Two months ago, I won tickets to Disneyland Paris and since I had to use them before the end of May, I went today (Sunday). I'm not a big fan of amusement parks, but I must say, I had fun and what I feared the most - huge lines! - did not really happen, thanks to their clever Fastpass system. My favorite attractions: Space Mountains and "Honey, I shrunk the audience" (3D movie theater), but I liked the classics also (Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.). Let me wish you a good week on behalf of Pluto.
Disney Land?! Whoo Eric, I hope you enjoyed it. Fun to imagine you there. LOL
ReplyDeleteA blow of tongue from Goofie?!
*Goofy (I was too happy to be GF!!!)
ReplyDeleteI had a cultural activity today! Yes, me too Eric.
I spent the all day at the theatre. I really mean all day: the play lasted 5 hours. 2h30 of play, then a break of 1h30 and then the second part of 2h30. And it was awesome. I imagine your opened wide eyes.;) I went there because a friend of mine plays in it. I was really impressed.
If you're French, or if you live in Paris, go now to Le théâtre de la Colline to see 'Par-dessus bord', a play of Vivaner.
I like this picture of Pluto!! Soo sweet :)
ReplyDeleteMy children would love me to win tickets to go (again) to Disneyland Paris, at any time, even if obviously, they already went there two or three times (maybe more with their grand parents). It really works with them and I agree that is not boring for adults either (at least those who still have kept their children's eyes)!Did Pluto give you an otograf?
Guille GF, bravo !!! That is a good start for your full time exam this week, isnt'it? I will think of you!:)
My favorite ride was Mission to Mars in Orlando. The take off of the spacecraft is very, very realistic. I happened to be invited, and I did it... 3 times in a row! I had a blast!
ReplyDeleteEric, Corinne is right: no "t" (tea?) For Pluto;-)
ReplyDeleteGuille, weldone GF. I guess these 5 hours radically changed your ming, and you're now ready for THE week.
Last time I went to Disney was at least 10 years ago, when my kids were young. That was in February, it was snowing, and it was empty: that was magic :o)
Oups! *mind, not ming...
ReplyDeleteThanks Corinne! See, I'm writing on PDP instead of working...Hm Hm.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to be GF. It will bring me luck for the entire week!
I like Disney Land (especially Peter Pan, the Pirates Boat and Space Mountain!), but not during weekends, holidays etc. Yes, I like it when there is no big queues !!
Eric, Plutôt or...Pluto? ;)
Thanks Thib!!! Everybody knows, right? I'm probably rambling on, that's why. LOOOOL
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that the original Disneyland has been around for more than 60 years! We've read that the French & Europeans were slow to warm up to the park but mainly because Disney believed that their business model could overcome cultural differences. It took them a few years to change to meet the markets needs. I understand that attendance is up and that the park is doing well. I've been to Paris many times and have yet to satisfy my curiosity about the city. Disney will have to wait until I do, or like Eric, win a free ticket. David
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun pic Eric! I've never been to Disneyland but took my boys to all the UK theme parks regularly when they were small. We adored them! At the end of the day, you're exhausted, but it's a good-tired isn't it. Bet you sleep well tonight.
ReplyDeleteGuille : no doubt PDP is a helpful breathe for you, in this period (& theater too!!).
ReplyDeleteAnd see, I should go to sleep instead of PDPing... Tomorrow is Monday, come on!!
Hi Thib! :)
Off to bed for me now!
Eric, I'm glad you got to go to Disneyland Paris and I'm glad you had fun! When I visit Paris again I probably won't go, because we have a Disneyland here in Los Angeles and I'd rather see "Parisian" things. But I love Disneyland! I wish I could get my husband to go.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I have to tell you Disneyland is only 53. It was born in 1955 as I was, and is still young and quite attractive...
but Pluto and Goofy are two different characters!
ReplyDeleteElitAlice,
ReplyDeleteOf course, you're right! Ignorants we are;-) Goofy is "Dingo" in French!!!
But who's on Eric picture? Dingo or Pluto?
