Mycheaprecords

Okay, so here are 10 things you wanted to know about French people but were afraid to ask :



1- We're not gays, we just don't like wars.

2- We don't like cheese that much.

3- The accent that we got when we try to speak english is the worst disease we ever had, and unfortunately, no cure has been found out yet.

4- I think we do have a problem with Paris, this city just get us crazy, I can't explain it.

5- 4 of us out of 5 have ever wanted to work for the FBI or the CIA after watching some television.

6- No one in France listens to Claude François anymore.

7- Have you heard about that dance named " Tecktonik " ? The 2nd worst disease we've ever had.

8- We blame the fast-food culture just before eating a hamburger, it helps us feeling less guilty.

9- Our President is not tiny. Don't make me remind you that the size doesn't matter, it's the way you use it.

10- We keep on blaming and saying that the american culture is invading our nation while we drink some Coca-cola, watch some Ugly Betty on TV, wear some Ralph Lauren shirts, dance to some MTV's latest hits, and watch our President having fun in Miami.




Now that you know that, you can consider yourself as a 50% french person. Sorry about that.




So, what should I know about the people of your country, but was afraid to ask ?

 

Aqualung

1. It's not that we like war - it's that we're too apathetic to stop the government.

2. It's not that we hate the environment - it's that we're too apathetic to do anything about it.

3. It's not that I wouldn't be able to think up ten if I tried - it's that I'm too apathetic to.

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Mycheaprecords

You can't be more apathetic than a french guy, talking about getting on strike for social issues, and stuff about being misled by the government without moving his lazy ass out of his room !

Aqualung

We don't even talk about it.

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Neverlife

i've got 10 things you really want to know about me



1. My pics here are not me
2. No its not a perm, it grows like that
3. Yes that's a mole
4. No i'm really not gay
5. The Dare Game did happen
6. Yes i do talk to myself
7. I actually cannot play the guitar very well
8. No i wasnt stabbed
9. My dad really is that way
10. I do know what i'll look like when i'm 45

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MusicMan

I like france. They have a show on PBS designed to teach people french, and there's this hot young blonde girl around 19 or 21 with dark eyebrows who never wears a bra and often you can see right through her shirts. So yeah, I love france.

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Rules! A definite must-read

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Send me a PM if you need any help with anything.

Neverlife

good reason, switches on guide on my TV, pbs...pbs....

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missingsince1983

England: No-one ever says 'spiffing', 'terribly sorry old chap', 'splendid', 'golly', 'oh I say' or 'evenin govna'. EVER. Nor do English people wear bowler hats or flat caps, carry around black umbrellas or have afternoon tea. However, it does rain a lot and people do talk about the weather sometimes. Not all the time though. Oh and people do say sorry for literally everything, well the people I know do anyway. Well, not the chavs obviously. Chavs are basically the equivalent of white/trailer trash in America (and maybe wiggers a bit too).

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Aqualung

Are there any phrases that people in other countries consider stereotypical for Americans to say?

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Mycheaprecords

Hum...I'd say it seems that you guys say a lot of " ...and stuff " to finish your sentences. And a lot of " kinda like... " to describe something. I mean at least, that's what I often hear when I watch some MTV's shows or some Jerry Springer Show.


Something I'm curious about, and it's probably a very stupid question, but how does it feel to see some FBI agents in the street ? I mean, with all these movies and series on TV, how do you see these guys ?

The FBI Agents are just an example, it's pretty similar to how do you see the ranchs of Texas after watching "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" for instance.

It's something that I'm curious about, living in France I wonder about the effects of these fictions on those who live where they take place.

Don't bother answering if you think that it's too stupid to be answered

Stringbender

Well, I work VERY low end Government in the US in my state's capital city- I see FBI and SBI (state version of fbi) guys and heck- all types of folks all the time. You really don't see them much differently than any other guy walking down the street in a suit.(thank GOD I don't have to dress that way!) You really cannot tell who works in what department because practically everybody in most of these offices dresses similar.The Accountants in the finance department wear the same clothes as FBI guys- so I suppose we really don't feel any different about it. HOWEVER- when you are in the presence of somebody who is an agent, or an officer or whatever I DO get a bit paranoid sometimes wondering "what's that guy know about me.."..
Jerry Springer is probably the worst place to get any concept of what America is like.. it's good for a look at "a different slice of life" but remember that folks go on that show because they are DIFFERENT FROM MOST OF AVERAGE AMERICA.
Ranches in Texas - no, I don't see them any differently after watching Texas Chainsaw.. although after Watching "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" I had this desire to run off to California thinking they must have the coolest people and cutest girls.. LOL. But of Texas Ranches- no.. the only thing scary about them is that one of them is missing their village idiot...

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Only with the eyes closed can one begin to truly see.

Aqualung

Unlike Stringbender, I NEVER see FBI agents on the street. Or, if I did, I just didn't notice. So, in other words, it's not nearly as hyped as Hollywood.

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Hero Of The Day

Do any countries really hate the USA?

Just curious....

I certainly don't hate France, nor anyplace else. The only people i have a problem with are idiots. and people who can't drive. and none of those qualitys apply to anyone here.

Stringbender

France is cool- gave us the Templars and good wine and baguette and Django and all that cool gypsy-jazz. OK- France gave us a lot of really cool things- including that great big sculpture of a woman out in New York Harbor..
why do you think I'm busting my butt to get a vacation in Quebec- it's about as close to France as I can come on my budget. Can't actually afford France and not too keen on jumping over the big puddle (the atlantic-that is,) so the best I can do is Canada and a copy of "French phrases for Idiots"
however- I DO need to ask is it true all that stuff about people in France being all crazy for old Jerry Lewis slapstick humor movies or is that just a bunch of made-up garbage?

