8. En revanche...
pronounced more or less: ahn reuh vanh she OR ahn reuh vanhsh
The "n" of en is nasalized, so don't let your tongue touch the roof of your mouth. Pronounced correctly, this expression is a mouthful of deliciousness.
Literal translation: "in revenge" (in some contexts, the French word vengeance is used to speak of "revenge")
Meaning: "on the other hand"
Implications: en revanche is used in the same contexts and for the same reasons as the English equivalent "on the other hand": to extend the discussion point with a comment standing in contrast to what has just been expressed. Clear? Not so much? Read the examples below.
Remarks: en revanche is widely used in both oral and written, polite and familiar French.
Example One: You're chatting with neighbors about the recent change in weather, basking in the spring sunshine so longed-for during the long, cold, dreary winter months that drizzled by so slowly you thought they'd never end. Sound familiar? Eh bien... You comment on what a beautiful day it is, what a pleasure it is to be out working in the garden, how fantastic the sun feels and how absolutely splendid it is to peel off all the layers of winter woolens and (ugh) fleece after all these months. One of the neighbors, a practical tenth generation Cevenol with a "life is tough and we like it that way" mentality , instantly breaks in: "Sure the sun is nice; en revanche, the garden needs rain."
Your thankfully voiceless thought bubble reads: "Well, shiver me timbers. J'hallucine ou quoi ? We just had two straight weeks of rain!"
Note: en revanche is usually followed by an element considered as more or less positive. Therefore you and your neighbor clearly part company on some of life's simple pleasures.
Example Two: It's local election time. Initially there were four contenders for a seat on the Conseil Général, now down to two after the first round of voting. The two remaining are friends of ours (not so much of each other): the incumbent F.M... and the insightful R.M... One initial and worlds apart, both would represent the valley well. F.M... is a seasoned politician, glib by birth. "Flexible" in his political beliefs, he changes political camps with the wind (read: where the money is, there you shall find him) and therefore has the support of all the major power players in the region. En revanche, R.M... is the one who will look after our cultural interests, make sure the library under construction for years receives sufficient financing to be completed and opened, finally.
Got Gaul Opinionator says: "F.M... will win; en revanche, it won't be a landslide.
GOT GAUL?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
N'importe quoi
7. N'importe quoi ! / N'importe quoi...
pronounced more or less: nanh por teuh kwah OR nanh port kwah
A literal translation is senseless for this expression, so let's opt for literal meaning: "anything." The verb "importer" in this case = "to matter."
Variants: C'est n'importe quoi !
Implications: This expression is an instant, negative judgment, a "put down," if you will. It's the equivalent of: "What bunk!" / "What nonsense!" / "Whatever..." or if you're from New England, "wadehvah." It's more a reaction to what has just been said than to what has just been done, but can be used in both instances.
Remarks: N'importe quoi is not necessarily pejorative; it can also be used to mean simply "anything," in the sense that "it doesn't matter; anything will do."
Example One: You're out for a walk and stop to read the announcements posted on the board of the village square. One proposes an activity for this Sunday afternoon, from three to five in the village's Salle polyvalente (multipurpose room). Two euros for adults; anyone under 6 free... The event organizer is also its facilitator: the local restaurant's proprietor, better known for her avarice and empty headedness than her cuisine. The poster invites us to her slide presentation and talk on Spain, Goya, Andalusia and flamenco (both dance and music), followed by a no-host apéro and a dance lesson (rock -- je ne vois pas le rapport), using a DVD purchased at our boulangerie-épicerie. This is the perfect moment to mumble "n'importe quoi..."
(Apparently the rest of the villagers felt the same way; the event was canceled for lack of interest.)
Example Two: Unfortunately, numerous asinine statements (hallucinantes !) made on the heels of the earthquakes, aftershocks and tsunamis that hit Japan last week provide us with too ample opportunity to use this expression. This by Anne Lauvergeon, president of the French state-owned nuclear energy company Avera :"I believe we are going to avoid a nuclear disaster." Another by Eric Besson, French Minister of Industry: "This is certainly a serious accident but not a nuclear catastrophe." And from the WHO (OMS in French): "The public health risks are minimal for Japan." C'est n'importe quoi !
pronounced more or less: nanh por teuh kwah OR nanh port kwah
A literal translation is senseless for this expression, so let's opt for literal meaning: "anything." The verb "importer" in this case = "to matter."
Variants: C'est n'importe quoi !
Implications: This expression is an instant, negative judgment, a "put down," if you will. It's the equivalent of: "What bunk!" / "What nonsense!" / "Whatever..." or if you're from New England, "wadehvah." It's more a reaction to what has just been said than to what has just been done, but can be used in both instances.
Remarks: N'importe quoi is not necessarily pejorative; it can also be used to mean simply "anything," in the sense that "it doesn't matter; anything will do."
Example One: You're out for a walk and stop to read the announcements posted on the board of the village square. One proposes an activity for this Sunday afternoon, from three to five in the village's Salle polyvalente (multipurpose room). Two euros for adults; anyone under 6 free... The event organizer is also its facilitator: the local restaurant's proprietor, better known for her avarice and empty headedness than her cuisine. The poster invites us to her slide presentation and talk on Spain, Goya, Andalusia and flamenco (both dance and music), followed by a no-host apéro and a dance lesson (rock -- je ne vois pas le rapport), using a DVD purchased at our boulangerie-épicerie. This is the perfect moment to mumble "n'importe quoi..."
(Apparently the rest of the villagers felt the same way; the event was canceled for lack of interest.)
Example Two: Unfortunately, numerous asinine statements (hallucinantes !) made on the heels of the earthquakes, aftershocks and tsunamis that hit Japan last week provide us with too ample opportunity to use this expression. This by Anne Lauvergeon, president of the French state-owned nuclear energy company Avera :"I believe we are going to avoid a nuclear disaster." Another by Eric Besson, French Minister of Industry: "This is certainly a serious accident but not a nuclear catastrophe." And from the WHO (OMS in French): "The public health risks are minimal for Japan." C'est n'importe quoi !
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