Got a few resolutions for the new year, but on this post I'm just going to mention one of them.
I recently bought the Rosetta Stone program for French. Being as how my ancestry is nearly 85% French Canadian, I've been kind of ashamed that I never really learned the language. My great grandparents on my father's side moved to the US in the early 1900's, when my grandfather (Pepere) was born. The area where I live has a lot of Quebecois people that speak the language, particularly the elderly folks.
French got passed down to my parents generation, but not mine so much. Just how it goes becoming assimilated to America. With my job and all the Quebecois old folk in my area, being a Paramedic that can understand them will help somewhat. Also, I've got a new "pen-pal" on Facebook from northern Quebec that shares some ancestry, who also likes to hike and ride the motorcycle. He's also a Paramedic! He speaks English pretty well, but he primarily speaks French way up north where he lives and when he visits I'll have another person to help me with my French.
I'm gonna recruit my father as well when I call every once in a while. He speaks if fluently and can also point out the subtle differences between the Quebecois and the Parisian style speaking.
And if I get comfortable enough, may even post this blog in French. We'll see...
Happy New Year!
You may also want to consider Duolingo, which is good for practice.
ReplyDeleteNice. I may give that a look.
DeleteCoffee Break French podcasts, also good.
ReplyDelete