Petrea, It's obvious that I'm not much of a mathematician - at least not on Sundays. I need to stop counting on my fingers and use the calculator on my desk. Thanks, david
ReplyDeleteI would say Pluto ;o)
ReplyDeleteLike Petrea, I've never seen Disneyland Paris because I haven't yet run out to other things to do in Paris. Next month, I'll be taking my students to Parc Asterix. Has anyone been there? Any suggestions or warnings?
ReplyDeleteAh, good for you! I've never been to Euro Disney or even to Parc Asterix, but I went to the Disneyland in L.A. a long time ago. Huge lines and everthing, including an unfortunate ride in the tea-cups that gave me nausea for the rest of the day (thanks to my brother who spinned the cups counter-clockwise when the thing was going clock-wise or vice versa...
ReplyDeleteWhen we were kids we went to Ermenonville (spell?) outside Paris, and to this amusement park I want to say near Bois de Boulogne ? (forgot the name now, but Eric, you had blogged about it a while back). Glad the kids can have the experience of life-size Disney characters. It's really awesome.
Even as an adult, I was mesmerized by some of the attractions, the bigger than life Disney characters, all the colors.
Glad you had a fun day :)
How fun!! We took our children on their first trip to Disneyworld in Orlando last November. It was amazing! The best family vacation we've ever had! My daughter was so excited because we had breakfast at Cinderella's Castle and got to meet 5! princesses all at once. She was so happy. She is our little princess. The kids decided that instead of going back to Disney they want to come to Europe next, but have talked about wanting to come to Disneyland Paris as partof that trip. (There will probably be better food!) My favorite rides were anything fast--Space Mountain (you HAVE to ride in front), The Rockin' Roller Coaster, and the Mission to Mars. I seem to have a need for speed. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a lovely visit, Eric!
It truly is "the happiest place on earth!" I was in Paris last year but didn't go to Disney...I guess like some of the above comments, I wanted to see Parisian things too!! I will be back to Paris though and will maybe stop in to Disney. I saw it on my way from the airport!! And I agree with you, Space Mountain remains one of my fav. rides at both Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had such a fun day, Eric!
ReplyDeleteI, too, would say this is Pluto. A picture of Goofy (a.k.a. Dingo, I now know -- Thanks again, PDP -- and Thib!) is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goofy. If you scroll down, you can see the Goofy costume character. In any case, the two dogs can be easily confused.
Count me in with those who long to spend time in the classically Parisian parts of Paris. Actually, I am looking at whether I might be able to make a trip there in September. It has been fifteen years since I've been back, and that is waaaaay to long for me to be separated from a place that is so much a part of my heart!
By the way, will someone fill me in -- What does "GF" stand for? I get what it is, but I've racked* my brain both in English and French, and all I can come up with is "got [there] first."
* One last thing -- Alexa and any other word-type PDP-ers -- Do you think it should be "racked" or "wracked"? The dictionary says "racked," but "wracked" seems right ... I found this little blog about it (http://boomzilla-boomzilla.blogspot.com/2006/04/my-brain-is-wracked.html) as well as some other discussion ... I'd be curious to know what PDP thinks. Is it kosher to digress so far from Pluto?
Dear Eric,
ReplyDeleteYou make it seem as if you're winning prizes every week in such a casual manner: "I won tickets to Disneyland Paris..." hahaha!
I can't remember when was the last time I won anything (not even a small bookmark).
Speaking of which, there are so many contests in my country where the top prize is a trip to Paris but I never won any, too! Sigh....guess I'll have to pay for the full air ticket myself.
Indeed, Goofy et Pluto are two different doggies... did anyone see the film "Stand By Me"? There is a memorable scene about the difference between Goofy and Pluto.
ReplyDeleteBon weekend, tout le monde!
How lovely!!!!! However Eric, like the others mentioned, Goofy and Pluto are two different characters.
