Franglais and bilingualism.

 

I hear Americans tell someone speaking anything but English to speak English, they are in America.
My brother did it to me when I was talking to a French waiter in French.

I always find that ignorant. I feel sorry for them because they are losing out on another culture never mind using more of their brain cells.

Today this passage (see below) was on Facebook from a Syrian friend. I didn't realize it was in two languages until I was into the second paragraph.

I live in more than one language or maybe more: English, French, Franglais, British English and Bostonian. I have a Frigo and a Fridge, a vac, hoover, aspirator, and I wear sneakers, baskets and trainers.

My dog is bilingual. We have to spell both ice cream and glace and many other words.

Because I live in Geneva, being multi-lingual is normal. Most of my friends speak several languages, and I'm seldom at a gathering where only one language is spoken. Often, on the bus a child and parent each speak a different language to each other, yet they understand perfectly.

Some couples from different mother tongues have said how when they can't get their partner to understand in one language, they can try in the second. Sometimes, however, misunderstandings occur, which can be funny -- or not.

I do like the line about being an absolute genius to understand the article. I won't tell the writer what a fight I had to become functional in French, nor will I mention how much of my German, I've forgotten. No genius.

This is the passage. I have put the French in italics, but I have not marked many words that are the same in both languages.

Being bilingual est parmi the best pleasures dans le monde entier. Think about it pour un instant.

 

You can utiliser deux different languages en même temps in a such a way that makes ton cerveau wants to exploser from the speed par la quelle it switches from one langue to l'autre but still tu peux do it and ressentir spécial(e) at the same time, et c'est pour ça you are unique.

 

Le fact that tu peux lire this article without stopping to think est un talent très few people have.

 

La majorité of people struggle to lire juste in one single language, but what you are doing maintenant est un signe of absolute genius. Reading a très complicated texte in two langues différentes seamlessly makes you un(e) nerd et someone qui trouve joy in languages.

 

Now I want you to ask yourself des très simple questions: what makes you comprendre un texte like this? Did you apprendre les deux langues separately? Did you grow up dans une famille bilingue?

 

Quelle langue do you think in more as you lis ce texte? What langue are you more fluent in? leave ta réponse in a comment s'il vous plaît.

 

Mais, being bilingual has disadvantages aussi. Par exemple, te ne peux plus spell words anymore, knowing deux langues really messes up your spell checking abilities.

 

Est-ce-on dit centre or center, you never know anymore.

 

Furthermore, des fois there the same word in French et en Anglais but they have des meanings totalement différentes. If you order an entrée in French you'll get salad, mais en Anglais you'll get un steak.

 

Si tu want a petite bite of something, ne le dis pas en Français because you just requested a little penis instead of small bite.

 

Be careful s'il vous plaît, words are tricky.

Other times, you can be an asshole par erreur. 

 

Let me explain.

 

Being bilingual means you have une responsabilité to remember qui parle quelle langue.

 

Parce que you don't want to be rude and leave anyone out of la conversation.

 

Reading cet article must have given your brain a nice little workout. That's why you should le partager avec vos amis sur Facebook. De rien in advance and have a très bonne journée/nuit.

 

Note:  D-l Nelson is an American born Swiss-Canadian who has had 17 books published. Visit her website at www.dlnelsonwriter.com