Because of the characters of Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour, several authors use French sentences/elements of French culture in their fictions. And the result is often... well...

Okay, let me say it bluntly: online translators suck. When someone normally intelligent is using them, online translators cause a character to speak in infinitives and to sound more like Tarzan than like a Veela. If it's, unfortunately, a slightly retarded person using them, 'Bill' end up being called 'facture' in French. Also, the French accent is often butchered, thus becoming even more painful to read. And the French don't eat frogs every day. And they don't eat bacon at breakfast. And...

Well, you got my point. "Prendre tes vêtements de", "Je t'aime facture" and "'Arry, I 'ove 'ou and I always 'ill no 'atter 'at" are mistakes than can easily be avoided.

So, since there is one thing I'm sure I'm good at, I decided to make myself useful, for a change. If you have questions about French language and culture, you may post them in this thread (or PM them to me if you like that way better).

By questions, I mean: precisions about French culture (food, customs etc.), about France (towns, landscape, architecture etc.), lines to translate, or eventually lines you want to be written with a good 'French accent'.

However, you shouldn't worry about the French accent; it only requires to stick to the following rules:

Last thing: apart from me, there are two French-speakers on the board that I know of: MadBiologist and lnky. They may answer your questions too (though I haven't asked them to participate yet, so I won't make assertions).

 

ROFL

for people who don't speak french: "I love you, Bill (the bill you have to pay/receipt)"

Tinn Tam: Hopefully you'll be able to put an end to the atrocious use of French on ff.net in English fics. At least try anyway.

I can't say I know anything about France's culture but I can help in grammar and proper use of vocabulary.

Good luck with the purging of all the *facture* out there.

 

That's a great idea, Tinn ! Though I'm not a true Frenchman, I'll be glad to help anyone with French translation.

It's very frustrating to read a great story and then find Fleur or Gabrielle speaking like a "vache espagnole". (No offence whatsoever intended towards Spaniards)

 

I'd just like to say this is a brilliant idea and I hope people take advantage of your generosity here. I know I'd have loved someone fluent in Mandarin helping me out with a few lines in my last long fic.

And considering many don't know the first thing about most foreign languages even putting in the effort to research, use a translator, and/or consult an old school book may give you spotty results at best. But someone who speaks the language... great idea Tinn Tam.

Now if only we had some Latinos willing to help out with Latin...
(If I didn't say it, someone else would.)

 

I have some basics in Latin (highschool basics), and I still have my old grammar, Gaffiot (French/Latin dictionary) and Latin textbooks somehwere on a shelf... So I may be of some help there too. Although I can't promise anything.

 

Nonjon, we are not amused. But it would be nice to get some people who knew Latin. I have a personal latin-ifier, but I'm sure that loads of people on DLP would be quite happy to help with it.

 

I also had Latin in high-school, but unfortunately, that was one of the subjects I cheated my way through. Hmm, there's a lesson there somewhere, but I'm not quite sure what it is...

 

That you can cheat and still get your Diploma? Seems like a pretty good lesson to me.

 

Hell yeah! That's the one!

 

Just wanted to say that Tinn Tam just hired me for helping you guys so if you have any questions, well any French related questions just ask me.

I will try to be as helpfull as I can be.