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[franceslievens]

A lift is a crazy place to receive a compliment. You can't simply nod, smile and walk on. So in my best French I try to say something that sounds like "Yes, I'm following classes at the academy," but comes out as "Yes, I..." Inside my head I curse at my stuttering, and let my panicky eyes glide to the numbers inside the lift. Only two floors to go.
She hasn't noticed my unease, nor my mumbled non-answer. Instead she talks about how her living companion said I was singing in the shower, but she was sure I wasn't. I didn't tell her I do sing in the shower, and in the living room, and in the kitchen, and sometimes in front of the computer, but I've given up on that, because my microphone isn't meant for singing, so it can never quite master the high and loud notes. I couldn't just overrule her triumph, could I? I just mumble. "Oui, " and "Non," and "Aucun problème," when she asks if her television is too loud sometimes.
If only someone could hand me a dummy guide to French conversation, I'd be most grateful. Or better: if they'd take over whenever I have to converse with someone I don't know very well, in whatever language, I'll be grateful even more.

Comments

[comava.livejournal.com]

It's the same for me when the phone rings and it's a French-speaker on the other end. I'm always taken by surprise and end up stuttering and mumbling as if I'd only just had one semester of French classes!

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

I hate it so much! Especialy because I understand everything perfectly, but I can't switch like I can switch to English. The fact that P. is bilingual doesn't help either. His French is very Brussels, but at least it's fluent. I sound like I never learned the lingo, where actually I'm only frightened to make mistakes.

[comava.livejournal.com]

I get most of too, unless people speak really fast. But hey, at least we understand, which is more than a lot of people.

Just wondering - didn't you once meet Chani? Did the two of you speak English or French together?