h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks for this, Dmitri.

I've been writing a story set in France, though most of my main characters are English - and I didn't want them to be too fluent.
I started out thinking the dialogue through in French, on the general principle that, if I didn't know how to say something in French, neither would my characters. But, of course, something that sounds right in French doesn't in English. I've abandoned that policy - too much trouble!

In support of your advice, you might like to look at 'The Poisonwood Bible'. The American family who go to the Congo end up learning some Kikongo.

And I'll bet the reader does, too.

If you're thinking about foreigners and French, you might try reading David Sideris. As I recall, he had some very funny bits about his life in France.

I loved the Poisonwood bible. I do not recall any other language, though.

A glossary would be nice at times. I had to ask Dmitri and google some words which recur frequently in 'Pigeon English' and which I couldn't understand.

Thanks for the information about David Sidaris, Dmitri. I've got so much that I ought to read at the moment, though.

Bel, I loved the Poisonwood Bible too. It struck me as an ambitious and accomplished book. And there are some words of Kikongo in it. I seem to remember that the title comes from the similarity, in Kikongo, of the words for 'precious' and 'poisonwood'.