Unless you grow up speaking two or three languages because two or three languages are commonly spoken where you grow up, learning another language later is a difficult task. Not because the older we become, the less flexible our mind, but because of the increasing inflexibility of our mindset.
At whatever age, learning another language is not easy. Unfortunately, the more we become aware of how difficulty it is, the more difficult it becomes.
However, learning another language can also be quite enjoyable. The trick is to focus on the fun aspects of the task, so that the difficult aspects recede by comparison.
The joy of learning is the premise of this book. It presents English and French in the form of games that clearly point up the similarities and differences between the two languages. Sometimes these similarities and differences are blatantly obvious. For example: The English expression talks about a bull in a china shop; the French expression talks about an elephant in a china shop.
Sometimes the differences are more profound, betraying a fundamental aspect of the culture of the people who speak the language. For example: The English adage advices “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The French version tells us “L’habit ne fait pas le moine“ (The habit doesn’t make the monk).
Whether you are anglophone (English-speaking) or francophone (French-speaking), the purpose of this book is not to help you better understand the other’s culture through the language. Discovering certain aspects of the other’s culture through the language is only a bonus.
The sole objective of the book is to have fun — and learn something while you are doing it.
It consists of four sections. The games in the first section are about homophones. These are words with different spellings but the same pronunciation, such as (English): one, won; here, hear; there, their; meet, meat. (French): poids, pois, don, dont; dessein, dessin; faim, fin; foi, foie, fois, etc.
The games in section 2 are about proverbs and common expressions, i.e. bulls and elephants, books and monks.
The games in section 3 deal with “false friends” (faux amis). These are words that look as if they should have the same meaning in the two languages but actually mean something quite different. It is very important to recognize them in order to avoid silly mistakes.
Example: physicien in French does not mean doctor (médecin), but physicist. Actual in English does not mean current or at the moment, but real or true (réel, véritable).
The final section of the book is a bit more philosophical.
A major difficulty in learning another language is the strong feeling that it is bizarre and complicated. This is a particular problem for anglophones, because objectively many other languages are considerably more complicated. But don’t be misled. Many characteristics of French are in fact easier than their equivalents in English. Section 4 explores a number of these.
By rejoicing in French’s simplicities rather than focusing on its complexities, learning the language can be made more rapid and more enjoyable than you might have imagined. This doesn’t mean that French will suddenly become easy. Learning a language is never easy, French or otherwise. But it can be made rather less difficult.
Have fun! Amusez-vous bien!
At whatever age, learning another language is not easy. Unfortunately, the more we become aware of how difficulty it is, the more difficult it becomes.
However, learning another language can also be quite enjoyable. The trick is to focus on the fun aspects of the task, so that the difficult aspects recede by comparison.
The joy of learning is the premise of this book. It presents English and French in the form of games that clearly point up the similarities and differences between the two languages. Sometimes these similarities and differences are blatantly obvious. For example: The English expression talks about a bull in a china shop; the French expression talks about an elephant in a china shop.
Sometimes the differences are more profound, betraying a fundamental aspect of the culture of the people who speak the language. For example: The English adage advices “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The French version tells us “L’habit ne fait pas le moine“ (The habit doesn’t make the monk).
Whether you are anglophone (English-speaking) or francophone (French-speaking), the purpose of this book is not to help you better understand the other’s culture through the language. Discovering certain aspects of the other’s culture through the language is only a bonus.
The sole objective of the book is to have fun — and learn something while you are doing it.
It consists of four sections. The games in the first section are about homophones. These are words with different spellings but the same pronunciation, such as (English): one, won; here, hear; there, their; meet, meat. (French): poids, pois, don, dont; dessein, dessin; faim, fin; foi, foie, fois, etc.
The games in section 2 are about proverbs and common expressions, i.e. bulls and elephants, books and monks.
The games in section 3 deal with “false friends” (faux amis). These are words that look as if they should have the same meaning in the two languages but actually mean something quite different. It is very important to recognize them in order to avoid silly mistakes.
Example: physicien in French does not mean doctor (médecin), but physicist. Actual in English does not mean current or at the moment, but real or true (réel, véritable).
The final section of the book is a bit more philosophical.
A major difficulty in learning another language is the strong feeling that it is bizarre and complicated. This is a particular problem for anglophones, because objectively many other languages are considerably more complicated. But don’t be misled. Many characteristics of French are in fact easier than their equivalents in English. Section 4 explores a number of these.
By rejoicing in French’s simplicities rather than focusing on its complexities, learning the language can be made more rapid and more enjoyable than you might have imagined. This doesn’t mean that French will suddenly become easy. Learning a language is never easy, French or otherwise. But it can be made rather less difficult.
Have fun! Amusez-vous bien!
