Whenever I travel, I always get to read the hotels' free newspaper, usually USA Today.

Today there was an article about the French conceding to Americans and the English what we've known for awhile: the French can be rude. Apparently there was a 1% decline in British visitors to France in 2006, so the French are are taking action. They have developed a new campaign, called "C'est so Paris," designed to teach tourists "how to cop the Parisian attitude." Check it out...it's funny. Be sure to click "The Attitude Game."

Here's the original article; I will post a few of the the words from it:

Bof (pronounced, roughly, bohff) - the famous Gallic shrug to deny knowledge or avoid agreement or responsibility. To affect it, stick out your lower lip and raise your eyebrows and shoulders simultaneously.

La moue (la MOO) - the classic pout, which conveys discontent or disgust. Start by looking bored, then purse your lips and shake your head slowly. French actress Brigitte Bardot did it well.

Le boules (lay BOOL) - a gesture of exasperation made with both hands up, fingers curled back toward you as if you are holding two tennis balls. It's a way of indicating you're unlucky, upset or just can't take it anymore. Perhaps useful with cab drivers and waiters.

Camembert - a rude way to tell someone to shut his mouth. Put your hand in the shape of an "L" and bring your fingers and thumb together.

Ras le bol (rah le BOWL) - shows that you're sick and tired. Hold your hand up to your forehead and then pull your hand back towards your arm.

Some Japanese tourists to Paris apparently experience such shock at the rudeness of Parisians that they suffer breakdowns. It's called Paris Syndrome.

Personally, I didn't find Parisians any ruder than any other western city dwellers.

A big problem of mine is gullibility. So, I hesitate to ask this...but is that article true, do you think? Funny, if it is!

I speak no French, though Shu does. Perhaps it was because I was with Shu, but I didn't find the Parisians particularly unfriendly. I will say, though, that I saw a little of it when I was by myself. One store clerk refused to even talk to me when I asked (in French) if she spoke English. While I have a rudimentary, at best, knowledge of French, I knew that I couldn't ask questions of her about the product I was intending to buy. I just had to leave, and she seemed to be glad. That was about the only bad situation I experienced, and no place is perfect. That surely could happen here in the U.S.

Gooofy, being from Canada and knowing as much as you do about language, I bet you speak French, right? That would be the difference.

It's as true as anything else on BBC news, which means maybe not at all.

I can speak French well enough to get by. That might be the difference. Some people were nice enough to speak slowly for me.

I once knew Spanish quite well, and with a little review I can learn it well enough. However, when I went to Italy (yes, that's a different language, but similar enough), I got nervous when I spoke and wasn't able to get by as well as I thought I could. With French, I listened to a whole set of CDs that Asa had sent me, and I did the workbook, too. Yet, again I was nervous when people started talking fast. I think the best way to learn languages is to spend some time in the country and just to speak.