ReplyDeleteI love the Disney characters. I've been to Disneyworld (Orlando) quite a few times I must admit. The very first time I was there I lost count on how many characters dolls I bought. I was just a kid then, of course. And my favourite attraction has always been Space Mountain too and that old west train (forgot the name of the attraction)
Pont Girl I saw this film and I think the discussion also involved whether Goofy is actually a dog or not!!!! Cause sometimes people seem to be confused on what animal he really is.
Now talking about amusement parks, I enjoyed EPCOT Center the most cause I really like those attractions where we can see what would life be like living in space or under the sea.
ReplyDeleteOh and I love the worldshowcase pavilion where we can make a trip around the world without needing a passport and on the same day have lunch at Alfredo di Roma and at night have dinner in a french bistrô!!!
Yup, this is none other than Pluto - the Disney dog that did not talk and in cartoons was on all four feet. Goofy wore clothes and talked and walked upright. Having been a child resident of LA in the sixties, we learned such distinctions. I'm just about Petrea's age, and remember Disneyland when we actually bought books of tickets at the entrance, which had A-B-C-D-E tickets in rainbow colors for use in variously assigned rides and attractions. Some people even today use the term "E ticket" for describing the most exciting experiences. Well, that was because the biggest thrills at Disneyland required E tickets, such as The Matterhorn, then later on Pirates of the Carribean and the Haunted House. We used to keep leftover tickets in a kitchen drawer.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the Anaheim Disneyland since they vastly expanded it. I wonder if I would miss the old layout...
Oh, geez. Now the world knows I'm a Disney geek.
Hey did Guille get GF?!! Way to go! I think that's a good omen for a great week ahead! As for your photo of Pluto, Eric, it sure does take me back to the Anaheim, CA "Disneyland" in the early 70s. I was just a kid then but still remember the tune "It's a Small World Afterall"--that played endlessly throughout the park and drove us all a tad crazy. My favorites I recall were the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Carribean. I didn't quite make the height requirements for say The Matterhorn...but walked away with plastic Mickey Mouse ears and great memories. Glad you enjoyed yourself. BTW...did the characters speak in English, French, or were they pulling a Marcel Marceau?
ReplyDeleteLike Petrea, I prefer my local Disney park in Orlando. I have to! As a child, there were at least 3 obligatory trips per year: 1 with the school, 1 with the family from "up north" who came down for the winter, and 1 with either the band or chorus I was performing with.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Disneyland Paris brings so much more in terms of inter-cultural aspects and people watching - it's incredible. People picnicking (eric should like that), the whole standing-in-line phenomena, the multi-lingual (or not) narrations on rides, etc.
I confirm: This is Pluto not Goofy, but you were probably feeling Goofy Eric by the time you wrote this.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, despite all of the French criticisms of Disney, the last time I was at Disneyland Paris there wasn't any shortage of French visitors!
ReplyDeleteSort of like McDonald's...
;-)
Parisian heart: The first person to post on the daily post gets to be called "GF." I always thought GF stood for "girl friend" but it's probably not it.
ReplyDeleteEric, the more I think about it and the more I'm convinced that "Plutot" is really spelled "Pluto" even in French, but don't take my word for it because I'm really starting to forget my French spelling :(
I would love to go to Euro Disney to be able to compare it with LA. They had a documentary on TV about it a while back and some of the rides they showed look pretty interesting. I would like to go to Parc Asterix, too, just because I grew up with Asterix. Is there a Lucky Luke park, yet? I'd go to that one for sure!!
This is Lucky Luke:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Luke
By the way, I love the shot and how you frame it. That dog looks like it's about to jump out of the monitor and lick your face! :)
Wow...pluto..nice pic.
ReplyDeleteI didn't went to DisneyLand when I was in Paris last time as I was busy seeing Paris in weekends. That time I didn't know PDP. May be next time...
~Sameer
Tomato Farcie, I agree about the angle of the photo ... It makes Pluto look especially playful. So cute!
ReplyDeleteAs for the "GF" distinction -- I had managed to figure out that the title went to the first person to post ... I just can't determine what it stands for. Alas, perhaps I am not alone in my wondering. Guessing about this could get interesting!
