While searching for a French bookstore, I stumbled upon a street in the Paris suburb of Billancort: La Rue de Silly. Yeah, yeah, I know it's not pronounced the English way, but still...

Oh...no...I am sure it isn't. Having just studied French for our trip, I imagine it's pronounced "ycht" or something.

They do have a lot of "Rues" though!

How did you get on in France, Kalleh? Were you able to understand the locals, and vice versa? Did your study of French pay off?

As happened when I was in Italy, no one understood me, and either they spoke English or Shu saved me or I walked away not being understood. I am not sure what I do wrong. In Italy, my European friends (I was there at an international conference) saved me, even though they didn't know Italian. It must be my confidence level or my demeanor or something. Shu, on the other hand, was amazing. He had major conversations, told jokes in French, and did beautifully.

The other thing that happened in France (and when I was in Italy, too) was that I'd get all mixed up with my English, French and Spanish. Once I said to the waiter, "Si," no "Yes," no "oui." At least he laughed and thought it funny.

One of my French books gave this as an example of "tricky" pronunciations in French:

Qu'est-ce que c'est? - pronounced: kehs kuh say.

Many of the points my books made were correct. For example, people did dress up more than they do in the U.S. Sneakers were very rare. However, a few books said the "magic word" in French is: S'il vous plaît ("please"). In fact, I think the real magic words are: Bonjour ("good day") or Bonsoir ("good evening") and Monsieur ("mister") or Madame ("Mrs.") When you got those right, you got a smile, even from the most surly.

quote:

you got a smile, even from the most surly.

Which is why the English coined the phrase about French curmudgeons, "Surly, you jest!"

quote:

However, a few books said the "magic word" in French is: S'il vous plaît ("please"). In fact, I think the real magic words are: Bonjour ("good day") or Bonsoir ("good evening") and Monsieur ("mister") or Madame ("Mrs.") When you got those right, you got a smile, even from the most surly.

This is true. The real magic words, however, are Excusez-moi de vous deranger, Monsieur (or Madame) whenver you initiate a conversation with strangers.

That's a fine example of a false cognate. If a Frenchman is "deranged," he is not (necessarily) crazy.

What is the difference between pardon and excusez-moi in French? Can you use pardon to get attention, as you can with English, or is that just to be used when you pass someone?

If I remember correctly, pardon means something closer to "sorry". Pardonnez-moi would be sort of like "forgive me" but is also used very similarly to excusez-moi and is often shortened to simply pardon. Just like I often hear people here saying sorry? when they want you to repeat yourself. So you could use pardon to mean "excuse me" when you bump into them, or "excuse me" when you interrupt them or "I'm sorry" for any number of reasons.