'a t'on dit, bien de nos personnalites les plus avisees ont tire
- so much solace and profit.
tant de reconfort et de benefices.
Here it is!
With best wishes,
Ceraulen
05 décembre 2006
Rosa Parks
Who was ROSA PARKS?
Of course, you heard about her before. She can be considered as a symbol as she was the first step towards equity between white and black people in the United States.
Rosa Parks, a black seamstress (couturiere) whose refusal to
relinquish (ceder) her seat to a white man on a city bus in Montgomery,
Alabama, almost 50 years ago grew into a mythic even that helped touch
off (etre le point de depart) the civil rights movement of the 1950s
and 1960s, died at her home on the 25th of October in Detroit.
She
was 92 years old. Parks said that she did not fully realize what she
was starting when she decided not to move on that 1st of december 1955
evening in Montgomery. It was a simple refusal, but her arrest and the
subsequent (qui suit) protests began the complex cultural struggle to
legally guarantee equal rights to Americans of all races.
Within
days, her arrest sparked (emettre des etincelles) a 380-day bus
boycott, which led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that desegregated
her city's public transportation. Her arrest also triggered (provoquer)
mass demonstrations, made the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. famous, and
transformed schools, workplaces and housing. Her role in American
history earned her an iconic legacy in American culture and worldwide
civil rights movements.
For further information:
http://www.rosaparks.org/index.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2005/10/051026_parks.shtml
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/par0bio-1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Parks
http://www.grandtimes.com/rosa.html
With best wishes,
Ceraulen
04 décembre 2006
What a relief! Coming back to work!
Dear readers,
I am particularly glad to inform you I signed a CDI contract last Friday for a buyer position in promotional items, especially for textile and jewellery within a French company belonging to a leading Hong Kong group.
A CDI contract means in French "Contrat a Duree Inderterminee" that is to say "a permanent contract" in English language. It is quite rare to get this kind of contract. Most of them are CDD "Contrat a Duree Determinee" or "a fixed-term contract", even temporary jobs proposed by agencies.
Of course, we have a trial period (periode d'essai) of 3 or 6 months in accordance with our status and responsabilities within the company.
So, this year, I have received in advance maybe the most memorable gift because not only so expected but also desired.
I had been looking for a job for 20 months and you can imagine how deep is the relief now! If I told you how many job interviews I took part, you could not believe it!
Thanks to my coach, I tried to take the positive parts from each interview and prepared the next one. You cannot imagine how difficult it is to help up (se relever) each time and go to a job interview as if it was the first one. You become stronger and are like the mythological bird, Phoenix, a bird resembling an eagle that lived for 500 years
and then burned itself to death on a pyre from whose ashes another
phoenix arose. In literature, it is considered as a symbol of death
and resurrection...
I do not have any regret about this period of official non-working (inactivite). There is not the slightest doubt that it has helped to discover me better, asked me the right questions about life and be more open and liberal towards the others. I have met friendly and understanding people. Some of those who considered themselves as my friends became more distant and only the ones who accepted me with this unemployed status are still my friends.
The fact is that the weight of consumption society is so heavy that you let judge the others in accordance with their positions and not their personnalities. What a pity! As if you do not exist anymore because you do not work anymore!
Being unemployed is a full-time job because the target is to recover a job! So, you need to look for ads in newspapers, websites, magazines, prepare your application letters and resume, follow-up your applications, meet people to build a network... You have also lots of "ups and dows" and need to face them.
Sometimes, one word is enough to make you cry because you do not have the feeling others can understand you. It is as if the working people wanted you to feel guilty to take advantage from the system. They do not have any respect anymore or so little for you because of this. And more important, they do not want to understand you because they are scared to be on your shoes. So, they are pretty untolerant and judge you only because they are not aware about how difficult it is to find a job! Of course, real friends are exceptions and they are ready to listen to you and encourage you at any time!
I took part to 4 associations. One of them is dedicated to middle/senior managers looking for a job. Every week, a meeting takes place to exchange tips about CVs, application letters, interviews, network... You have also at your disposal some languages circle to practise English, German, Italian, Spanish and others. I was a volunteer to organize an English circle and did my best to help my colleagues expressing themselves in English. The idea of this blog comes from the wish to share with more people my knowledges and opinions about very different topics.
So, I would like to say thank you to each of you who supported me and encouraged me so much!
With best wishes,
Ceraulen