Thursday, January 29, 2009

The road to multi-lingual

The reason why I've started this blog in English, is because I am scared of losing my English, or rather somewhere in my brain, I wonder if some English words I knew have been replaced by similar French words as I learn.....

There are heck of people who speak several languages - and I don't even have enough capacity to store more words in just one new language?
That's not fair!

Believe me, after living in England for 12 years though, surely I am losing my English and it's very quickly. Despite the fact that my husband and I speak in English most of the time and watch BBC or CSI in English. (Although this doesn't help with my French study at all - can't be helped)

The way I speak is getting a bit more aaaaah...f..French...iish?
Nope.
No way near it.

It's been over a year since I started to learn French properly.
These days, when I speak with my husband, I notice quite often that I mix some French words in English context.
When I study French, I'd think things in English - that's easier for me as there are many similarities. But
When I respond - I'd answer 'Oui', instead of 'Yes' - that's a small example.
Instead of saying [I want something little] I'd say [I want something petit] - something like this.

Not realising what language I was using....that's the problem.
Yes, of course, you'd speak something normally - but I should be more careful not to be lazy and stop mixing the two languages.

I'm very curious to know how the brains of
the multilingual people works - does anyone have any idea how to sustain what's in the brain and increase the memory capacity?
It's very long way to go.....am getting old.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Bling Bling!


This is what I got from my husband for Xmas.
A big diamond ring
in a box - and voila it's a mug!

When a friend of mine from Japan visited me in November, she bought one of these from our next door toyshop. I liked the idea so I mentioned to my husband that she bought one - here it is, he bought one for me! How sweet is that?

X'mas wishes for 2009 - No1

I think it's to do with the difference in sense of humour - but I have to say that France is rather boring in terms of making CALENDARS compared to England. (and Greeting Cards too)
In our house, we had 2 calendars from England (SpongyBob and the one with veggie jokes) which we bought a year before.
We got 2 Asian calendars from asian supermarket - which are OK(aah, not really) but we would want something that could write things on.

So we went to FNAC to buy some for this year but they didn't sell calendars apart from THIS very naughty French Rugby team ones called Dieux du Stade.
(Apparently they do this every year)

I had to make that one pass, as 1) it would ruin the interier of our place (of course) and 2) my husband would get jealous (really) - though tempted indeed. I then volunteered to go around the town and look for something more reasonable but funny.

Went to another local book store, but they were very expensive (around 8 - 15 euro) for the ones with pictures of cats, dogs, temples, gardens etc. (yawn!)
And also they didn't apply for the winter sale - wished they'd take out 1/12 from the price for the loss of January(Should calendars be perishable?).
But nothing like the ones with silly jokes you'd see in England.
So big compromise, I bought two sensible ones. The big ones for the office, as my husband uses only to see the dates, the other one will be for kitchen as we write lots of plans on it.

I was quite happy with my choices despite the limited selection until I came home - my husband's comment hurt me alot.
'Oh bebe, wished you had told me if you were buying that type - as I could have got one for FREE from bank but OK, but it's such a waste of money - oh, it's 2.50 euro, well, never mind'
Boo....then why didn't you get one???
I said I'd take it back to the shop but he didn't listen and put it on the wall in his office and left for the Japanese class.
Boo...that's not very nice.
Nearly took it out from the wall and hid it while he's out- but I thought best not to as it would get things worse before he leaves for business trip the next day.
When he came back from the class, he said 'Sorry' in Japanese - so we made up.

Anyways, all in all, it'd be great if we can buy a decent calendar in this country - if I can't find one, should I make one then???