I believe it stands for "Golden Finger." As in fast typist!
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh! Mystery solved. "Golden Finger" certainly carries greater eloquence than "Got [There] First"! Thank you, Petrea!
ReplyDeleteI like this photo and Pluto. I think it's just "Pluto" and 'rather'not "Plutot" in French.
ReplyDeleteI like this photo and Pluto. I think it's just "Pluto" and 'rather'not "Plutot" in French.
ReplyDeleteDe rien, Parisian Heart, et bonne nuit. You're up late for your part of the country. (Either that or I'm going to bed too early!)
ReplyDeleteC'est vrai, Petrea. Il faut que je me couche! Cependant, quand on considere que mon coeur reste a Paris, c'est raisonable d'etre devant mon ordinateur au lieu d'au lit ... n'est ce pas?
ReplyDeleteNo really ... I should get the rest of me that is not in Paris to bed ...
Eric, I just saw your correction about Pluto ... But I want you to know that this created another learning opportunity! Now I'll know who's being discussed if I hear "Dingo" in France! I wonder why his name changed ... Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy -- Are their names all the same in French?
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago I spend 5 days in Disneyland Paris. We stayed at one of the hotels and went to the parks from early morning to late evening. It was great fun. And I have to admit I was very sceptical before going but it was amazing to be there and Disney won me completely. Everything is so clean and consistent. I confess : I am now a Disney FAN.
ReplyDeleteGF is for 'Guillemette the First'!! LOOOOL
ReplyDeleteYes, it's for Golden Finger. A contest which really works, we're all fighting for it...but unfortunatelly, I'm definitely GF...For now. Okay, I feel deeply modest today. :)
Michael, Eric feels Goofy sometimes?!
Tomate, I don't think that you're losing your French! How long have you been there (US)? Your GF meaning as Girl Friend is soooo nice! So I'm Eric's girlfriend for the day? LOOOL
Coltrane, thank you for your belief in omens!!
Golden Parisian
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you did take your time speculating about the meaning of GF.
It is becoming harder and harder to get this award these days. And there are a few rules attached to it, such as you have to write 2 lines of relevante comment. PHX-CDP and Pont Girl are the official law makers regarding anything to do with the GF Award.
he he goodness all the confusion over GF. Well done GF Guille! No, Guille, it's not for Guillemette the First, as you well know according to the Constitution. That is merely your charming name. GF as in girlfriend we can use freely on here, since we girls love to get together and gossip. It does not exclude the boys though - we LOVE the boys, don't we GFs?
ReplyDeleteNo, it's for Golden Finger. Fast typist as Petrea says. Thank goodness she was here to establish the Constitutional idiosyncrasies in the absence of Phx, who is very particular on such matters.
Michael! You're back! Yay. I've missed you. You need to make yourself a coffee and hot-foot it over to mine to catch up on three episodes of hospital drama. I have been pining for you there. Here, too. You will see i have been calling you on previous comments. I need my Michael fix.
Monica i've been so out of it recently i haven't thanked you for the beautiful postcard. So - thank you!
Eric - imagine getting Goofy & Pluto mixed up. Tut tut. Where's the little boy in you? :)
During my semester in Paris in '93 we went to Disneyland Paris twice--although at that time it was still called EuroDisney (I still have my Mickey t-shirt that I bought). I remember going in late January and there were no lines; we almost had the park to ourselves. Then we went again in April and had to wait to get into the park. It was still nice to see lots of people there. I remember seeing the Tigger character and I chased him down Main Street to get a photo with him. Tigger was always my favorite. :)
ReplyDeleteMonica, Guille, Petrea, etc. One good thing about recovering is the time i have and right now, guess what, i'm going to watch Sex And The City - the Paris ones! In French! Ahhh... Mikail Barischnikov....mmmmm.
ReplyDeleteEric et al:
ReplyDeleteM.B will be posting his 500th tonight. In the meantime, you can learn more about him from his closest source.
