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+--- Thread: Anyone speak French reasonably well? (/showthread.php?tid=31656)
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Anyone speak French reasonably well? - voodoopenguin - 04-16-2007
I need to send an email to someone in France who bought some old banknotes from me on eBay. Our communication so far has been strange as I have forgotten most of my French and he doesn't even attempt English. My bank has been happy to process his cheque without any extra charges (his Euros into my UK sterling account) and I would just like to send a message to say the cheque has cleared and his item will be posted soon.
I use several free online translation sites to help me work out what is written on foreign sites but know that these cheap translations can get a bit bizarre. I just did a simple sentence, put it into one online service then tested it by putting their translation into another site. The 'English' that resulted was a good laugh but I would be embarrassed to send the French version if it was that wrong.
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - iaJim - 04-16-2007
I messed around with Alta Vista, and came up with a translation that stayed the same when I took it from English to French and from French to English. I changed the words to simplify the idea for an automated translator:
J'ai encaissé votre chèque, et l'article sera envoyé bientôt.
Translated: I cashed your check, and the item will be sent soon.
Maybe?
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - voodoopenguin - 04-16-2007
That looks great but I think I will leave out the 'maybe' part .
Many thanks.
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - davester - 04-16-2007
My hovercraft is full of eels...eels!
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - iaJim - 04-16-2007
You had me going there for a moment. I missed the smiley.
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - chas_m - 04-16-2007
Actually the translation widget in Tiger can handle this no problem. I use it for transcontinetal, multi-language iChats all the time!
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - Seacrest - 04-16-2007
Je souffle mon nez sur vous. Vous mère est un hamster et les odeurs de votre père sont comme les odeurs des baies de sureau.
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - Racer X - 04-16-2007
[quote davester]My hovercraft is full of eels...eels!
I have a big pencil box.
Please give us a kiss, and show us your knickers.
nice one Seacrest. I can read it OK, but can't speak it any more.
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - Spock - 04-16-2007
Any similarity to "Be Our Guest" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast are, ahem, purely coincidental.
My dear readers, Because this is certain to cause concern among the satirically impaired, let me make this clear: I do not actually advocate the consumption of all of the people of France. I only suggest - the French ones.
Eat - the - French!
Eat the French!
Your bon appetites they'll quench!
Though they smell a bit like snail, inhale
That gay Parisian stench
Try them whole - or pureed
I'll take Nice-Brest, creme bruleed!
Sheer delight, one bite determines
Don't believe me? Ask the Germans!
They ooze spice - and romance
After all, chere, this is France!
Join the game, ma dame; get off the stupide bench
Come on and take your fill a
All this Francophilia
Eat the French
Oui, the French
Eat the French!
Feet ragout; Nancy hands
Fresh or frozen or from Cannes
Bake true artwork from the pieces
Like Matisses and Cezannes
Getting full? C'est dommage!
Try this dish, avec fromage!
Yes, I know it's rather phallic
But at least it's small; it's Gallic!
Zee heart wants - what it wants
But my gut prefers Provence
Though those folks get old and tough as Judi Dench
As for the fashion scene
We'll make it haute cuisine
And eat the French!
S'il vous plait
It's fine dining - on Francais!
Eat the French! Eat the French! Eat the French!
Dinners we're devizhing
From this place so disoblizhing
Far from hope and dear Europa, they've withdrawn
Ah, those good old days when France was useful
Suddenly those good old days are gone
Many years they've snubbed us
In a wrongish way, they've rubbed us
And they've simply kept us waiting for Toulon
Menus, therefore, now define the Frenchies:
Bumptious and presumptuous
But sauteed they're rather scrumptious!
Eat a Frog! Eat a Toad!
A la carte or a la mode
We'll share bites of Paris-ites
And gobble Frog legs by the load!
Put away - St Tropez
As one chomps the Elysees
I'll need Chardonnay colonics
'Cause I'm hooked on Francophonics!
Cooking coq - and foie gras
Is a Champagne in the as
But they're pleasin' with some Bries 'n' Ro-que-forts
Try Dijonnaise with booze
You've no more days, Toulouse
The premiere course?
BUTT OF CORSE!
But it's coarse!
BUT OF COURSE!
Eat the French! Eat the French!
Down a Marseillesian wench!
Tastes like pork so grab your knife and salad fork
And croissant wrench
Tour de France? Tour Eiffel?
Oui, we'll sample those as well
They're tres magnifique, no question
Never mind the indigestion!
Feast - all - day!
Even nights!
If they shout "Zees rheally bites!"
We'll go slow, though, with Bordeaux, we'll still get drenched
We'll toast their Bastille freedom
No, screw that! Just eat 'em!
Eat the French!
Eat the French!
Eat the French!
LET'S EAT - THE - FRENCH!
(Urp!)
(Excusez-moi.)
http://www.amiright.com/parody/90s/disneysbeautyandthebeast1.shtml
Re: Anyone speak French reasonably well? - rgG - 04-16-2007
All the French I know came from songs. So unless you want to say "Michelle, these are words that go together well" or "Would you like to sleep with me tonight" or "Brother James, are you sleeping?" I got nothing. But, with those three phrases, you might be able to make a fairly interesting paragraph.