Introducing myself

[NJFrenchy]

I’m a 36 year old born and raised in New York City, though I live outside of Philadelphia. I went to college in France (my father is French) and started wearing speedo style swimsuits there. I’m a high school French and Spanish teacher as well as a part time musician. I’m straight, been married and divorced, however I still have a great deal of appreciation for the male body just not in a sexual way.

[Scottiebum]

Welcome, hope you enjoy the forum, please join in!

[NJFrenchy]

Thanks. Which part of Scotland are you from? I spent some time in Glasgow and Edinburgh, think the Highlands and Islands are gorgeous. I also like your whisky, plus I think haggis is good. Sorry about the weather though.

[Scottiebum]

Thanks. Which part of Scotland are you from? I spent some time in Glasgow and Edinburgh, think the Highlands and Islands are gorgeous. I also like your whisky, plus I think haggis is good. Sorry about the weather though.

PM sent

[electric2010]

Welcome. I'm in the northwest Philly suburbs, Glad you joined.

[NJFrenchy]

Thanks. I can’t believe it took me this long to find this site. I’m not too far from Philly myself.

[SEASPEEDO]

Welcome NJFrenchy!

[Thom]

Welcome aboard!

[paspeedo]

Welcome!! We should organize a beach trip to NJ with everyone!!

[NJFrenchy]

Thanks @SEASPEEDO, Thom, and paspeedo. I should add that my job description has changed. I’m no longer teaching high school, just started teaching college French Lit. In the big leagues now .

[losingandbuilding]

Welcome man! Always good to see fellow Pennsylvanians here.

[Speedoaddict]

I’m a 36 year old born and raised in New York City, though I live outside of Philadelphia. I went to college in France (my father is French) and started wearing speedo style swimsuits there. I’m a high school French and Spanish teacher as well as a part time musician. I’m straight, been married and divorced, however I still have a great deal of appreciation for the male body just not in a sexual way.

Hi there, nice to hear from a new member. Welcome!

[Thom]

Thanks @SEASPEEDO, Thom, and paspeedo. I should add that my job description has changed. I’m no longer teaching high school, just started teaching college French Lit. In the big leagues now .

Congratulations! I took French from 8th grade through third year college level (it was a requirement to graduate back then!). But I never studied or lived in France. That makes a big difference. My college didn't have a program there. They now have one in Belgium.

[NJFrenchy]

Thanks @SEASPEEDO, Thom, and paspeedo. I should add that my job description has changed. I’m no longer teaching high school, just started teaching college French Lit. In the big leagues now .

Congratulations! I took French from 8th grade through third year college level (it was a requirement to graduate back then!). But I never studied or lived in France. That makes a big difference. My college didn't have a program there. They now have one in Belgium.

Thanks! I think at least one foreign language should be required to graduate. My parents are French and Swiss, so it made sense to go to college in France since it was free (sorry, I know that a sensitive subject in the USA ). Just got back from a conference in Belgium last week. Immersion is definitely the best way to learn, and Belgian French
Isn’t strange like Quebec French is.

[Thom]

[Thanks! I think at least one foreign language should be required to graduate. My parents are French and Swiss, so it made sense to go to college in France since it was free (sorry, I know that a sensitive subject in the USA ). Just got back from a conference in Belgium last week. Immersion is definitely the best way to learn, and Belgian French Isn’t strange like Quebec French is.

I practiced my accent quite a bit in college in the language lab. (I doubt if they have those any more. little booths to practice and a control room with racks of tape recorders). The tape set I used had the accent prevalent in Northern France. Funny, I was looking at travel books at the library today, dreaming of visiting Nice and Provence. I was there with my family when I was a teenager...a rather long time ago. On Bastille Day, we watched the fireworks from the Promende des Anglais in Nice. <sigh>

[NJFrenchy]

[Thanks! I think at least one foreign language should be required to graduate. My parents are French and Swiss, so it made sense to go to college in France since it was free (sorry, I know that a sensitive subject in the USA ). Just got back from a conference in Belgium last week. Immersion is definitely the best way to learn, and Belgian French Isn’t strange like Quebec French is.

I practiced my accent quite a bit in college in the language lab. (I doubt if they have those any more. little booths to practice and a control room with racks of tape recorders). The tape set I used had the accent prevalent in Northern France. Funny, I was looking at travel books at the library today, dreaming of visiting Nice and Provence. I was there with my family when I was a teenager...a rather long time ago. On Bastille Day, we watched the fireworks from the Promende des Anglais in Nice. <sigh>

The college I teach at has a language lab, but students don’t usually learn accents unfortunately. It’s mainly used now for vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation. Because I grew up in New York I spoke Parisian French, because that was the only accent that was taught at the Lycée Française. My father’s family comes from Narbonne, way in the south just an hour from the Spanish border. He actually grew up speaking Catalan at home. I love the south, Provence, Langedoc-Roussilon, Nice, Marseille etc.

[Thom]

The college I teach at has a language lab, but students don’t usually learn accents unfortunately. It’s mainly used now for vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation. Because I grew up in New York I spoke Parisian French, because that was the only accent that was taught at the Lycée Française. My father’s family comes from Narbonne, way in the south just an hour from the Spanish border. He actually grew up speaking Catalan at home. I love the south, Provence, Langedoc-Roussilon, Nice, Marseille etc.

Surprising that students don't learn accents. They must speak French with an American accent.

Best,

Tom

[NJFrenchy]

Surprising that students don't learn accents. They must speak French with an American accent.

Best,

Tom

Well they do try their best to emulate the Parisian accent, which is supposed to be the preferred standard. But only the ones that are really good mimics can pull it off and lose the American accent completely. I also try to teach them slang that people their ages often use. In addition I try to be a bad influence, and speak with my regional accent.

[Speedoaddict]

My 2 cousins can talk fluent french and a bit of Russian.
Their mom was from Paris and their grand father was Russian.
I have enough trouble with English. Lol.

[Thom]

Surprising that students don't learn accents. They must speak French with an American accent.

Best,

Tom

Well they do try their best to emulate the Parisian accent, which is supposed to be the preferred standard. But only the ones that are really good mimics can pull it off and lose the American accent completely. I also try to teach them slang that people their ages often use. In addition I try to be a bad influence, and speak with my regional accent.

NJ,

Wow. My teachers were so formal. The only time we used Tu was in verb conjugations. I understand now that in more modern French they drop the "ne" in front of the verb and just use the "pas" afterward. I found a book at the library that's supposed to have more modern syntax. I left the reference at the office. I'll post it later.