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Eko Renaissance

This was really interesting!

I wanna know more about other country's assumptions about the way Americans speak!

And more assumptions about how we think! I'm very curious!

Only Western Americans say "Like" a lot.

Midwestern Americans say "and stuff" a lot.

Northeastern Americans are more brash. They're more inclined to say "and shit". Southern Americans have their own dialect (a completely different one altogether), and Western Americans say "ya know?" or end most of their statements to sound like questions.

You don't ever see FBI or CIA agents on American streets, they keep themselves very discrete. Americans are pretty oblivious to our government's endeavors, actually. Many of us STILL don't know about the North American Union.

Any more questions? I'll be more than happy to answer.

Eko R.

Mycheaprecords

Hey !
Thanks a lot guys for answering !


Lol Stringbender ! I do not like especially Jerry Lewis so much that I would be watching his stuff over and over every day and every night, but as Jerry Lewis is so old-fashioned today and french people love what is old-fashioned, you may find out there some guys that are fond of that guy...

But the good thing is, as some of us like what's old in France, you may find as well some 14 years old MC5 listeners looking just like Rob Tyner, or some liars who swear to God that their father was a member of the Seeds.

I'd say that Quebec is pretty similar to France (language), but you'll still be missing the european thing !
In Europe, everything's smaller and tiny, we drive small cars not SUVs, we don't have many big places, or if we do, they're overcrowded which makes them look like small places anyway, our beer packs are smaller, our cigarettes are smaller, and I'm sure even our dicks are smaller than yours ! (just joking OF COURSE ! )
But I'm sure it will be a good experience though !



Hero of the Day, I think in France, no one really hates the "domestic" USA, I mean no one really hates the american people, but there are some who dislike the "geopolitical path" that America has choosen (you know, with that war in Iraq and things like that), and thus who blame this country... so they hate Bush, not the american citizens.





Eko Renaissance, do you want an example of some stereotypical sentence that I'd say an average american could say ?

" Hey Dude, com'on wait up ! We're clear now, right ? About the row we had last night, right ? I'm sorry man, I didn't mean to say that, y'know what I mean ?"

The red words are what I'd say you often use !

And an other very very very stereotypical sentence :
"Just shut your mouth up or I'll kick your ass, Okay ? NO, YOU LISTEN TO ME, BECAUSE I'M NOT LEAVING RIGHT ?"



For the 2nd one, I'd say that this stands for that view Europeans have, I mean that you're rude and that you think you came first in a race of nations that never existed, and that you're the best on Earth. This view is based on stereotypes that are emphasized by Hollywood movies like for instance The Kingdom, I don't know if you've ever seen it, but this movie clearly shows why we think that of you :
An american team is sent overseas to Saudi Arabia to solve some case about an IED explosion, and to accomplish its mission, the team has to work with a saudi arabian team. Unfortunately, these arabs are so dumb that they're not even able to do their damn job and because of them, one of the members of the american team got even abducted by some terrorists.

You know, even though this is a complete fiction, you can't help yourself laughing at that, that the arabs are dumb, but the americans are so good and professional. And this kind of movie is responsible for this thought.


In conclusion, I repeat, so there's no problem with what I'm saying : I'm just telling you what most of the people around me think of the american people, BASED ON STEREOTYPICAL FACTS !

Neverlife

lol, we do talk like that though Cheap

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Aqualung

We never say "row". We say fight.

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Stringbender

OK- I admit it..if you ever watch the movie "Good Will Hunting"- that's me and my 3 best buddies after a few beers.. although my Boston accent is almost non-existent compared to my friends.. but all the "colorful language" is definitely there..LOL.

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Only with the eyes closed can one begin to truly see.

Mycheaprecords

Lol Stringbender !

In your opinion, what accent is the worst accent ever heard in English ?

I'd say Cockney (and maybe the scottish accent, but Trainspotting makes it so cool to hear that I finally like it)

Mycheaprecords

Aqualung, thanks for correcting me!
You know "row" is the perfect example of why English is a difficult language.
I just don't get it, I mean, do you imagine what it's like for a non-english speaker who sees the phrase " He got 3 in a row " for the first time ?

Three, probably men, who want to fight a 4th one, and then the 4th one eventually beats them off. And here's the point : How am I supposed to relate it to this game I'm watching ?


So I guess that's why you english speakers decided to be nice with us, and rather say Fight instead of Row so we can't get confused. So, in the name of all the non-english speakers, Thank You

Aqualung

It's easier if you hear it, because they're pronounced differently.

But can you imagine how hard it is for an american the first time that they read about two people who got in a row, and you just imagine them lining up next to each other, but can't figure out why that should result in a bloody nose?

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Mycheaprecords

LOL



Just watched No Country For Old Men, and oh my god, I think you guys got the most beautiful landscapes ever seen on Earth.



Another stupid question I was thinking about while watching the movie, but Is Texas really like that ?
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre makes it already look like that, like some place where there's no civilisation anymore, like you could kill someone and no one would notice or even mind. You know, with that "Wild West" thing, a place where you're totally free and where the only available Justice is the one that comes out of your hands.

Must be cool to be a cop around there.


(If too stupid to be answered, don't bother)

Aqualung

Yeah, texas has a lot of farms and ranches and stuff. Those things can be pretty expansive, so in some parts there's not a lot of people around.

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Rock N' Roller

Zee mufeee-a ves keenda deefffferent frum oozeer cummun mufeees & bluckboosters (keend ooff veurd), boot thets vhy I leeked it su mooch, I gooess

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