Renovation project - Lost in translation
We have to go shopping again today to
get the new cupboard doors so head off. As we are going into Morlaix
we stop off and have a look at a furniture store as we have not found
a suite on line that we both like
We go in to Conforama and John sees a
leather recliner suite, he is insistent that we buy a comfortable
suite this time, I would still prefer something small, but seeing as
he has not had anything big enough for him to relax on for over 4
years, I relent and let him try out the recliner suite. (it is very
comfortable!) and as it is the display model it has a discount of 40%
we really can't let it go.
We arrange to buy it and ask about the
use of the van from the shop, we are doing quite well but the
assistant immediately recognises we are English and keeps trying to
speak in English, this is really helpful but her English is not that
good and she keeps using wrong words, her French was much easier to
understand!
We eventually buy it and arrange to
hire the van, we will be picking it up in two days. We have to pay at
the cash desk and she explains to one of the tellers that we are
English, so he does not want to serve us, the other person can speak
some English so she agrees, again very nice, but not necessary.
They
speak to each other before we are served and I explain that I can
understand and speak French, just slowly. I am not sure what they
said to each other, but at least now I know it will be polite!
The living room will not be ready but
we have our first guests coming in three days so we need something
for us all to sit on.
A friend who was struggling with French wanted to go to Quick. He carefully planned his order and practiced saying it several times. He got to the counter, said "bonjour," and the teenage employee quickly welcomed him to Quick and asked what he wanted, in crisp, flawless English. He said he was humiliated.
ReplyDeleteIt can be hard to practice in real life!
we have that problem in this are of Brittany, luckily all the local village shops let me practise my French and help me with words I get wrong
Delete...And sometimes it makes them quite cross if you don't understand what they're trying to say...
ReplyDeleteluckily, I think she was just so happy to speak English, but maybe thought we were a bit thick that wwe couldn't understand English either ;)
DeleteYou guys are steaming along with this project, who knew the first house was just a practise run
ReplyDeletethanks, this one is really is coming along fast :)
DeleteThis must be frustrating -- the whole language thing. At least you can understand a lot of what is going on.
ReplyDeleteyes the problem is I am a bit slow at formulating the answer but I am getting there
DeleteI'd love it if you'd play along with Dreaming of France today (Monday). Here’s my Dreaming of France meme
ReplyDeleteHi I loe your dreaming of France meme, I'm getting to see so many blogs :)
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