So look here: http://mmebenautoccasionalblog.blogspot.com/
xxxx Mme B xxx
PS I went to the original Disneyland in Anaheim, Los Angeles. I loved Space Mountain too and "It's a small world after all" and loads of other things. The children had a fantastic time. And I love Pluto!
ReplyDeleteFive years ago, I dragged (!!!) my husband and kids here for a house exchange. My sister and her partner joined us for two weeks. It was the first time we met Annie, and she earned big points when she gave up a whole day in Paris to accompany my husband and 13 year old son on a trip to Euro Disney.
ReplyDeleteMind you, one of the missions in her life is to visit ALL of the Disney parks in the world. She'd already been to both Florida and California, so France was a natural. What's left? Tokyo and Hong Kong? Any others?
Anyway, my son had a great time. So great that he went back to the deepest, steepest ride at the end of the day ... and almost tossed his cookies on the train coming back to Paris. Too much of a good thing?
Barbscoot (who has only five more sleeps in Paris before going home, but is okay with it because she finally found and bought a beautiful, red, moins cher handbag).
Lynn I'm so glad you got the postcard. It's nice to get mail ins't it? I mean, actuall mail, not just e-mails!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to continue watch SATC tonight (you'll be asleep by then, I'm at the Parisian ones too!!!
Hey Michael! Where've you been? We've missed you!
Parisian heart: Golden Finger started as a contest between UKlynn and me,and I still am miffed as ukgirlfriend won.As you can see, she was too modest to admit she was the 1st winner.
ReplyDeleteGuille, would I enjoy the experience of the play you mentioned,since I don't speak Fr. well? And thank you, Rose, for the decoding.
Monica, no one told me the h2O on Brazil could be so dangerous, but I think the cachasa(sorry for the spelling) killed everything alive in my drink!
When growing up, I dreamed of going to Disneyland, but it has lost its cache for me as an adult.
Bonjour Eric,
ReplyDeleteYou are becoming more Aussie day by day !!
Firstly, it's very UN-Australian to stand in a queue.
You will be asked this question if you ever apply for citizenship here.
On doit toujours préparer les réponses correctes !
Goofy, or is it Pluto, looks to be pretty happy with the bloke taking his photo, and that perhaps personifies all of us.
You have continued to pursue excellence in reporting; in capturing and delivering your fine images and you have set a tremendously cracking pace for all.
Thank you for visiting Adelaide Daily Photo today in anticipation of my half century. 500 hundred posts is meagre when compared with the effort that you continue to deliver.
Had you visited 4 minutes and three seconds later, you would have seen yourself and "l'autre enfant-terrible". We are 7 1/2 hours ahead of Paris, but only in time. In other matters, - we can discuss that at the September PDP picnic where the odour of fried onions, steaks, and maybe some shrimps, will seriously disrupt business on la rive droite, and hopefully partout la ville !
Congrats, M. Benaut!
ReplyDeleteI've made a new post at my blog but can't test if the link works on this pesky computer. Can someone be so kind as to let me know please? Careful though; it's not for the squeamish.
It works, Lynn, if you meant the Sky News link?
ReplyDeleteYes, thanks Alexandra, that's the one.
ReplyDeleteOh, good!
ReplyDeleteStupid question, I know, as there was only one link in the post. Oh well ... :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Memorial Day to all the Americans on this lit!
ReplyDeleteA really cute photo. Love Pluto.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynn and Phx, for educating me as to the official ways of PDP. 'Always good to be familiar with the Constitution of the land.
ReplyDeletePetrea, "still young and quite attractive" You are too modest -- and too funny! However, I do think you are attractive. That is a great photo of you at your home page.
ReplyDeletephotolicious, That's funny; "I can't remember when was the last time I won anything (not even a small bookmark)."
Coltrane_lives, Yes, I remember that -- it drove us nuts too! "I ...still remember the tune "It's a Small World Afterall"--that played endlessly throughout the park and drove us all a tad crazy." I laughed out loud at this one and I'm still smiling: "but walked away with plastic Mickey Mouse ears" I can just see you wearing them.
