An other fascinating French idiom! "Tomber dans les pommes" literally translates as "to fall in the apples"! - What it actually means is to "pass out/to faint"!
Chouchou , pronounced “shou-shou”, has a variety of uses. The word chouchou is mostly used as a childish term of endearment to imply that someone is the favourite person in the group – to this end, it is often used in a school setting, typically to say that someone is a teacher’s pet. “ C’est le chouchou du prof ” ( he is the teacher’s pet). The word chouchoute will be used for a girl or a woman. In broader terms, it can also mean that someone is the favourite (darling) of a nation, political group or a movement. In a different context, chouchou also translates as a “scrunchy” used to hold a ponytail or a bun together. Finally, the term chouchous is used to describe caramelised peanuts, a traditional sweet in France. French language can be complex at times!!!
In France, in order to be a candidate in a French election, you have to be a French citizen aged 18 years or over and need to collect at least 500 signatures (or parrainages ) from elected officials to back your campaign. The French word “ parrainage” means sponsorship or guardianship. The word derives from “ parrain” – godfather. The signatures can be collected from anyone elected to public office from village mayors to MPs, MEPs and Senators. However, the officials must come from: · At least 30 different French “ départements” (equivalent of counties in the UK) or overseas French territories · With no more than 50 signatures coming from one “ département” or overseas territory. This year, candidates have until March 4th to gain the signatures they need. French social media users have recently spotted many obscure politicians tweeting pi...
The b lue plaque commemorating the stay of the Emperor Louis Napoleon III in King Street (St James) is the earliest surviving plaque in London . The use of the colour blue was rare and not often repeated at the time as it was expensive to produce. It is actually the only blue plaque installed during the recipient's lifetime. Following the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870 and exiled from France, Napoleon III (Bonaparte’s nephew), his wife Eugénie and their son the Prince Imperial sought refuge in England. The family eventually took residence at Camden Place in Chislehurst where the Emperor spent the rest of his life. He was consequently buried at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Chislehurst. Following the death of the Prince Imperial at the age of 23, the grief-stricken Empress Eugénie set about to establish a monument to her family and founded St Michael Abbey in Farnborough as a mausoleum for her husband and son. The abbey featured an Imperia...
Comments
Post a Comment