A visit around Bordeaux with accent and regional expressions in mind
One of the fun hurdles when learning nuances of a language is slang and regional expressions. This became very clear to me as I visited Bordeaux and heard expressions I would rarely or ever hear in the east and north.
“Adieu” turned out to be the go-to expression for bye, and as I went back east I had picked it up, so that a French acquiantance looked at me and laughed. This made me think of the accent I had heard and it made me understand slight variations in daily speech. Maybe you’re thinking “Tu m’étonnes”, this is barely a new idea for anyone learning French. But a few variations of the thought proved to help me use French idioms more effectively, and thereby also coming across as slightly more experienced with the language.
Idioms as a bridge to the culture and daily fluency
Next to Bordeaux is the quiet Saint-Emilion commune and village. It began its story in medieval times and today it can be described as a place of bustling wine production (“une région animée pour le vin”). This is where I am taught the expression “Aller au maille” when a French friend mentions the agony of going to work on Mondays. Amid a happy wine tasting we start to laugh as we think of the coming Monday, and there you have it, “aller au maille” has found its way into my vocabulary. In fact, I am told that this expression is common throughout Pyrénées-Orientales, another piece of sociolinguistics to add to my knowledge about the French language!