Guille, Michael, "Eric feels Goofy sometimes"?! I'm screaming -- WOW -- what are you saying? I laughed so hard that now I'm crying. Wait, I can't type.
Lynn, I visited your site and read the episodes of hospital drama. I never read anything like that before. You are an original. I like the photos too. You have a pretty bedroom -- just like you.
M. Benaut ... Is a September PDP picnic an actual possibility, or are you joking? If it's "for real," is there a target date?
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Lois! How kind. I do like my bedroom actually, it's very peaceful and yes, girly!
ReplyDeleteLois, :)
ReplyDeleteOhhhh i'm lovesick....for Mikail.....I need a Mikail.....
ReplyDeleteI LOVE DISNEYLAND!!!:)
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of adventure sports, and doing crazy things...thus I love all the dangerous rides!!:)
Both the times I was in Paris, I didn't opt for Disneyland though...coz surely was attracted to the other beauties!:) Probably next time...:)
smiles:)
ohh you are right we called him Pluto teher was a very big one in my friends store , and when we stayed thers in the shoe shop floor . we were allowed to hug him the big one . he was so great and we were 5 years old .. next sunday we celebrate her birthday .. how old is pluto .. anyway congrats
ReplyDeleteand we celebrate our 50 th .. teeeeethh , lol
ReplyDeleteJust got back from the Internetless country -- and am so sorry I missed the rest of the discussion yesterday. Too much to comment on, and, besides, that was yesterday, I guess.
ReplyDeleteOne thing, though: Lois, did your daughter like the name Axella better than I liked Alexa (i.e., not much when I was little)? I've grown used to mine at this point, and I think her name is both beautiful and interesting. P.S. My daughters (Lila and Katie) are 28 and 27. We're also very close, which makes me so very happy.
Re today: This photo is totally charming! Doubt that I would ever go to Paris Disney, but did go to the one in LA -- 51 years ago!! Might consider Parc Asterix, though. J'adore Asterix!
Parisan Heart -- I agree that 'wracked' looks better somehow, but, yes, it is 'racked' as in rack and ruin, or I racked my brains.
Hey, GF doesn't stand for girlfriend? It's funny that I ever managed to be GF, because I am the world's klutziest typist.
Amazing how quickly one gets addicted to this blog. Must blame Eric -- and all of you.
Alexa, My daughter does like her name. Axella in Italian, or Axelle in French. She has always liked it a lot. I got lucky. :0)
ReplyDeletePHX, I don't know if you will understand the whole play. If I remember, there is a lot of plays on words and French references. Anyway the production and the stage design are great, and just imagine almost 30 people playing in the same time, a good orchestra and wonderful actors. Well, maybe you should try! :)
ReplyDeleteAlexa, what 'klutziest' means? Is it slang? (I always want to improve my English!).
ReplyDeleteCoucou everyone,
ReplyDeleteI see several questions in your comments but I don't have enough time to answer tonight. I will tomorrow.
A klutz is an American word or Jewish i think, Guille, meaning a foolish person. Here it is used as an adjective, klutzy, and in quantity, the klutziest. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteCoucou Eric! Oh c'est charmant, mignon, coucou...:)
ReplyDeleteCouocu Eric, c´est pas grave. Demains nous aurons des nouvelles questions!!!
ReplyDeleteLynn (and Guille) I think the Jewish term is putz, not klutz. But I´m not sure...
ReplyDeleteGuille, I think of a klutz as someone who is clumsy. Perhaps "maladroit" would be the best translation? A person who "trips over his own two feet," for example, could be considered a klutz. I suppose that would make the "klutziest" person "le plus maladroit." I love it that you are so eager to improve your English! I always feel that way about French, and I love learning new French expressions. I think my favorites are "Je suis h.s." and "Je tiens a toi comme a la prunelle de mes yeux." Do you have favorite English expressions?
ReplyDeleteBless your heart, Eric ... You really have a lot of responses -- and questions -- to attempt to keep up with these days! Don't worry, though. The nice thing is that you've built a lovely community where everyone enjoys the conversation!
