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

Cher Ruddy,

What a plseasure to receive your email. And your French is excellent. But one of the cardinal rules of this h2g2 website is that one must not post in any language apart from English. I am very chuffed that you have a grandmother who is called Christiane. the only other one I have heard of is Christiane Amanpamour who is one of the foremost reporters on CNN.

I suffered a dreadful shock when I first joined - over six years ago -and found a new friend who lived in France. I wrote to him in French and was mortified to have my missive to him "moderated"" (which means censored). It took me a long time to get over that indignity.!!

It would be merveilleux if you could persuade your Maman to join h2g2. I innocently thought that everyone who was born anywhere in France was termed French. I had not realised that if you were born in Brittany you were de facto Breton/Bretonne!!. I know that the French they speak is different - just as the French which is spoken in Canada is different. Papa lways told me that he had difficulty understanding Canadian French - which his Canadian grandchildren would be very cross about!! We had relations in Brittany and every time we come over from South Africa for our bi-annual home leave to France we would spend six months in France visiting grandparents in both the Nord - at Wimereux in the Pas-de Calais - and in the Midid at Aix-en-Provence. What a wonderful privileged enfance I had.

I send you and your family my most cordial sentiments and look forward to an interesting virtual friendship with you. It might even become RL if you live anywahere near Londres. I notice that you had a brief flirtation with the land of Oz. I have a daughter who is married and has three daughters and they have lived in Melbourne then Brisbane and now Perth for the last 21 years. I have had two visits to Australia but it is too far away for me!!. The Australians are super people though.
Sincerely,

Christiane AR1

You are too kind. No, really! Because what I speak (and write) is at best Franglish. I have spent so little time in France that all my French has disappeared into a dusty filing cabinet in the back of mind, from which it takes me three days to retrieve it when I do visit. However, a little goes a long way in one of these entries, n'est ce pas? And oui, I know the regle, so I'll stop it now we've had our fun!When my mother was very small, she remembers that they used to go to Deauville and Trouville, and have a lovely time. I am not even sure where they are - Normandy? Brittany? - but I love their delicious names, which conjure up blue and white sky and sea, pale sand, and Edwardian ladies in white dresses with parasols and picture hats, strolling along a corniche. I expect that I got the image from a painting, because my mother wasn't even thought of in Edwardian times!

As I say, she speaks French, not Breton, which I believe is one of the Celtic languages, and closer to Welsh than French. Brittany is Pays de Galles, isn't it? Or is that Wales?! I have a vague idea that their names are similar.

Oops! Gotta go. Tata!

Bon appetit!!

It is fun to co tinue in Franglais n'est-ce-pas?It will exercise those recesses of your mind which I try and do every day!!.

Pays de Galles is Wales

Is that why Breton is such a different language because it is a Celtic language. ?

I learn every day.

A bientot

Christiane Ar1