Hi Karen !
It is a great pleasure to read you! I am really pleased to read a few french words in your last message! (your french seems to be very good !)
You say you are teaching french : it is great, if ever you need help or information about something concerning french do not hesitate to ask me, I would be really happy to help you ;)
Concerning what you said about the fact that in France (and other foreign countries) we only see rich people and celebrities from the US, it is true but we know that they do not represent all american citzens. I am well aware that the US are not a country full of rich people and celebrities. I know that there are "ordinary" people, but I talked about the rich and celebrities, just to point out the fact that these people, who can use plastic surgery (for example),often abuse of it, and thus they look ridiculous and that is what french people think when they see them, but we are well aware that they do not at all represent each and every US inhabitant (fortunatly !!)
I imagine that "ordinary" people are quite like french ordinary ones.
Concerning the way french people generally sees americans, I may add something that you could often hear in France when somebody wants to make fun of US people and it has something to do with foods since a lot of french people, if they were asked to make a caricature of an american woman or man, would say (or draw) that american people are fat because they do not eat correctly (too much hamburgers!) But, as I have just said, it is a caricatural vision of US inhabitants (meaning that we know that all americans are not fat, and do not constantly eat hamburgers, of course !! :) )
How do american people would make a caricature of french people ?
I think I've got the answer : bread, beret, mustache, accordion ! Is it true ? I think it is since we often see US or UK caricatures of french people corresponding to these 4 words.
I have read in your last message that you find that french people are polite. It is true, since people think it is very important to say "bonjour, au revoir, merci ....". You could often meet a mother with her child in a bakery buying bread (for example a typical caricature :) ) and the mother will ask her child to take the bread , and if her kid does not say "thank you" the mother would tell him/her : "et qu'est ce que tu dis à la dame/au monsieur ?" = "what should you tell now to the baker ?" and normally the child would answer "Merci", and then the Baker and the mother would exchange smiles. This is a situation that frequently takes place.
Just an advice : if one day you go in France, people would really be pleased if you tell them "bonjour, merci, au revoir...", even if you do not speak french except these words they will be happy, since they will consider that you are polite first, that you try to make efforts to speak french, and then (for french people) it shows some sort of respect. So, learn these french words first and you will be easily accepted and people will try to make efforts to understand you, to help you.... Be carefull, I do not say that if you do not use these words people would be unfriendly with you, but they can help them to be friendlier.
I am sure that americans are polite too, but maybe they do not think these words to be so important. For french people they correspond to a kind of respect you show to the person who is in front of you.
I have seen that you wanted to ask you clasmates and teachers, what they think about french people, it is a great idea, but do not feel obliged to do it for me! I would feel guilty to "oblige" you to do this (I have read that you are shy, but it may be just to speak french but if you are really shy I would really feel ill at ease)just because I often ask you to tell me what american people think about french.
For the photos it is a great idea to make a website, I will maybe do the same if I have time, because I think it is interesting to share some pictures of our countries because they could show some cultural differences (since we are in the topic "cultural differences"), but simply it is interesting to see how the US really look like (and the same for you concerning France, even if I know that these pictures will show just a town or a more or less big area of each country, and not the whole country with all its specificities and differences)
Joined: 2007-04-28
Hi Karen !
It is a great pleasure to read you! I am really pleased to read a few french words in your last message! (your french seems to be very good !)
You say you are teaching french : it is great, if ever you need help or information about something concerning french do not hesitate to ask me, I would be really happy to help you ;)
Concerning what you said about the fact that in France (and other foreign countries) we only see rich people and celebrities from the US, it is true but we know that they do not represent all american citzens. I am well aware that the US are not a country full of rich people and celebrities. I know that there are "ordinary" people, but I talked about the rich and celebrities, just to point out the fact that these people, who can use plastic surgery (for example),often abuse of it, and thus they look ridiculous and that is what french people think when they see them, but we are well aware that they do not at all represent each and every US inhabitant (fortunatly !!)
I imagine that "ordinary" people are quite like french ordinary ones.
Concerning the way french people generally sees americans, I may add something that you could often hear in France when somebody wants to make fun of US people and it has something to do with foods since a lot of french people, if they were asked to make a caricature of an american woman or man, would say (or draw) that american people are fat because they do not eat correctly (too much hamburgers!) But, as I have just said, it is a caricatural vision of US inhabitants (meaning that we know that all americans are not fat, and do not constantly eat hamburgers, of course !! :) )
How do american people would make a caricature of french people ?
I think I've got the answer : bread, beret, mustache, accordion ! Is it true ? I think it is since we often see US or UK caricatures of french people corresponding to these 4 words.
I have read in your last message that you find that french people are polite. It is true, since people think it is very important to say "bonjour, au revoir, merci ....". You could often meet a mother with her child in a bakery buying bread (for example a typical caricature :) ) and the mother will ask her child to take the bread , and if her kid does not say "thank you" the mother would tell him/her : "et qu'est ce que tu dis à la dame/au monsieur ?" = "what should you tell now to the baker ?" and normally the child would answer "Merci", and then the Baker and the mother would exchange smiles. This is a situation that frequently takes place.
Just an advice : if one day you go in France, people would really be pleased if you tell them "bonjour, merci, au revoir...", even if you do not speak french except these words they will be happy, since they will consider that you are polite first, that you try to make efforts to speak french, and then (for french people) it shows some sort of respect. So, learn these french words first and you will be easily accepted and people will try to make efforts to understand you, to help you.... Be carefull, I do not say that if you do not use these words people would be unfriendly with you, but they can help them to be friendlier.
I am sure that americans are polite too, but maybe they do not think these words to be so important. For french people they correspond to a kind of respect you show to the person who is in front of you.
I have seen that you wanted to ask you clasmates and teachers, what they think about french people, it is a great idea, but do not feel obliged to do it for me! I would feel guilty to "oblige" you to do this (I have read that you are shy, but it may be just to speak french but if you are really shy I would really feel ill at ease)just because I often ask you to tell me what american people think about french.
For the photos it is a great idea to make a website, I will maybe do the same if I have time, because I think it is interesting to share some pictures of our countries because they could show some cultural differences (since we are in the topic "cultural differences"), but simply it is interesting to see how the US really look like (and the same for you concerning France, even if I know that these pictures will show just a town or a more or less big area of each country, and not the whole country with all its specificities and differences)
Have a nice week-end !
Kind regards
Pat