I have been living under a rock... I didn't know there was a disneyland in Paris. Now I must go to France :)
ReplyDeleteParisian heart: "I think my favorites are "Je suis h.s." and "Je tiens a toi comme a la prunelle de mes yeux."
ReplyDeleteI got out my 3-inch thick Cassell's French Dictionary to attempt a translation. The first phrase? Je ne sais pas. The second comes out something like this: "I relate to you like the gunk in my eyes."
Do I need a new dictionnaire?
Dear Petrea: I should have thought to include a translation! My Collins Robert dictionary offers a translation for the second expression, but I think the first might not appear in any dictionary.
ReplyDelete"Je suis h.s." stands for "Je suis hors service," like a machine that has run so hard that it absolutely cannot work anymore. It is an expression to use when one is completely, utterly exhausted and spent.
"Je tiens a toi comme a la prunelle de mes yeux" literally translates to "I hold onto you like the pupils of my eyes," but of course, that is not the most elegant translation. The dictionary translates it as "I cherish you." I learned the expression when I asked a dear French friend who teaches English how one would say "I hang onto my friends for dear life."
I'm glad to meet another dictionary person, Petrea! Do you have any of your own favorite expressions?
Parisian heart, I sit here with the dictionnaire and translate quand j'ai le temps. Je voudrai parler français meilleur. My speech is clumsy. My writing even worse.
ReplyDeletePrunelle has several meanings in my dictionnaire, including "sloe-gin." "Pupil" was included, but they didn't make the distinction --as in eyeball vs. student. So my guess was "woolen stuff."
As for "tiens," are you ready?
"Well, hello! Look here! Here! Really? You don't say so!"
Nobody I know says any of those things anymore except "really?" This dictionnaire was published in 1981. I'm thinking it's time to update.
Parisian heart and Petrea, I love learning new expressions like that. Do you know the one "Il péter plus haut que son cul". I won't translate it verbatim, but it means "He has a high opinion of himself."
ReplyDeleteMichael, I looked it up. I believe my dictionary is up-to-date on this one. It's my new favorite expression and I'm going to use it regularly, even when it's unwarranted.
ReplyDeleteI had to look it up, too, Michael! Petrea, I think you will need to report to us on any interesting opportunity you find to employ this new expression.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Petrea, I still hear "Tiens!" used in the way you described as well. I suppose that would be the second person imperative of the verb "tenir" (to hold), whereas in "Je tiens a toi ..." it is the first person singular conjugation of the same verb. Okay, so now it is becoming obvious -- Yes, I'm a French grammar geek. ;)
ReplyDeleteI've already employed it, Coeur Parisienne. My husband, whose vocabulaire française runs the gamut from "bonjour" to "ou est le WC?" is already using it to describe the dog.
ReplyDeleteParisian Heart and Petrea, it's so nice to see you talking about French expressions!
ReplyDeleteParisian heart, I don't really know idiomatic expressions in English, or I don't remember them right now. 'Tenir à quelqu'un comme à la prunelle de ses yeux' is very cute. But it's more toward somebody you love (children or husband/wife), maybe too much for the friends...And 'être h.s' is a true slang expression! If you use it in Paris, well,you will look totally Parisian! And if you want to be even more Parisian, say 'Jsuis h.s.', we like to cut the words. ;)
Petrea, your dictionary is maybe outmoded. As all languages, French evolves very fast, so 1981...yeah, change it!
Michael, LOOOL. You should be ashamed!!
I have to go. Je suis à la bourre! (I'm late!). This is not a distinguished one... ;)
Merci Guille, I'll get a new one!
ReplyDeleteWe have been to all 5 Disneyland parks ( you would HATE to be in our family) and we think Paris is the best one! Consider yourself lucky to have it in your backyard.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to any of the Disneylands, I'd love to go to at least one of them one day!
ReplyDeletei loved it when i had the chance to go last yeear!
ReplyDelete