My husband and I are on a walking holiday in the middle of nowhere in France, picked because it’s literally the cheapest break we could come up with during a time of extreme stress. Every penny counts to us at this time.
One day, it becomes clear that we’ve walked much too far and simply don’t have the energy to walk all the back to the town we’re staying in.
Then, we spot a tiny rural railway station… but we don’t have tickets. There’s no machine. There is, however, someone on duty in the railway station.
I don’t speak French. My husband learned it in school in England in the 1960s but has never used it since. We have a discount card, and the journey would ideally involve a switch to a tram in the town, which you can buy as an add-on to the ticket price for a big discount.
He thinks it’s worth trying.
In slow, imperfect, schoolboy French, he explains this to the booking clerk.
The booking clerk slowly and carefully runs through the options in French: the prices, where to change trains, how to validate the tickets on both the train and the tram, and all we need to know.
In the end, my husband is really proud of himself for how much he was able to make himself understood and how much he was able to understand. He takes the tickets and hesitatingly says:
Husband: “Merci monsieur pour… your… aide. Je suis désolé pour… my… français. Merci de le… uh, support?”
The clerk responds, in English with a clear West Midlands accent:
Clerk: “It was very good, and I thought you’d like the practice. I’m from Coventry.”
I think I fell in love with the guy, just a bit.
(For non-Brits, Coventry is a city in the West Midlands of England.)
Actually, if this is taking place in the evening like I assume, it would be “Bonsoir mesdames, Comment allez-vous?” Bonjour is only used in the daytime.
No one is more accomplished at murdering the French language than the Brits! Even the Yanks have better accents.
I shouldn’t brag, because many French – Parisians particularly, – cannot, or will not understand my French … and it used to be my second language!
The fault is that although I read and write modern French easily, my speech and accent would be more akin to 17th-century France rather than the 21st century.
I learned as a child and still speak Québécois French! To add to this corruption of the belle langue, I’ve acquired a healthy dose of Cajun to pepper my speech with.
Hmmm, this is not believable at all. Flirting with these women would involve offering to buy them a round. That ain’t gonna happen. But hope springs eternal that he can get them to buy him a pint.
The French Normans did rule England for a period beginning in 1066 AD, so it’s vaguely possible Andy has some French blood in his family tree, emphasis on vaguely more than possible.
ronaldspence about 1 month ago
I guess Andy drinks so he won’t pierre!
Yakety Sax about 1 month ago
Pardon My French But C’est Hilarant!
My husband and I are on a walking holiday in the middle of nowhere in France, picked because it’s literally the cheapest break we could come up with during a time of extreme stress. Every penny counts to us at this time.
One day, it becomes clear that we’ve walked much too far and simply don’t have the energy to walk all the back to the town we’re staying in.
Then, we spot a tiny rural railway station… but we don’t have tickets. There’s no machine. There is, however, someone on duty in the railway station.
I don’t speak French. My husband learned it in school in England in the 1960s but has never used it since. We have a discount card, and the journey would ideally involve a switch to a tram in the town, which you can buy as an add-on to the ticket price for a big discount.
He thinks it’s worth trying.
In slow, imperfect, schoolboy French, he explains this to the booking clerk.
The booking clerk slowly and carefully runs through the options in French: the prices, where to change trains, how to validate the tickets on both the train and the tram, and all we need to know.
In the end, my husband is really proud of himself for how much he was able to make himself understood and how much he was able to understand. He takes the tickets and hesitatingly says:
Husband: “Merci monsieur pour… your… aide. Je suis désolé pour… my… français. Merci de le… uh, support?”
The clerk responds, in English with a clear West Midlands accent:
Clerk: “It was very good, and I thought you’d like the practice. I’m from Coventry.”
I think I fell in love with the guy, just a bit.
(For non-Brits, Coventry is a city in the West Midlands of England.)
snsurone76 about 1 month ago
“Achetez moi un boit!”
seanfear about 1 month ago
nice try Andy – now work on that beer smell …. and the “R”
Mediatech about 1 month ago
He perfected his French accent by watching episodes of Allo Allo.
Imagine about 1 month ago
Pardon his French.
BenGMan about 1 month ago
Don’t even try Andy.
baraktorvan about 1 month ago
Actually, if this is taking place in the evening like I assume, it would be “Bonsoir mesdames, Comment allez-vous?” Bonjour is only used in the daytime.
Huckleberry Hiroshima about 1 month ago
Kermit and Gary beckon.
Count Olaf Premium Member about 1 month ago
Parlay voo le porn?
markkahler52 about 1 month ago
Hast du einen ze Duetsch?
rshive about 1 month ago
Andy’s accent probably tips them off.
CorkLock about 1 month ago
Fake is something not genuine but ANDY is pure 100% GENUINE FAKE! Got to admire him for trying. Wee pee?
ksu71 about 1 month ago
Andy channels a French pirate. Who duh thunkit?
philwinn about 1 month ago
Suave
ladykat about 1 month ago
Fail, Andy.
MuddyUSA Premium Member about 1 month ago
Is he asking them to buy a round in french?
Linguist about 1 month ago
No one is more accomplished at murdering the French language than the Brits! Even the Yanks have better accents.
I shouldn’t brag, because many French – Parisians particularly, – cannot, or will not understand my French … and it used to be my second language!
The fault is that although I read and write modern French easily, my speech and accent would be more akin to 17th-century France rather than the 21st century.
I learned as a child and still speak Québécois French! To add to this corruption of the belle langue, I’ve acquired a healthy dose of Cajun to pepper my speech with.
No wonder the Parisian Francophiles hate me!
Godfreydaniel about 1 month ago
No wonder women swoon over Inspector Clouseau…..
Brent Rosenthal Premium Member about 1 month ago
The word is mesdames. And throwing in a “comment allez-vous” will help.
cuzinron47 about 1 month ago
The accent is a bit off, so is the handsome and irresistible.
pripley about 1 month ago
Hmmm, this is not believable at all. Flirting with these women would involve offering to buy them a round. That ain’t gonna happen. But hope springs eternal that he can get them to buy him a pint.
The Duke about 1 month ago
Oui, oui!
Number Three about 1 month ago
Their faces are killing me.
xxx
tad1 about 1 month ago
Sacre bleu!
jossy138 about 1 month ago
Les deux dames certainly got lips for French kissing
Sherlock5 5 days ago
The French Normans did rule England for a period beginning in 1066 AD, so it’s vaguely possible Andy has some French blood in his family tree, emphasis on vaguely more than possible.